Radio in France

In spite of some attempts to launch radio in France as early as the end of the 19th century, with Eugène Ducretet successfully transmitting radio messages between two Paris landmarks in 1897,[1] it became fully developed only during the Interwar period. In 1938, the government of Édouard Daladier brought broadcasting under central control.[1]

On the outbreak of the First World War, General Gustave-Auguste Ferrié began using the Eiffel Tower for radio transmissions.[1] Radiotechnique, founded in 1919 as a holding company for Émile Girardeau's Société française radio-électrique, began manufacturing radio sets in 1921.[2] Radio Normandie (originally Radio Fécamp), the brainchild of Fernand Le Grand, was licensed by the French government in 1926[3] and expanded partly as a result of the activities of Leonard Plugge, a British politician, who founded the "International Broadcasting Company" in 1931 and persuaded Le Grand to start broadcasting programmes in English on his behalf.

After World War II, radio in France became a public monopoly . Radio Luxembourg on Long Wave was already broadcasting from Luxembourg before WW2 and was very popular. In 1956 another "peripherical" station came on the air on Long Wave as well on 183khz from Germany Sarre. Mostly aimed at the northern half of France it would from 1970 just like Radio Luxembourg (RTL) benefit from almost of a national coverage thanks to 2000kw transmitters. At that time Radio Monte Carlo (RMC) started to broadcast on LW on 216khz. From 1976 the transmitter was allowed to broadcast from France (Roumoules north of Marseille) with 1400kw being heard in the southern half of France. Meanwhile, SUD radio on 819khz was broadcasting from Andorra for the south west with as much as 900kw. There was fierce competition between all the "peripherical" called that way because studios were in France but transmitters were outside France. In 1981 as promised by newly elected François Mitterrand Independent stations were allowed, at first with very little power and on FM only. Since the number of stations, public, private, association has reached in excess of 1700. Curiously the AM band is not used in France (though it was very popular before WW2). Long wave has been abandoned by Radio France, Europe 1 and RMC. RTL (Radio Luxembourg is still on the air on LW). Sud Radio has also left AM for FM where all stations now are. DAB+ is being currently developed to accommodate more programs. Stations are licensed and regulated by the CSA while several public radio services are provided by Radio France.