Radio modernization law to be debated

A proposal for a law on the modernization of radio, submitted on June 16, 2026 by Senator Laurent Lafon, will be debated tomorrow in a public session. Widely adopted by the Culture Committee on October 7, 2026 and supported by radio industry actors, the proposal aims to relax regulations and promote the development of terrestrial digital radio in a context of relative decline in French radio.

Radio remains popular but faces challenges

Whether accompanying daily commutes or setting the rhythm for meal preparation, radio remains the preferred medium for the 38 million French people who listen to it every day. The audiovisual and digital communications regulator recalls in its study published on March 31, 2026 that radio is the leading audio medium for the French. However, unlike Italy or the United Kingdom, the number of listeners has declined for twenty years.

Economic impact of declining radio listenership

This shift is not without consequences on the economic vitality of radio. Advertising revenue, which constitutes the sole source of income for commercial private radios, has contracted over the past twenty years; they have more specifically decreased by 15% between 2005 and 2025. This trend seems to be accelerating since 2025, as the decline amounts to 3.5% in the first half of 2026 compared to the first half of 2025.

Proposed changes to advertising regulations

In the first article, the senator proposes to "exempt radio services from certain legal and regulatory advertising obligations," provided they broadcast public interest campaigns or information programs on the same themes. This broadcast could take place on their airwaves but also on their online public communication services.

Legal advertising mentions under scrutiny

Today, radios are subject to specific legal obligations depending on the advertisements broadcast. For example, the Road Code requires the promotion of active, shared mobility or public transport for all advertisements in favor of motor vehicles. This type of obligation is also valid for encouraging waste management, healthy eating, or moderate alcohol consumption.

Public perception of legal mentions

For Laurent Lafon, the "length" and "complexity" of these mentions "harm the intelligibility and attractiveness of the advertisements," which could, according to him, further weaken the economic model of private radios, favoring a shift of advertising to the internet. He continues his argument by stating that "several studies have demonstrated the ineffectiveness of these mentions."

Promoting digital radio in vehicles

The following article aims to "gradually generalize DAB+ reception in radio equipment sold in France" and to "ensure the presence of an FM and DAB+ receiver in new passenger and freight transport vehicles." On the decline, FM or frequency modulation is expected to gradually disappear under the impetus of Arcom starting in 2033 in favor of DAB+.

Current state of DAB+ adoption

Less energy-consuming, free, mobile, universal, and offering a higher quality sound, the development of DAB+ is favored by Laurent Lafon. If the collective "Together for DAB+" estimates the coverage rate of the metropolitan population to be 81% by the end of 2026, the senator laments an "insufficient" renewal of equipment, particularly at home.

Support for radio in cars

A place of listening for 35% of the French, the car is indeed a strategic place for radio. However, despite the December 2018 directive, transposed in 2021, which requires that the radios integrated into new passenger vehicles allow DAB+ reception, the market has led to the sale of cars "without a radio," which have only a connected multimedia system linked to the internet.

Relaxing radio broadcasting area rules

Laurent Lafon finally wants to relax the procedures for radio allotment to allow an "editor to stop broadcasting on an extended allotment to only broadcast on a local allotment included in it." Concretely, to broadcast in digital radio (DAB+), a radio today must obtain an authorization for a "specific broadcasting area."

Impact of broadcasting area costs

In jargon, this area is called an allotment. The more extended the broadcasting area, the higher the costs. It thus happens that some radios that have obtained an extended allotment find themselves in economic difficulty and cannot, under the current legal framework, reduce their broadcasting area without resorting to a new procedure for inviting candidates.

Potential changes to music rotation rules

Since the law of September 30, 1986, musical radios must broadcast at least 40% of songs of French expression during peak listening hours, half of which must come from new talents or new productions. In 2016, the law was supplemented by new provisions that prevent the broadcast of the same title from being counted beyond a certain threshold.

Struggle for radio's relevance

Facing the new giants of streaming such as Spotify or Deezer - which are legally allowed to offer unlimited and personalized listening - professionals in radio and music are trying to regain more maneuverability. Negotiations are currently underway and could also lead to a relaxation of the rotation limit mechanism introduced in 2016.