RFJ will continue to broadcast on the FM band

The FM socket will not be pulled at the same time for all radio stations in French-speaking Switzerland. SSR will stop broadcasting analogue programs on December 31 of this year throughout Switzerland, but it will still be possible to listen to RFJ on the FM band… for at least two more years. Regional radio stations will not follow the same schedule as the public sector. “We requested a postponement until the end of 2026,” explains Pierre Steulet, managing director of RFJ. “There are two main reasons for this: firstly, competition from French radios and secondly the fact that cars are less well equipped with DAB+ in French-speaking Switzerland than in German-speaking Switzerland. »

Broadcast stopped in road tunnels

Even if private radio stations will therefore continue to broadcast their programs via the FM band, the latter will no longer operate in motorway tunnels in Switzerland from January 1, for all radio programs. “This is the only change there will be for RFJ listeners, but it is a major inconvenience,” recognizes Pierre Steulet. As regional tunnels can be relatively long, it is necessary to adapt vehicles which have a car radio broadcasting only in FM. This will also be valid for receiving urgent traffic information from public authorities. /clo