France Culture is a French

public radio Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...

channel and part of

Radio France Radio France is the French national public radio broadcaster. Stations Radio France offers seven national networks: *France Inter — Radio France's "generalist" station, featuring entertaining and informative talk mixed with a wide variety of ...

. Its programming encompasses a wide variety of features on historical, philosophical, sociopolitical, and scientific themes (including debates, discussions, and documentaries), as well as literary readings, radio plays, and experimental productions. The channel is broadcast nationwide on FM and is also available online.

History

France Culture began life in 1945 as the Programme National of

Radiodiffusion Française Radiodiffusion Française (RDF) was a French public institution responsible for public service broadcasting. Created in 1944 as a state monopoly (replacing Radiodiffusion Nationale), RDF worked to rebuild its extensive network, destroyed during t ...

(RDF). Renamed France III in 1958 and RTF Promotion in 1963, the channel finally adopted its present name later in that same year. The Programme National had originally carried the bulk of French public radio's classical music output; however, since the establishment in 1953 of the specialized "high-fidelity" music channel which was to become today's

France Musique France Musique is a French national public radio channel owned and operated by Radio France. It is devoted to the broadcasting of music, both live and recorded, with particular emphasis on European classical music, classical music and jazz. Hist ...

, France Culture has gradually become an almost exclusively speech-based channel.

Some landmark programmes

* ''Atelier de création radiophonique'' (since 1969) * ''Black and Blue'' (1970–2008) * ''Le Bon plaisir'' (1985–1999) * ''Le Panorama'' (since 1968) * ''Les Chemins de la connaissance'' (1970–1997) * ''Les Chemins de la musique'' (1997–2004) * ''Du jour au lendemain'' (1985–2014) * ''La Matinée des autres'' (1977–2002) * ''Les Nuits magnétiques'' (1977–1999) * ''Une vie, une œuvre'' (since 1984)

Directors

* Agathe Mella (1973–1975) * Yves Jaigu (1975–1984) * Jean-Marie Borzeix (1984–1997) * Patrice Gélinet (1997–1999) * Laure Adler (1999–2005) * David Kessler (2005–2008) * Bruno Patino (2008–2010) * Olivier Poivre d'Arvor (2010–2015) * Sandrine Treiner (August 2015 – present)

External links

*
Map of France Culture's transmitter network

French Podcasts, Des papous dans la tête
English review of one of the current podcasts from France Culture presented by Françoise Treussard. 1946 establishments in France Radio France Radio stations established in 1946 {{France-radio-station-stub