France - Current situation - History
12.10.2021
National launch of DAB+
On 12 October 2021 France launched two new national multiplexes broadcasting 25 DAB+ stations, including national services from Radio France and leading private broadcasters. The new multiplexes are broadcast along the major motorway corridors of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. The 25 services include three new DAB+ only stations and 22 stations that are also broadcast in FM. These 25 radios are in addition to the hundreds of radio stations already available regionally and locally on DAB+
The CSA rollout plan, the "nodes and arcs strategy", which also includes continued regional rollouts alongside the launch of national services, aims to bring population coverage in France to 50% by 2022.
Receiver legislation
In December 2018 DAB+ coverage reached 21.3% of the French population, which triggered a law requiring that all radio receivers (including in-car) sold in France be compatible with the broadcasting standards (ie DAB+). This 2018 law was amended in June 2020 to align with the EECC deadline of 20 December 2020.
In November 2020, the French parliament voted in favour of a law to transpose the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, enabling the government to take a final decree which is expected by early 2021. The decree will confirm that new passenger cars in France will be required to include digital terrestrial radio from 20 December 2020, in line with the EECC. Additional obligations regarding consumer receivers have yet to be agreed and may also be included in that decree enacting the EECC.
05.02.2021
National launch of DAB+
The French media regulator CSA confirmed that the national DAB+ broadcast authorization across France will become effective on 15 July 2021 setting the earliest day by which national broadcasters in France can go on air.
The first stage of the national broadcasts is set to cover highways in mainland France (often referred to as “metropolitan France” in French), starting with highways between the country’s two largest cities, Paris and Marseille, crossing Lyon.
A total of two multiplexes are set to launch in France in the summer of 2021. The 25 broadcasters that have been selected to broadcast nationally on DAB+ have already been determined, and include the six Radio France national radio stations.
The CSA rollout plan, the nodes and arcs strategy, which also includes continued regional rollouts alongside the launch of national services, aims to bring population coverage in France up to 40% by the end of 2022.
Receiver legislation
In December 2018 DAB+ coverage reached 21.3% of the French population, which triggered a law requiring that all radio receivers (including in-car) sold in France be compatible with the broadcasting standards (ie DAB+). This 2018 law was amended in June 2020 to align with the EECC deadline of 20 December 2020.
In November 2020, the French parliament voted in favour of a law to transpose the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, enabling the government to take a final decree which is expected by early 2021. The decree will confirm that new passenger cars in France will be required to include digital terrestrial radio from 20 December 2020, in line with the EECC. Additional obligations regarding consumer receivers have yet to be agreed and may also be included in that decree enacting the EECC.
22.01.2021
In 2014, DAB+ was officially launched for the first time in France, in the cities of Paris, Marseille and Nice. In June 2018, Lille became the fourth metropolitan area in France to have launched regular DAB+ services, and was subsequently followed by launches of DAB+ in Lyon and Strasbourg in December 2018.
On 19 December 2018, the French regulator CSA announced that following the launches of DAB+ in Strasbourg and Lyon, 21.3% of the population of France was now covered by DAB+, therefore triggering the French receiver law requiring all new radio receivers to be equipped with DAB+ capabilities.
DAB+ launched in Bordeaux and Toulouse in November 2020, bringing DAB+ coverage up to 30%.
Receiver legislation
In November 2020, the parliament voted the law enabling the government to take a decree to transpose the EECC into French legislation. That decree, expected by early 2021, will confirm that new passenger cars in France will be required to include digital terrestrial capabilities from 20 December 2020, in line with the EECC. Additional obligations regarding consumer receivers have yet to be agreed but may also be included in the decree.
National DAB+
France is preparing to roll out national DAB+ services in 2021, and the media regulator CSA has announced that national DAB+ licences will become effective on 15 July 2021.
In March 2019, the CSA released the list of radio stations that have been granted a national DAB+ licence alongside the six Radio France national radio stations.
In April 2020, CSA president Roch-Olivier Maistre highlighted that subsidising DAB+ launches for broadcasters, or providing financial assistance through a tax credit scheme - as requested by broadcasters - would be a good idea, given the significant drop in advertising revenues experienced by several broadcasters.