MightyFrenchman said:
Does anyone know if there are still privately-owned stations in Belgium? If so, are there still restrictions on how much power they may have? The privately-owned stations that did exist had extremely low power, much like the LPFMs in the U.S.
Yes, but it's a very complicated saga, because there are three different radio regulators - one for each language area - in Belgium, two of which are barely on speaking terms (and both of which cover Brussels). Effectively, it's three separate countries in terms of radio licencing. So, this is a long post...
In VLAANDEREN (Flanders, Dutch/Flemish speaking) there was a re-organisation a couple of years back, which has come in for some criticism. The structure is now as follows:
1) Lots of 100Wish licences (as before), mostly between 102.2 and 107.9. Since the mid 1990s these have been allowed to use stereo, although this results in severe interference in places. Typically these stations will spend most of the time broadcasting syndicated programming from a network such as TopRadio, and have some local programming for a few hours (sometimes branded with the network, e.g. TopRadio Antwerpen). Some are 100% local, used for example by non-profit organisations.
2) A smaller number of medium size local licences, mostly in the bigger cities. These have the same type of programming as above, though some operate as full local stations. Many of these have the same sort of range as you'd expect from a 100W station, however, due to interference.
3) One regional station per state, with multiple transmitters, operating on a stand-alone basis.
4) Two new full time national networks, 4FM and Q-Music. These have been very successful.
Most transmitters are in conformance with their terms of licence, although there may be some overpowered stations here and there.
In WALLONIE (Wallonia, French-speaking) no reorganisation has occurred and there has been a near-total loss of authority from the regulator - i.e. the broadcasters pretty much ignore them completely. Piracy is rampant, especially in Brussels, and interference is a major problem. The official structure is:
1) The original 100Wish licences. Unlike in Flanders, all local content on the many of these has been done away with, and they are used as transmitters for full time national networks. They are still, however, local licences, and some are used as such.
2) Some extended licences, cleared for more power, particularly in Brussels. All of these are used by national broadcasters.
Having said this, the real situation is that power restrictions on all licences are ignored, and because the replan in Flanders was not fully coordinated with the Wallonian regulator (the plan was recently declared illegal by the courts and then relegalised by the regional government), many licenced stations are operating on pirate frequencies to replace those lost to interference. In addition a number of pirates, some in Turkish and Arabic languages, have sprung up. Some are organised into multi-city networks. For some reason all ethnic minority pirates are automatically assumed to be a Wallonian responsibility even if they do not broadcast in French.
A replan has been tried in the Wallonian region, but the broadcasting industry rejected it, because it suggested a dramatic reduction in the number of stations, and only the commercial stations were hit, not the public stations. (This is what sparked the chaos.) A new replan proposal is expected very soon, although I'd be surprised if it got anywhere fast.
The general political climate, with a hard right block running on an anti-French and anti-Muslim ticket being pretty much the most popular party in Flanders, doesn't help. Any attempt by anyone to replan the airwaves in Brussels is dogged by accusations of dark forces trying to engineer a French, Flemish or Islamic cultural takeover of the city.
In EIFEL, the small German-speaking area, a minor reorganisation has brought a few new small channels, but nothing spectacular. Here, the 100W licences have been done away with entirely and replaced by a number of larger stations, some of which are cross-border with Germany. The inter-regulator war does not seem to have affected this area.
And in France, are the privately-owned radio stations still required to have a certain percentage of the music they play be in French, rather than in English or some other language?
Yes, the quota varies from station to station, but all must play some French language music.
