French youth talk radio: the free market and free speech

Abstract

French talk radio emerged in the mid-1990s as a form of programming which challenged accepted practices of French radio, especially when catering for youthful audiences who were attracted to cult radio programmes whose star presenters vied with each other to increase audience ratings. French youth talk radio has come into conflict with regulators over good taste and quality in programming, creating a wider debate over issues of censorship, culture and political correctness. This article analyses French youth talk radio through a number of scandals involving the radio stations Skyrock and Fun Radio, whose programmes elicited sanctions from the French regulatory body the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel.