the France Bleu brand will be renamed “ICI” on January 6

This is the date now made official, to make ” one step closer “ in the process of bringing together local radio stations France Bleu and the regional television channels of France 3 around a common brand of local information. The 44 local radio stations and the France Bleu brand, born on September 4, 2000, will change their name in January 2025 to become « Ici ». The changeover is scheduled for Monday, January 6 at 5 a.m., announced station director Céline Pigalle on Wednesday, November 27, during a press conference at the Maison de la Radio.

According to the manager of the station, it does not matter that the announcement of this major change takes place while the project to create a holding company bringing together the different companies (France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde and the National Institute of audiovisual) must return to the National Assembly in mid-December. “We want to show that we are not waiting to get closer”says Céline Pigalle proudly. To do this, a national advertising campaign designed by the Jésus et Gabriel agency will be broadcast from January 6 to 12 and February 3 to 9. If the change of logos affixed to the premises is scheduled by January 6, that of the automobile fleet will be staggered between now and the end of the season, promises the chain's management.

The “variable part intended to carry out transformation projects” promised by the Ministry of Culture 2023 having been frozen at the beginning of November, following requests for budgetary efforts from Matignon, this major brand transformation project – the cost of which should amount to around ten million euros, according to our information – will ultimately be covered by Radio France and France Télévisions from their respective budgets.

“A political order”

While France Bleu's audiences have stabilized in the 2023-2024 season after six seasons of decline, changing brands remains a risky bet for France Bleu: radio audiences are calculated by the Médiamétrie institute based on the declarations of listeners. The former editorial director of BFM-TV and i-Télé wanted to be reassuring on this subject on Wednesday. As usual, Médiamétrie will count listeners who declare having listened to France Bleu as listeners of “Ici” for “at least for the next three years and on a renewable basis”explained M^me Pigalle. The journalist also wants to believe that the new triptych set up at the start of the school year – more local information, music and guaranteed entertainment “good mood” – will continue to bear fruit.

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