Is Your Tuner Programmed to Broadcast French Radio?

Learn about the radio in France

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Lesson Transcript

Is Your Tuner Programmed to Broadcast French Radio?

In this lesson, we’re going to learn about French Radio. I’m Becky, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 5 - Is Your Tuner Programmed to Broadcast French Radio?

Every day, I listen to the radio. It allows me to stay informed about the news. I also learn a lot of things from shows with themes like the environment, politics, or music. I can also entertain myself with comedic or entertainment programs. Moreover, as I only need my ears to listen to the radio, I can do other things at the same time. Doing the dishes suddenly becomes less of a chore!

The only thing that is slightly annoying is finding the right frequency, or in French fréquence. Even so, people in France usually keep several radios, one in the kitchen, in the bedroom, in the office, and of course, the audio system in the living room. Their tuner, or syntoniseur, is frequently programmed to the antennas of Radio France, a group of French public radio stations of which one, RFI or Radio France Internationale, is broadcast overseas. However, there are a lot of radio libres, a term used to refer to "pirate radios" in France and which nowadays refers to non-commercial associative radio. These radio stations can be both generalist or specialized. They have multiplied since 1981, when the monopoly of Radio France ended.

Radios, in French called radios, are the easiest way to broadcast music. It is required that French broadcasting stations broadcast a minimum of forty percent of songs from French native authors. Among these forty percent, twenty percent must be new talent or new productions. This quota was established in order to promote French songs, or chansons. This gives French artists a way to develop their musical talents and, thanks to this quota, French music stays dynamic. You surely know about Édit Piaf or Jacques Brel, but you might also know Justice and Yael Naim.

There are many choices, but don’t be afraid to miss an interesting show while listening to another one. Thanks to new technology, you don’t have to miss any shows at all! Just open your computer and check your favorite radio websites, offering shows as podcasts, or in French podcast. You can listen to them at home or download them on a digital device. That way, you can listen to them in the subway, without having to try to catch them on the radio.

I guess soon, we’ll all have to change our radio receivers, because radio will become digital! We’ll have access to the same programs, but in better audio quality!