Song quotas on the radio

Private radio stations have rules governing the diffusion of French songs. They stipulate that:

" the substantial proportion of musical works of French expression or performed in a regional language in use in France must reach a minimum of 40% of songs of French expression, at least half of which must come from new talent or new productions, shown at significant listening times by each of the radio broadcasting services authorized by the French Superior Audiovisual Council (now Arcom), for the portion of its programs made up of variety music." (cf. Law of September 30, 1986).

In order to take better account of the diversity of the radio landscape, two derogatory provisions complete this scheme:

• for radio stations specializing in promoting youngsters, an obligation to broadcast 35% French songs and 25% new talent is made provision for;
• for so-called "heritage" radio stations, there is an obligation to show at least 60% French-language songs and a percentage of new productions of up to 10%, with, on average, one new French-language production per hour, compliance with these two obligations being assessed on a monthly basis at significant listening times.

Since July 2016, the law has been supplemented by new schemes:

1. Firstly, the addition of a third ad hoc derogatory regime for so-called "musical discovery" radio stations: at least 15% of new French-language productions or new French-language talent.
   
2. Secondly, the introduction of a malus designed to exclude certain broadcasts of the ten most frequently programmed French-language titles, i.e. those accounting for more than 50% of total French-language broadcasts, from the calculation of compliance with obligations to broadcast French-language songs.
   
3. Lastly, the creation of a bonus allowing downward adjustment of overall French-language song quotas by up to 5 points, subject to compliance with a number of cumulative conditions, notably substantial and quantified commitments to promote diversity in music programming.

For the public service, article 30 of Radio France's mission statement stipulates:

" In its variety programs taken as a whole, the company gives a majority place to original EOF songs and endeavors to promote new talent. "

Afin de mieux prendre en compte la diversité du paysage radiophonique, deux dispositions dérogatoires complètent ce dispositif :

• pour les radios spécialisées dans la promotion des jeunes talent, il est prévu une obligation de diffusion de 35% de chansons d’expression française et 25% de nouveaux talents ;
• pour les radios dites "de patrimoine", il est prévu une obligation de diffuser au moins 60% de chansons d’expression française et un pourcentage de nouvelles productions pouvant aller jusqu’à 10%, avec, en moyenne, une nouvelle production francophone par heure, le respect de ces deux obligations étant apprécié sur un rythme mensuel aux heures d’écoute significatives.

Depuis juillet 2016, la loi a été complétée par de nouvelles dispositions :

1. En premier lieu, l’ajout d’un troisième régime dérogatoire ad hoc pour les radios dites de "découverte musicale" : au moins 15% de nouvelles productions francophones ou de nouveaux talents francophones.
    
2. En deuxième lieu, l’instauration d’un malus visant à exclure certaines des diffusions des dix titres francophones les plus programmés, celles intervenant au-delà de 50 % du total des diffusions francophones, dans le décompte du respect des obligations en matière de diffusion de chansons d’expression française.
    
3. En dernier lieu, la création d’un bonus permettant la modulation à la baisse des quotas globaux de chansons d’expression française dans la limite de 5 points et sous réserve du respect de plusieurs conditions cumulatives portant notamment sur des engagements substantiels et quantifiés en vue de promouvoir la diversité de la programmation musicale.

Pour le service public

Pour le service public, l’article 30 du cahier des missions et des charges de Radio France dispose :

« Dans ses programmes de variétés pris dans leur ensemble, la société donne une place majoritaire à la chanson d’expression originale française et s’attache à promouvoir les nouveaux talents. »

Chapter 1 of Arcom's deliberation of December 8, 2021 defines the concepts covered by the obligations regarding song exposure by authorized radio stations.

• Chanson d'expression française: a song is said to be French if more than half of its text-based duration includes lyrics performed in French or in a regional language used in France.
• New French-speaking talent: any artist or group of artists who have not exceeded the threshold of 100,000 sales for two separate albums, provided they have not already qualified as confirmed talent according to the definition in effect prior to the effective date of the present deliberation.

For the purposes of this definition, "sale" means the sale of an album or sales equivalent corresponding to 1,500 listens lasting more than 30 seconds to the tracks on this album on the paying supplies of online music services, after subtracting from this total half of the listens to the most listened-to track on the album.

An "album" is defined as any recording with a number of tracks equal to or greater than 5, or with a duration of at least 25 minutes. This excludes reissues and "live" albums made up entirely or mainly of tracks already marketed in previous albums.

• New production: any track, whether or not extracted from an album, for a period of nine months as of its date of first diffusion on a radio station, if it receives at least three weekly airings for two consecutive weeks.

Significant listening hours are understood as the periods from 6:00 am to 10:30 pm Monday to Friday, from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm on Saturday and from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm on Sunday.

Browse the tables :

New productions (table in xlsx format.)

Confirmed artists

In order to ensure that private radio services respect their contractual commitments to show French songs, Arcom relies on the diffusion data collected by a service provider. The raw data collected is processed by Arcom. The panel of controlled services is diversified and regularly renewed. In the event of persistent non-compliance by a radio station with its contractual commitments, the AMF may issue a warning or formal notice, or initiate legal sanctions proceedings.

This can result in several types of legal sanctions:

• reading of a press release drafted by Arcom on the station's airwaves ;
• financial sanctions ;
• suspension of the program for a period ranging from one hour to one month;
• reduction of authorization period;
• withdrawal of broadcasting authorization.