France Bleu
France Bleu is a network of local and regional radio stations in France, and a 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 June 2013. His predecessors include :fr:Philippe Chaffanjon|Philippe Chaffanjon and :fr:Anne Brucy|Anne Brucy.
History
Disjointed beginnings (1975–2000)
''Les locales de Radio France''
In 1980, Jacqueline Baudrier, Chief Director of Radio France created three new experimental local radio stations. Fréquence Nord, Radio Mayenne and Melun FM were created to cover a region, départment and a town respectively. 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.Its programming was essentially local except for music, 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.
''Radio Bleue''
Similarly in 1980, Baudrier also launched a new network, this time aimed at the over-50 demographic, called Radio Bleue. 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. By the late 1990s it had 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 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 reattributed 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.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. Conversely the France Bleu network handed over the totality of its mediumwave network to France Info.In 2005 Radio France chief Jeal-Paul Cluzel wished to create a regional station, finding the CityRadio name too limiting, 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. 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, 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. France Bleu Toulouse launched on 23 February 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'. Le Mouv' has since relocated to Paris. The 44th station was launched on 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
- 1991–2000: Les locales
- 2000–2002: Toutes les FranceS sont sur France Bleu
- 2002–2005: La vie tout en bleu
- 2005–2008: Vivre en bleu, c'est mieux
- Since August 2008: Vu d'ici
Regional stations and their main frequencies
| Logo | Name of the station | Frequencies | RDS name |
| France Bleu Alsace | BAS-RHIN : 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 : Saint-Amarin - 101.5 Munster - 104.9 Oderen - 98.5 Mulhouse - 102.6 Masevaux - 101.5 Lapoutroie - 101.5 | BLEUALSA | - |
| France Bleu Armorique | CÔTES D'ARMOR : Quintin - 102.7 Pleneuf-Val-André - 105.0 Chatelaudren - 93.3 Saint-Brieuc - 104.5 ILLE-ET-VILAINE : Rennes - 103.1 Vitré - 101.6 Redon - 87.9 Fougères - 100.2 MORBIHAN : Josselin - 106.1 La Roche Bernard - 96.2 Rohan - 106.4 Vannes - 101.3 | BLEUARMO | - |
| France Bleu Auxerre | YONNE : Auxerre - 101.3 et 103.5 Sens - 100.5 Ancy le Franc - 92.5 Tonnerre - 103.5 NIÈVRE : Nevers - 104.0 | BLEU_AUX | - |
| France Bleu Azur | ALPES MARITIMES : Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat - 94.4 Nice - 103.8 Menton - 94.8 Utelle - 106.0 Contes - 94.4 VAR : Saint-Raphaël - 100.7 | BLEUAZUR | - |
| France Bleu Béarn | Pau 102.5 | BLEU.BEA | - |
| France Bleu Belfort-Montbéliard | Belfort 106.8 Montbéliard 94.6 | BLEUBELF | - |
| France Bleu Berry | Bourges et le Cher 103.2 Argenton-sur-Creuse 93,5 Issoudun 89,3 Châteauroux 95,2 | BLEU.BER | - |
| France Bleu Besançon | Besançon 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 | BLEUBESA | - |
| France Bleu Bourgogne | Nuits-Saint-Georges 103.7Chalon-sur-Saône 103.1 Troyes Les Riceys 87.8 | BLEUBOUR | - |
| France Bleu Breizh Izel | Fréq. Générale 93.0 Quimper 98.6 Brest 99.3 Lorient 90.4 Guingamp 101.4 | BLEU-BZH | - |
| France Bleu Champagne-Ardenne | Reims 95.1 | BLEUCHAM | - |
| France Bleu Cotentin | Digosville 100.7 | BLEU.COT | - |
| France Bleu Creuse | Guéret 94.3 Aubusson 92.4 Auzances 94.8 | BLEU.CRE | - |
| France Bleu Drôme Ardèche | Annonay 87.7 Valence 87.9 Montélimar 100.9 Pierrelatte 103.8 | BLEUDROM | - |
| France Bleu Elsass | Diffusée seulement sur l'Internet. | - | |
| France Bleu Gard Lozère | Nîmes 90.2 | BLEUGARD | - |
| France Bleu Gascogne | Ascain 100.5 | BLEUGASC | - |
| France Bleu Gironde | Bordeaux 100.1 | BLEU.GIR | - |
| France Bleu Hérault | Montpellier 101.1 | BLEU.HER | - |
| France Bleu Isère | Doizieux 101.8 | BLEU.ISE | - |
| France Bleu La Rochelle | La Rochelle 98.2 Fréq. générale 103.9 Royan 103.6 Saintes 103.9 Angoulême 101.5 | BLEU.LR. | - |
| France Bleu Limousin | Limoges 103.5 Nord Haute-Vienne 92.5 | BLEU.LIM | - |
| France Bleu Loire Océan | Nantes 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 Nord | Metz 98.5 Forbach 98.8 Thionville 101.5 Sarreguemines 104.0 | BLEULORN | - |
| France Bleu Maine | Le Mans 96.0 Fréq. générale 96.0 La Flèche 91.7 Sablé-sur-Sarthe 105.7 | BLEUMAIN | - |
| France Bleu Mayenne | Sainte-Gemmes-le-Robert 96.6 | BLEU.MAY | - |
| France Bleu Nord | Valenciennes - 87.7 Lille - 87.8 et 94.7 Maubeuge - 88.1 Dunkerque - 92.6 Boulogne-sur-Mer - 95.5 Etaples - 97.8 Calais - 106.2 | BLEUNORD | - |
| France Bleu Normandie | Le Plessis-Grimoult 102.6 | BLEU.B.N | - |
| France Bleu Normandie | Rouen 100.1 Le Havre 95.1 | BLEU.H.N | - |
| France Bleu Occitanie | Toulouse 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 90.0 | BLEU.OC | - |
| France Bleu Orléans | Orléans 100.9 | BLEU.ORL | - |
| France Bleu Paris | Paris 107.1 Melun & Provins 92.7 Fontainebleau 103.3 Nemours 101.4 | BLEU | - |
| France Bleu Pays Basque | Ascain 101.3 | BLEUBASQ | - |
| France Bleu Pays d'Auvergne | Clermont-Ferrand 102.5 et 102.0 Ambert 99.5 Aurillac 100.2 Moulins 99.9 Montluçon 96.7 Saint-Flour 100.1 | BLEU.AUV | - |
| France Bleu Pays de Savoie | SAVOIE : 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 103.9 HAUTE-SAVOIE : Annecy 95.2 Gex 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 100.5 | BLEU.SAV | - |
| France Bleu Périgord | Audrix 99.0 Périgueux 99.3 Limoges - Nord Dordogne 91.7 | BLEUPERI | - |
| France Bleu Picardie | OISE : Noyon - 94.4 Beauvais - 106.8 SOMME : 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 Poitou | Fréq. générale 106.4 Poitiers 87.6 Niort 101.0 Châtellerault 103.3 | BLEUPOIT | - |
| France Bleu Provence | Marseille 103.6 Toulon 102.9 | BLEUPROV | - |
| France Bleu RCFM | Bastia 101.7 Ajaccio 97.0 / 100.5 | BLEURCFM | - |
| France Bleu Roussillon | Sorède 101.6 | BLEUROUS | - |
| France Bleu Saint-Étienne Loire | Saint-Étienne 97.1 Roanne 100.2 Le Puy-en-Velay 101.1 | BLEUSTET | - |
| France Bleu Sud Lorraine | Nancy 100.5 Épinal 100.0 | BLEUSLOR | - |
| France Bleu Touraine | Tours 105.0 | BLEUTOUR | - |
| France Bleu Vaucluse | Grand Avignon 98.8 Vaucluse 100.4 Sud Luberon 88.6 | BLEUVAUC | - |