Radio in Paris


Radio transmission in Paris began in 1921, and today there are many AM and FM radio stations available to listeners in Paris and the Île-de-France region.

History

The first radio broadcast in Paris aimed at the general public took place on 24 December 1921. The next year, the French government allowed the establishment of the first private radio station in Paris: Radiola.
After the Second World War, Parisian radio was nationalized, and it was not until 1981, following the election of François Mitterrand that private companies were able easily to broadcast in the Paris area. Mitterrand was attempting to permit the growth of radio stations through privatization and fewer regulations, following the Italian example. In the early 1980s, there were more than 200 radio stations in Paris. These stations often overlapped, broadcast only sporadically and often low-quality content. This chaotic situation came to an end after the establishment of several regulatory agencies — first the Haute Autorité, then the CNCL, and finally the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel which granted licences to operate on specific frequencies to certain companies.

The first radio stations in Paris (chronological)

Broadcasters in the banlieue