DAB+, digital terrestrial radio, arrives in Cherbourg
Digital terrestrial radio continues to roll out in France, with the arrival today in Cherbourg of 25 national radio stations available on DAB+ (BFM Business, Chérie FM, Europe 1, Europe 2, FIP, France Culture, France Info, France Inter, France Musique, Fun Radio, KTO Radio, Latina, M Radio, Mouv', Nostalgie, NRJ, Radio Classique, RFM, Rire et Chansons, RMC, RTL, RTL2, Skyrock, Air Zen, BFM Radio).
DAB+ supplies the general public with a better quality of radio listening and, in a context of FM band saturation, new opportunities for providers of radio to extend the diffusion of their programs or create new stations.
These initial switch-ons in Cherbourg will be followed by the start-up of 26 additional local, regional and theme radio stations by the end of the year, providing the public with a complete, plurality and diverse supply. Ultimately, the digital radio supply in Cherbourg and the wider Cotentin region will be 52 stations, local, regional and national, public and private, some of them new to listeners, dubbing the FM supply in the area.
With DAB+ digital radio, Arcom is committed to strengthening territorial equity in radio access throughout France. DAB+ guarantees sovereign control over radio diffusion, supplying our fellow citizens with universal, free and anonymous access to their favorite medium.
Over 70% of the population now has access to DAB+.
The success of this rollout is the fruit of a strong mobilization of radio providers of radio, technical broadcasters and Arcom. However, this collective commitment is taking place against a complex financial backdrop for radio operators, who have to make substantial investments, while facing competition from digital platforms that are not subject to the same advertising rules.
Similarly, the declared intention of certain car manufacturers to stop equipping their vehicles with radio receivers represents an existential threat to a medium whose 30% of listeners in France are mobile.
Against this backdrop, and in view of the central role played by radio in providing our fellow citizens with access to information and a rich and diverse cultural supply, particularly music, Arcom reiterates once again that the drafting of the European regulation on digital networks should make it possible to impose on car manufacturers the presence of an FM/DAB+ tuner and a clearly identifiable "button"/application on dashboards, in order to ensure effective, free and universal access to radio, and, ultimately, a future for the medium as a whole.
Press release
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- in french