France Bleu Explained

France Bleu should not be confused with Bleu de France (disambiguation).

France Bleu
City:Paris
Area:France
Language:French
Former Callsigns:Radio Bleue
Locales de Radio France
Format:Adult contemporary, French music, Local news
Airdate:4 September 2000
Owner:Radio France
Sister Stations:franceinfo
France Inter
France Culture
France Musique
Fip
Mouv'
Frequency:FM 87.6–107.3 MHz

France Bleu is a network of local and regional radio stations in France, part of the national public broadcasting group Radio France. The network has a public service mission to serve local audiences and provides local news and content from each of its forty-four stations.

France Bleu was created in 2000 by a fusion of two older Radio France networks, Les locales de Radio France and Radio Bleue. The flagship station in Paris goes by the name of France Bleu 107.1, while the individual stations are each named for their respective coverage areas, usually a département, région, or city.

Claude Perrier has been director of the France Bleu network since 2013. His predecessors include Philippe Chaffanjon (2012–2013) and Anne Brucy (2010–2012).

History

Disjointed beginnings (1975–2000)

Les locales de Radio France

In 1980, Jacqueline Baudrier, then Chief Director of Radio France[1] created three new experimental local radio stations. Fréquence Nord, Radio Mayenne and Melun FM were created to cover a region, department and a town respectively.[2] These stations were in complement to those already existing under the management of FR3 since 1975, following the break-up of the state broadcaster ORTF. Radio France assumed control of all stations in 1982, with the number of stations reaching 40 by the 1990s.[3]

Its programming was essentially local except for music (which usually came from sister station FIP, or national programming by satellite, called Programme Modulation France), combined with news bulletins from France Inter. These stations were individually called Radio France_____ followed by its coverage area, but were grouped under the name Les locales de Radio France.[3]

Radio Bleue

Similarly in 1980, Baudrier also launched a new network, this time aimed at the over-50 demographic, called Radio Bleue.[4] It started as a morning-only service which used a national mediumwave network, shared with educational programming. By the 1990s, it expanded its schedule, broadcasting until the evening and secured three FM frequencies from the radio regulator the CSA in three cities: Paris, Cannes, and Valence.

Plan Bleu (2000–2010)

In 2000, following a review of all radio services, Radio France director, Jean-Marie Cavada, initiated its Plan Bleu, essentially a vast re-organisation of its radio frequencies. Under the plan the local radio stations (Les locales de Radio France) were to be syndicated with Radio Bleue to form one network – the unified France Bleu officially launched on 4 September 2000 at 5:00am CET. Its network of thirty-eight local radio stations were all renamed "France Bleu ______", followed by its broadcast area, to bring the network closer to the Radio France family of stations. Expanding its coverage, local FM frequencies in small to medium-sized towns were re-attributed to France Bleu. Under the same plan frequencies in bigger markets switched to youth network Le Mouv' and FIP stations were drastically cut back to five locations.[5]

News bulletins from France Inter were gradually replaced with its own service, and journalists for the local stations now supply rolling news station France Info with news items, having previously relied on its bigger sister stations for news.

Paris region

2002 marked the arrival of a dedicated local service for the Paris region, with the launch of La CityRadio de Paris, using the 107.1 frequency from the previous Radio Bleue FM network.[6] [7] Conversely the France Bleu network handed over the totality of its mediumwave network to France Info.[8]

In 2005 Radio France chief Jeal-Paul Cluzel wished to create a regional station, finding the CityRadio name too limiting,[9] therefore nearby France Bleu Melun based sixty kilometres away was slated for a merger, signalling closure on 16 December 2005 after more than twenty-five years on-air. The combined stations were re-launched as a single service, France Bleu Île-de-France, on 2 January 2006.[10] The name was changed to France Bleu 107.1 in September 2009.

Expansion and validation (2010–present)

The value of France Bleu was starting to be more widely recognised. In April 2000, the network achieved its record audience, achieving a 7.5% share and 330,000 new listeners,[11] putting the national listenership at under 4 million.In 2010 at the request of French Prime Minister François Fillon, France Bleu Maine, covering Le Mans and La Sarthe was created on 1 June. Mr Fillon is a native of Le Mans. In 2011 it was confirmed that local public radio is to appear in Toulouse.[12] France Bleu Toulouse launched on 23 February [13] and marked a return of local public radio to the city after a 14-year absence. Its previous outlet, Radio France Toulouse was closed in order to make way for national youth station Le Mouv'.[14] Le Mouv' has since relocated to Paris.[15] The 44th station was launched in September 2013: France Bleu Saint-Etienne Loire. Based in Saint-Etienne, the local radio covers the city of Saint-Etienne, Roanne and a part of La Loire.

Slogans

Regional stations and their main frequencies

Logo Name of the station Frequencies RDS name
BAS-RHIN (67) :Strasbourg - 101.4

Niederbronn-les-Bains - 99.8

Plaine-Cote - 103.1

Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines - 106.6

Sarre-Union - 107.0

Wissembourg - 94.6

HAUT-RHIN (68) :

Saint-Amarin - 101.5

Munster - 104.9

Oderen - 98.5

Mulhouse - 102.6

Masevaux - 101.5

Lapoutroie - 101.5

BLEUALSA
France Bleu ArmoriqueCÔTES D'ARMOR (22) :Quintin - 102.7

Pleneuf-Val-André - 105.0

Chatelaudren - 93.3

Saint-Brieuc - 104.5

ILLE-ET-VILAINE (35) :

Rennes - 103.1

Vitré - 101.6

Redon - 87.9

Fougères - 100.2

MORBIHAN (56) :

Josselin - 106.1

La Roche Bernard - 96.2

Rohan - 106.4

Vannes - 101.3

BLEUARMO
France Bleu AuxerreYONNE (89) :Auxerre - 101.3 et 103.5

Sens - 100.5

Ancy le Franc - 92.5

Tonnerre - 103.5

NIÈVRE (58) :

Nevers - 104.0

BLEU_AUX
France Bleu AzurALPES MARITIMES (06) :Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat - 94.4

Nice - 103.8

Menton - 94.8

Utelle - 106.0

Contes - 94.4

VAR (83) :

Saint-Raphaël - 100.7

BLEUAZUR
France Bleu BéarnPau 102.5BLEU.BEA
France Bleu Belfort-MontbéliardBelfort 106.8 Montbéliard 94.6BLEUBELF
France Bleu BerryBourges et le Cher 103.2 Argenton-sur-Creuse 93,5Issoudun 89,3

Châteauroux 95,2

BLEU.BER
France Bleu BesançonBesançon 102.8 ou 101.4 Vesoul 94.4 Lons-le-Saunier 103.0 Morteau 103.9 Pontarlier 97.2 Ornans 90.3 Saint-Hippolyte 87.6 [16] BLEUBESA
France Bleu BourgogneNuits-Saint-Georges 103.7Chalon-sur-Saône 103.1 Troyes Les Riceys 87.8BLEUBOUR
France Bleu Breizh IzelFréq. Générale 93.0 Quimper 98.6 Brest 99.3 Lorient 90.4 Guingamp 101.4BLEU-BZH
France Bleu Champagne-ArdenneReims 95.1BLEUCHAM
France Bleu CotentinDigosville 100.7BLEU.COT
France Bleu CreuseGuéret 94.3Aubusson 92.4

Auzances 94.8

BLEU.CRE
France Bleu Drôme ArdècheAnnonay 87.7 Valence 87.9 Montélimar 100.9 Pierrelatte 103.8BLEUDROM
France Bleu ElsassDiffusée seulement sur l'Internet.
France Bleu Gard LozèreNîmes 90.2BLEUGARD
France Bleu GascogneAscain 100.5BLEUGASC
France Bleu GirondeBordeaux 100.1BLEU.GIR
France Bleu HéraultMontpellier 101.1BLEU.HER
France Bleu IsèreDoizieux 101.8BLEU.ISE
France Bleu La RochelleLa Rochelle 98.2 Fréq. générale 103.9 Royan 103.6 Saintes 103.9 Angoulême 101.5BLEU.LR.
France Bleu LimousinLimoges 103.5Nord Haute-Vienne 92.5BLEU.LIM
France Bleu Loire OcéanNantes 101.8 Fréq. générale 101.8 Saint-Nazaire/La Baule 88.1 Châteaubriant 98.6 La Roche-sur-Yon 93.2 Les Sables-d'Olonne 99.9 Mareuil/Luçon 101.5 Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie 96.9

Angers 88.5

BLEU.L.O
France Bleu Lorraine NordMetz 98.5 Forbach 98.8 Thionville 101.5 Sarreguemines 104.0BLEULORN
France Bleu MaineLe Mans 96.0 Fréq. générale 96.0 La Flèche 91.7 Sablé-sur-Sarthe 105.7BLEUMAIN
France Bleu MayenneSainte-Gemmes-le-Robert 96.6BLEU.MAY
France Bleu NordValenciennes - 87.7Lille - 87.8 et 94.7Maubeuge - 88.1Dunkerque - 92.6Boulogne-sur-Mer - 95.5Etaples - 97.8Calais - 106.2BLEUNORD
France Bleu Normandie (Calvados - Orne)Le Plessis-Grimoult 102.6BLEU.B.N
France Bleu Normandie (Seine-Maritime - Eure)Rouen 100.1Le Havre 95.1BLEU.H.N
France Bleu OccitanieToulouse 90.5 Montauban 97.2 Albi 103.7 Agen 99.4 Rodez 106.2 Auch 96.7 Cahors 97.3 Pamiers 100.7 Villefranche-de-Rouergue 96.2 Saint-Gaudens 96.4 Figeac 90.0BLEU.OC
France Bleu OrléansOrléans 100.9BLEU.ORL
France Bleu ParisParis 107.1 Melun & Provins 92.7 Fontainebleau 103.3 Nemours 101.4 BLEU
France Bleu Pays BasqueAscain 101.3BLEUBASQ
France Bleu Pays d'AuvergneClermont-Ferrand 102.5 et 102.0 Ambert 99.5 Aurillac 100.2 Moulins 99.9 Montluçon 96.7 Saint-Flour 100.1BLEU.AUV
France Bleu Pays de SavoieSAVOIE (73) : Chambéry 103.9 Lescheraines 88.8 Montmélian 103.9 Albertville 103.9 Saint Jean de Maurienne 103.6 Modane 103.6 Bonneval-sur-Arc 103.9 Val-d'Isère 103.9HAUTE-SAVOIE (74) :Annecy 95.2 Gex (Lake Geneva) 106.1 Chatel 93.8 La Forclaz 106.7 Cluses 107.3 Combloux 105.9 Morzine 103.6 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains 103.9 Megève 106.4 Chamonix 100.5BLEU.SAV
France Bleu PérigordAudrix 99.0 Périgueux 99.3 Limoges - Nord Dordogne 91.7BLEUPERI
France Bleu PicardieOISE (60) :Noyon - 94.4

Beauvais - 106.8

SOMME (80) :

Montdidier - 93.2

Gamaches - 103.3

Amiens - 100.2

Poix-de-Picardie - 101.8

Doullens - 88.1

Sailly-Saillisel - 102.8

Abbeville - 100.6

BLEU.PIC
France Bleu PoitouFréq. générale 106.4 Poitiers 87.6 Niort 101.0 Châtellerault 103.3BLEUPOIT
France Bleu ProvenceMarseille 103.6 Toulon 102.9BLEUPROV
France Bleu RCFMBastia 101.7 Ajaccio 97.0 / 100.5 BLEURCFM
France Bleu RoussillonSorède 101.6BLEUROUS
France Bleu Saint-Étienne LoireSaint-Étienne 97.1 Roanne 100.2 Le Puy-en-Velay 101.1BLEUSTET
France Bleu Sud LorraineNancy 100.5 Épinal 100.0BLEUSLOR
France Bleu TouraineTours 105.0BLEUTOUR
France Bleu VaucluseGrand Avignon 98.8 Vaucluse 100.4 Sud Luberon 88.6BLEUVAUC

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://fipblog.radiofrance.fr/fiche-jacqueline-baudrier FIP Blog, retrieved 26-02-2011
  2. Web site: Franceinfo – Actualités en temps réel et info en direct. Francetvinfo.fr. 16 March 2019.
  3. Web site: SchooP – La mémoire de la FM > Histoire des radios. Schoop.fr. 16 March 2019.
  4. Web site: SchooP – La mémoire de la FM > Histoire des radios . Schoop.fr. 16 March 2019.
  5. http://www.digitalradioactu.com/actualites-radio-numerique/324/radio-france-le-point-sur-le-plan-bleu/ RadioActu, published 20 October 2000
  6. Web site: SchooP - La mémoire de la FM > Histoire des radios . Schoop.fr. 16 March 2019.
  7. Web site: CityRadio de Paris. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/62-xmERUkjY . 2021-12-13 . live. Guy Banville. 2 September 2008. 16 March 2019. YouTube.
  8. Web site: FM Scan website, retrieved 26-02-2011. Fmscan.org. 16 March 2019.
  9. Web site: RadioActu, published 8 September 2005. Radioactu.com. 16 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20110715143911/http://www.radioactu.com/actualites-radio/noi_48200/la-cityradio-derniere-grille-de-rentree/. 15 July 2011. dead. dmy-all.
  10. Web site: L'île de france a. Irma.asso.fr. 16 March 2019.
  11. Web site: RadioActu, published 15 April 2010. Radioactu.com. 16 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20110715143920/http://www.radioactu.com/actualites-radio/noi_126901/france-bleu-la-station-enregistre-son-record-d-audience/. 15 July 2011. dead. dmy-all.
  12. Web site: Le Parisien, reported 29 November 2009. Leparisien.fr. 16 March 2019. 18 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160118121653/http://www.leparisien.fr/toulouse-31000/le-lancement-de-france-bleu-toulouse-est-reporte-29-11-2010-1170822.php. dead.
  13. Web site: France Bleu Toulouse radio station launches – 23 February 2011 – Guide2Midi Pyrenees News . 2011-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110226025444/http://www.guide2midipyrenees.com/news/464/France-Bleu-Toulouse-radio-station-launches . 2011-02-26 . dead .
  14. Web site: Archived copy . 2011-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121016065339/http://www.ina.fr/video/TLC9701013302/fin-de-radio-france-toulouse-et-lancement-du-mouv.fr.html . 2012-10-16 . dead .
  15. http://teleobs.nouvelobs.com/articles/le-mouv-demenage-a-paris-france-bleu-a-toulouse Le Mouv déménage à Paris, Nouvel Observateur, published 6 June 2010
  16. Web site: Les fréquences de la radio FRANCE BLEU BESANCON dans toute la France.. Frequence-radio.org. 16 March 2019.