Martin Ajdari, President of Arcom, opens the round-table discussion on "chanson francophone" organized by Arcom.

Only the pronouncement of March 13, 2025 is authentic,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear colleagues, dear friends of Arcom,

Thank you very much for coming this morning; we're delighted to welcome you to this round-table discussion on " la chanson francophone ". This round-table discussion is part of the French Language and Francophonie Week organized by the French Ministry of Culture from March 15 to 23, 2025, on the theme " Take the floor ". So don't hesitate to take the floor this morning.

First of all, I'd like to thank those who had the excellent idea of approaching this year's theme of the Francophonie from the angle of Francophone song, and who organized this round-table discussion. In particular, I would like to thank Laurence Pécaut-Rivolier, member of the College and chair of the working group devoted to the protection of audiences, as well as the departments in charge of communication; radio and digital audio; creation; and audiences, plurality and social cohesion.

Finally, we would like to thank Bérénice Ravache, Deputy Director General of the CNM, Bertrand Dicale, a music journalist specializing in French chanson, and Brice Homs, songwriter, scriptwriter and lyricist, member of the Association of composers and music providers to protect copyright and royalties, for sharing their expertise with us. Because French-language song is a whole world: a world of professionals, artists, performers and authors, producers, publishers and broadcasters, who ensure its vitality. This world of the French-speaking world is one of cultural dialogue, openness and the mutual enrichment of the values that you bring to life, values that do us good and that we need.

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As you know, defending and promoting the French language is one of the audiovisual regulator's historic missions, enshrined in the French law of September 30, 1986.

1°) The first concerns the "defense" of the French language, although personally I'd prefer the slightly less "defensive" term "attention" to the French language.

Most TV channels and radio services sign agreements with Arcom to ensure correct use of the French language in their broadcasts, as well as in adaptations, dubbing and subtitling of foreign programs. Arcom ensures that these obligations are met.

Some will see this requirement as a kind of anachronism. For my part, I see it as a collective invitation. An invitation to resist the temptation of Anglicisms, not because they come from abroad, but because they are often less precise than the appropriate French term. And in a world prone to confusion, precision of terms enables us to think more accurately, which is an indirect way of contributing to freedom of expression and communication, from a "qualitative" angle.

And there's also a heritage dimension: when we lose the use of a word, we lose its meaning and statement of case. So it's up to us to pay attention to the words we use, to keep them alive and pass them on to future generations.

2°) The second part of Arcom's mission, at the heart of our discussions today, concerns the promotion of the French language.

If we turn to etymology, in this week of the French language, to promote means "to push forward", "to advance".

And that's exactly what we're talking about: To "push forward" French-language works and "advance" them with French-speaking listeners and the rest of the world, thanks to a number of support schemes: the indispensable radio quotas, the music section of channel agreements, and other tax and export aid schemes that are not part of Arcom's remit, but which complement these quantitative obligations. Pushing forward is also one of the challenges posed by the attractive concept of "discoverability" of French-language works, coined by our Quebec friends.

Over and above these obligations and support schemes, I would like to pay tribute to the commitment and vital role played by broadcasters, both private and public, in promoting French-language song, particularly radio, a medium I know well. France has a wealth of 1,100 national, local and overseas radio stations, 90% of which are music stations. For 58% of French people, radio is the main source for discovering new music. It remains a major medium for youngsters to discover, and sometimes rediscover, their parents' hits, an experience that can then be extended on streaming platforms, which can amplify listeners' interest in a French-language track to an extent unimaginable even twenty years ago.

Because, yes, the audience is there. The French public, of course, because French chanson is popular in the best sense of the word, whether it's a question of great songs that transcend social categories and generations to form part of our common imagination, or more specific genres - yesterday rock, today so-called urban music and rap - that illustrate and show, in French, the spirit of a generation.

And in a few days' time, we'll be turning our attention to the song Louane will be performing in French for Eurovision (with an audience of around 160 million viewers), which she'll be presenting the day after tomorrow, March 15. It's in the very nature of French-language music to play across borders and reach audiences who are sometimes far removed from our language. And this contact can give rise to a desire to discover our culture.

Supporting the creation of French-language music is part of the original balance between freedom of communication and responsibility established by the law of September 30, 1986. One of the main responsibilities of providers of radio, in return for the frequencies made available to them, is to showcase creative work - all creative work - and to promote the French language. As much as a regulator, Arcom sees itself here as a partner, and will always be available to help players reconcile this shared ambition, programming freedom and the real economic or competitive constraints they face.

Once you've taken the floor, as this week's theme invites us to do, you have to know how to give it up. I'll now hand over to Laurence, who will shed further light on the subject, while thanking you once again for your participation.