Radio France

Radio France is France’s public-service radio broadcaster, established in Paris in 1975. Today, it operates seven nationwide channels: France Inter (its generalist station), France Info (all-news), France Culture, France Musique, and the regional network France Bleu.

Media assets

Radio: France Inter, France Info, France Culture, France Musique, France Bleu, FIP, Mouv’

State Media Monitor Typology

Independent State-Funded and State-Managed/Owned (ISFM)

Ownership and governance

Radio France remains a 100 % state‑owned national company. Its President—and thus its chief executive—is appointed by the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA), the French media regulator whose membership is itself appointed by the President of the French Republic. The Board of Directors comprises 13 members (including the President), serving five‑year terms: four appointed by the CSA, four representing state bodies, two Members of Parliament, and two staff representatives.

Since April 2018, the company’s President‑CEO has been Sibyle Veil, a former civil servant. She was reappointed for a second term in December 2022 and remains at the helm into 2025.

The main governing body at Radio France is the Board of Directors, which consists of 13 members, including the station’s president. They all serve a five-year term. Among the 12 members, the CSA appoints four, four represent state bodies, two are MPs, and two are staff representatives.

Under the executive structure, the President leads three management bodies: Codor – day‑to‑day operations; Comex (executive committee); strategic decisions; Codiram – human‑resources governance.

Source of funding and budget

Historically, Radio France drew about 80 % of its funding from the television licence fee (redevance audiovisuelle), with roughly 20 % coming from own‑revenues—advertising, diversification, and other commercial activities.

The total budget for Radio France in 2020 was €654.3m, with the license fee contributing €577.4m, which accounted for over 88% of the budget, as stated in the company’s annual report. In 2022, the station had a total budget of €566.4m, and more than 83% of that amount was covered by the revenues from the fee, according to the annual report.

The licence fee, which had traditionally been the main pillar of public funding, was abolished in 2022 and replaced by a redistribution mechanism tied to VAT receipts.

By 2024, staff–journalists and representative bodies expressed concern that upcoming reforms could jeopardize Radio France’s budget and independence. A planned merger into a unified public audiovisual entity—France Médias—envisioned for 2026 would bring together Radio France, France Télévisions, and the INA under one umbrella. Critics warned that Radio France could be weakened, and editorial diversity diminished.

Editorial independence

Radio France is known for maintaining editorial independence, with no legal obligation to favor any government and no demonstrated government control over content. In cases of undue political pressure, the broadcaster’s leadership has consistently reaffirmed its autonomy.

An ethics committee, composed of five independent experts serving renewable three‑year terms, was established in 2017 to reinforce integrity, freedom, and pluralism.

August 2025