The Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA) is proposing the “modernization” of the French music quota law on the country’s airwaves, according to L’Express. The move, says the CSA, would encourage musical assortment.
In a recent report, the CSA points out that 105,462 different titles were broadcast in 2012 on 42 stations, an increase of 3.7 percent as compared to 2011. However, 1,981 of the songs (1.9 percent) were broadcast more than 400 times during the year, representing 68.6 percent of total diffusion. Only 32.4 percent of the titles were new (less than 12 months old).
The CSA proposes the relaxation of the quota law for stations that base their formatting on musical variety — those challenged by the limited availability of Francophone songs within their format and stations that serve a “role of discovery.”
The French regulatory body says that legislation allows it to integrate new criteria for (primarily national) stations, which air mainly music. It also points out that when modifying the requirements it would take into consideration many factors, including the number of different artists broadcast on a certain station, the sum of titles aired (including a minimum of French songs), programming circumstances (live concert coverage), as well as the amount of new songs available.
In a joint statement, the Syndicat National de l’édition Phonographique (SNEP), Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de musique (SACEM) and the Administration des Droits des Artistes et Musiciens Interprètes (ADAMI) expressed “deep disappointment,” said L’Express.
They claim that the proposal misses the target and sidesteps the three major obstacles facing the music industry — “the extreme overexposure of certain titles, the standardization of programming, and the absence of musical diversity of stations that target younger audiences.”
The Minister of Culture, Aurelie Filippetti launched a study on music in the media in late 2013. The results are expected shortly.
