RFI celebrates thirty years of its frequency in Berlin, resulting from reunification

From our correspondent in Berlin,

RFI’s FM frequency in Berlin is a child of reunification. After the fall of the Wallalmost 35 years ago, the two Germanys became one as of October 3, 1990. The four victorious allies of the Second World War – the Americans, the Russians, the French and the British – who each had a sector in the divided city withdrew at the end of summer 1994 from the new German capital. This departure puts an end to the specific rules linked to this allied presence, including the radio frequencies available to these forces.

The French set up, later than their counterparts, a military transmitter called “ French forces in Berlin » (FFB). It began broadcasting symbolically on May 8, 1957, twelve years after the victory against the Nazi regime. Radio FFB essentially covers the programs of France Inter, France Culture and France Musique. In the mid-1970s, only those of France Inter are broadcast in Berlin.

A window to the outside world

The Franco-German Élysée Treaty of 1963 promoted rapprochement with the neighboring country. Of the French lessons are offered from the 1960s as well as broadcasts in German to inform Berliners about the neighboring country. These programs were produced from the mid-1960s by the ORTF’s external broadcasting arm, which became RFI from 1975.

The resumption of this program in German (one hour daily from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.) on the Berlin frequency 93.6 FM, alongside the France Inter programs, therefore allows us to trace our presence on site back to the 1960s. Francophile Germans still remember today with nostalgia for this pioneering period. For listeners from the former GDR, for whom France remained an inaccessible destination, these broadcasts constituted a window to the outside world. From the 1980s, radio FFB has had an FM frequency in Lower Saxony near the inter-German border, which makes it possible to reach additional listeners. This transmitter will disappear in the spring of 1993.

1994: RFI broadcasts from Berlin

German reunification will therefore reshuffle the cards. As early as 1991, France announced its intention to be a candidate for a frequency on the Berlin FM band. Two operators are in the running: RFI and Radio France, which has been broadcasting the France Inter program in the German capital for a long time. In the fall of 1993, the supervisory ministries Paris render an arbitration in favor of Radio France Internationale. The radio station then submits its application to the regulatory authority.

The file initially submitted provides for the resumption of 23 hours a day of world radio and the maintenance of broadcasts in German. RFI’s application was approved and our radio station began broadcasting in Berlin from October 1994. Since then, this frequency has been renewed several times. The last extension took place last year and runs until 2030. RFI has been broadcasting in Berlin since 2012 on 96.7 FM.

This latest extension has shown how the independence of public media plays a central role for the regulatory authority in Berlin-Brandenburg and beyond in Germany. A requirement which has gained in importance after the excesses of the Russian media, also in Germany, in recent years. A fruitful dialogue between RFI and the MABB made it possible to reassure those responsible for the regulatory authority about the consequences of the abolition of the fee in France in 2022. The use of part of VAT revenue to finance public broadcasting, which should be made permanent this autumn, guarantees their independence, two essential criteria in Germany.

Also readHow to receive RFI in French?

Increasingly strong local roots

During these three decades, our local roots have developed. A first important step took place in 1996-97. The German-language program doubles its airtime. In addition to the daily broadcast time (6 p.m.), two half-hours are added in the morning and at midday. If this program retains its primary mission – to inform in German about France from Paris, a report is produced every day in Berlin for these broadcasts.

This editorial anchor goes hand in hand with the opening of an office in the German capital at the beginning of 1997. The daily Berliner Zeitung title ” a strong interest in Berlin “. Jack Langwho chaired the jury of the Berlin film festival in February 1997, was one of the first distinguished guests to grant an interview to RFI from the NRJ radio studios, where our radio station was located at the time. Juan Gomez whose show “ Calls on current affairs » was launched the previous year and travels to Berlin for the occasion. RFI is the partner of the first edition of the Berlin version of the Francofolies music festival which begins shortly after.

RFI’s Berlin office would gain importance with the move of the German government and parliament from Bonn to Berlin two years later. Coverage of political and diplomatic news is intensifying. Our radio station is taking advantage of the event to launch an on-site advertising campaign with the slogan “ RFI in the metropolises of the world, at home in Berlin “. On the occasion of the Love Parade, the Woodstock of techno music which broke a historic record with 1.5 million ravers in the German capital in July 1999, RFI brought together French DJs for an evening in a trendy club in Berlin.

Getting closer to listeners

The other major step in RFI’s roots in Berlin began in 2003 during the fortieth anniversary of the Franco-German Élysée Treaty. Since its opening, the Berlin office has presented numerous concerts by French-speaking artists and participated in the Berlin music festival. In 2003, RFI decided to strengthen its links in the German capital by setting up a listeners’ club there. A party marks its launch. The new structure recruits members, organizes partnerships with stakeholders from the French-speaking world of Berlin and offers regular events.

The year 2009 was marked by the mobilization of our Berlin listeners who protested against the announced disappearance of RFI’s German programs as part of a savings plan. This fight was lost but led to the creation of a new structure: an association under German law, the “RFI Berlin Club”. Fifteen years later, the latter has 200 paying members, which undoubtedly makes it the most important French-speaking association in Berlin. Our regular newsletter is received by more than 8,000 people. Our website www.clubrfiberlin.de provides information on the association, offers a calendar of French-speaking cultural news in Berlin and provides useful addresses. Every week free tickets are offered for shows (cinema, theater or other).

The RFI Berlin club has established partnerships and organized joint events with a number of structures such as the French Institute, the French Center of Berlin, the Marc Bloch social sciences research center, etc. Most of these structures are represented within our advisory board (Beirat). These interactions are illustrated through the annual day of French-speaking associations in Berlin where the RFI club has been present since the beginning.

In recent months, we have offered public debates on the African policy of France and Germany, on the French-speaking presence at the Berlin film festival or with the candidates for deputy in the seventh constituency of French people living abroad. , which includes Germany. We regularly visit other media based in Berlin such as Deutsche Welle, Arte, AFP or in the spring the daily Tagesspiegel. Exhibition visits or convivial meetings such as the annual club party are a great success. Berlin listeners are obviously associated with RFI’s special operations in Berlin devoted, for example, to general elections every four years.

Our evening, Wednesday October 23 at the Deutsches Theater to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the RFI frequency, will be no exception to this rule. Many listeners will participate. The reception will begin with a debate on the threats of manipulation to press freedom in which Cécile Mégie for France Médias monde, Peter Limbourg, the CEO of Deutsche Welle and the director of Reporters Without Borders in Germany will participate. The president director of FMMMarie-Christine Zaragosse, will then speak before sharing a birthday cake with her guests.