Europe 1 and all private radio stations strongly denounce the questioning of the balance of the radio advertising market with the new Contract of Objectives and Means (COM) 2020-2022 of Radio France.

The latter, in the process of being finalized, completely eliminates the annual ceiling on commercial revenue set at 42 million euros, thus opening the door to almost unlimited access by the public service to advertising.

In their opinion on this new COM, the Senate and the CSA both invited the State to "review its copy" in order to preserve competitive balances in the advertising market.

Europe 1 and all private radio stations are showing their opposition to the removal of the ceiling on Radio France advertising revenues.

By withdrawing the already high limit of 42 million euros from Radio France's new Contract of Objectives and Means (COM) without any information or prior consultation with private radio stations, the government is not keeping its promises, is assuming the imbalance market and above all sends a very bad signal to the private sector, believe the Radio Bureau (BDR), which represents the four large private radio groups M6 (RTL, RTL2, Fun Radio), NRJ (NRJ, Nostalgie, Chérie FM, Rire et Chansons), NextRadioTV (RMC, BFM Business), Lagardère News (Europe 1, RFM, Virgin Radio) and SIRTI, the independent radio union brings together 180 local, regional, thematic and general private radio stations in France (Oui FM, Alouette, Radio Nova, Sud Radio, Radio Scoop, M Radio, Tendance Ouest, Latina, 100%, Top Music, Contact FM, TSF Jazz, Beur FM…).

That Radio France is officially authorized to behave in the market as a competitive player is unacceptable

Radio France, a public actor benefiting from less restrictive rules, particularly in terms of exposure of French-speaking creation, is now officially authorized to behave in the market as a competitive actor.

This is unacceptable.

In 2016, when commercial advertising was opened on Radio France (France Inter, France Info and the local France Bleu network) in order to regularize certain unfair and illegal practices sanctioned by the courts, the government was committed to maintaining the major market balances with private radio stations (financed exclusively by advertising) by establishing a maximum annual amount (42 million euros) in advertising revenue.

Despite numerous alerts from private radio stations and several public reports (CSA, Court of Auditors, Parliament, etc.), Radio France systematically exceeded this ceiling in defiance of its commitments and without any reaction from its supervisory ministry.

The government is breaking its promises and sending a terrible signal to the private sector

While the radio media, like many other sectors, goes through an unprecedented economic crisis, private publishers, who broadcast government health messages free of charge, are still awaiting payment of the exceptional support fund for terrestrial broadcasting.

At the same time, Radio France benefits, beyond its advertising revenues, from public funding.

Radio France's resources in 2020, more than 90% provided by the Public Audiovisual Contribution (CAP, license fee), go beyond 630 million euros, an amount greater than the entire advertising market. from the radio.

The fears expressed by private radio stations before the decree of April 5, 2016 are therefore now correct:

- Radio France has seen its advertising revenue (CA) increase sharply since 2016, + 30% in 5 years, in a radio market that has been structurally declining for 15 years (-28%);


- In 2020, a pandemic period, Radio France's advertising agency is the only one to see its turnover increase over 3 quarters compared to 2019 (source: CSA);


- Radio France achieves its growth thanks to common advertisers for private radio stations.

In 2020, 90% of Radio France's turnover is made with advertisers common to private radio stations (source: Kantar).

By withdrawing the already high limit of 42 million euros from Radio France's new COM without any information or prior consultation with private radio stations, the government is not keeping its promises, is assuming the imbalance of the market and above all is sending a very bad signal. to the private sector.

Radio France, a public actor benefiting from less restrictive rules, particularly in terms of exposure of French-speaking creation, is now officially authorized to behave in the market as a competitive actor.

This is unacceptable.

As advocated by several political figures in recent years, the private radios united within the Bureau of Radio and SIRTI, Radio Classique and Skyrock reiterate their demand for the suppression of advertising on the antennas of Radio France.