Virgin Radio (France)

**Virgin Radio** is French private radio station owned by Lagardère Active. This station broadcasts rock and pop music.

## History

In 1986, anxious to be an actor in the new FM radio market, which is growing and now has access to advertising to finance itself - Europe 1 Communication, co-led by **Jacques Lehn** and **Frank Ténot**, creation of a musical program (called ***La Fréquence Magique***).

Resources are internal and external. **Marc Garcia**, who is then director at Europe 1, is entrusted with the direction of the programs and the constitution of the first team. **Patrick Fillioud**, son of the minister **Georges Fillioud**, is appointed general manager after having failed to sell to Europe 1 his own station, ***Gilda***. **Laurent Perallat**, formerly of the **MNEF**, inherits the network development, supported by **Pierre Luton** as technical director.

**Jeff Pollack** and **Tommy Hadges**, the renowned American consultants, are participating in the implementation of the first format of **Europe 2**: Adult Contemporary.

In the first animation team there is the presence of **Bernard Schu**, a celebrity of the nights of RTL and one of the pillars of **WRTL**.

**Europe 2** does not have the status of "radio" but that of "program provider", it does not immediately benefit from a Parisian frequency. The network develops from November 1986 locally under the name of ***Fréquence Magique***, particularly in **Bordeaux** (via Top Bordeaux), **Dijon** (on Radio 2000), **Angers** (via RTA) or **Mulhouse** (via Radio Bollwerk). In **Paris**, agreements have been passed successively with different operators. The name of **Europe 2** was officially given in December 1986. After **Le Poste Parisien** (also briefly named **Top 101**), the station of **Groupe Amaury** (101.50 MHz) is Hit FM (100.60 MHz) **UGC** group, which becomes the Parisian relay of **Europe 2**.

The agreements with Hit FM by Europe 1 Communication, which became owners of the band a few years later, will truly allow the national launch of **Europe 2**, which now has a **Paris** frequency (103.50 MHz), attributed to Hit FM of the redistribution of frequencies in the **Île-de-France** region by the **CNCL** (the supervisory body prior to the **CSA**) in the spring of 1988.

Beginning in 1989, **Christian Savigny** inaugurated the first integrated music research department on a radio station in France. He will support **Marc Garcia** until 1994.

Under the leadership of **Martin Brisac**, director general from 1990 to 1996, seconded to the programs with **Marc Garcia** and then by **Guy Banville** in 1993 until 1997, **Europe 2** develops and becomes a reference actor. **Yves Taïeb**, assistant to **Martin Brisac**, will briefly be general manager from 1996 to 1997. Aiming at the public of young adults, 25/34 years old, the station adopts a variety-pop music program, ***Le Meilleur de la Musique*** until September 1998. These steps will allow the station to build a very high reputation and a strong brand image. At its peak, by the end of 1997, the station had a ceiling of 5.8% cumulative audience and relied on a network of more than 200 local stations.

At the end of 1997, Lagardère SCA decided to create an FM division to develop synergies between **Europe 2** and RFM, of which it will become the reference shareholder. **Frédéric Schlesinger** is responsible for the general management of this division. The decision to implement an innovative strategy to reach a wider audience is taken. The management decides to change the programming to counter its rival Fun Radio, and then diffuses a large majority of titles "groove" from September 1998, changing its slogan for **Le nouvel Europe 2: Gravement groove** (see history of slogans). This change in musical style makes many listeners run away, and forces the management to correct the shot and return to its previous format, focused pop-rock from 2000. But the station will take time before finding its listeners.

A dispute with its board of directors, which finds the new target less remunerative, obliges the leaders to define a new direction. **Frédéric Schlesinger** then recruited **Sebastien Cauet** from Rire et Chansons, appointed him director of programs and then early 2001 producer and animator of the morning. Based on a pop-rock program, with a new slogan **Simply the Best** and a strong morning, precisely animated by **Cauet** and his team, **Europe 2** meets a new audience. At the end of 2001, more than three million people were met by the station's daily listening (6.4% cumulative audience).

**Christophe Sabot** took the lead of Lagardère's FM division at the end of 2001 and broadened its programming to include young people with the exception of rap and R'n'B, **Europe 2** adopted the slogan **Un MaXx**. The formula works first and in March 2003 **Europe 2** obtains a historic record With 7.3% of audience cumulated and 4.5% of audience share, **Europe 2** is the only radio to progress, in cumulative audience, in the universe of young radio stations. She is then in front of Fun Radio and Skyrock both in cumulated audience and in audience. In February 2004, she organized **Europe 2 Live** in **Bercy**.

In 2004, Lagardère decided to separate itself from its mountain resorts: the **CIME SARL** buys Europe 2 Montagne which becomes **R 'La Radio Station**. For example, **Europe 2 Les Arcs** becomes **R' Les Arcs**.

The year 2004 saw many changes with the departure of **Barth** and **Cauet** who after 4 seasons at the morning joined Fun Radio, new appointments are set up with **Kash** who takes the sequel to **Cauet** in the morning and **Maurad** defector of NRJ which takes the slice of the 20h-midnight. The musical style does not evolve but the slogan **Un MaXx de Tubes** is replaced by **Le pouvoir de la musique**. In November 2004, the radio witnessed the return on **Arthur**'s station from Fun Radio. Not only did this transfer allow **Arthur** and the pirates to return, but she saw **Arthur** and her team perform a 33-hour non stop show.

In February 2005 and for 1 month, **Patrick Timsit** animated ***Radio Timsit*** from 9:00 to 10:00 from Monday to Friday.

**Europe 2** is in crisis. At the beginning of 2005, to stop an erosion of its audiences, the station changed everything: a new logo, a new sound cover, a new slogan **Ma Musique de 90 à Demain**, a new Director, **Jean-Pierre Dupasquier**, recruited from sector of the Internet (**Wanadoo**). Programs are also modified. **Albert Spano** animates the morning with **Alexander Pesle** and **Karine Lyachenko**. ***Arthur et les Pirates*** are replaced by ***Radio Arthur***. **Maurad** leaves room for ***Double F***, which animates ***Radioblogs*** from 21:00 to midnight.

Lagardère, through its subsidiary MCM, obtained a coveted license to broadcast programs according to DTT standards in 2003. On 17 October 2005, Europe 2 TV was launched, available on **DTT**, satellite and cable.

At the beginning of 2006, many changes appeared on the program schedule. **Arthur** leaves **Europe 2** while ***Radioblogs*** is replaced by ***Happy Rock Hours***. On May 14, 2006, the slogan **Ma Musique de 90 à Demain** gives way to **Que du Rock que de la Pop**. In the autumn of 2006, **Nagui** and **Manu** take the morning from 7:00 to 10:00, while **Eric Madelon** returns to **Europe 2** to animate ***Happy Rock Hours***, from 21:00 to 0:00.

In 2007, Lagardère filed an application with the **CSA** to transform **Europe 2** into **Virgin Radio** (and Europe 2 TV into Virgin 17). This request is accepted, subject to conditions, on July 17, 2007. On December 31, 2007, consequently, after the program ***Happy Rock Hours***, the best of 2007, **Europe 2** ceases to exist, ends with the song **Take me out** of **Franz Ferdinand**, and leaves the place to **Virgin Radio**, after more than 21 years of existence.

On July 17, 2007, the **CSA** accepted the renaming of **Europe 2** in **Virgin Radio**. Lagardère Active, the owner of the radio, is committed not to broadcast commercials for the other **Virgin Group** products, nor to make any references to it during the broadcasts. This request was first challenged in court by the NRJ and Skyrock radios but their request was rejected.

On 1 January 2008 at midnight, following the program ***Happy Rock Hours***, the best of 2007, **Europe 2** officially became **Virgin Radio** after a brief history of **Europe 2** was broadcast and the top announced by **Richard Branson**. To inaugurate this new station, **DJ Zebra** animated the first 6 hours of the station. The rest of the program schedule is almost identical to that in **Europe 2**.

In July 2008, **Virgin Radio** was headed by **Jean-Christophe Lestra** (Managing Director of Lagardère's Radio Broadcasting Center and also Chairman of Lagardère Active Radio International) and **Sam Zniber** (Director of Lagardère's Music Radio Programs and Vice President Programming Lagardère Active Radio International). A few days after radio polls for the period March-April 2008, on July 26, **Virgin Radio** decides to part with the slogan **Get more**.

At the beginning of 2008, several key figures from **Europe 2** left the station. These are the animators **Nagui** and **Manu** who are replaced by **Cauet**, who returns to the air with ***Le morning de Cauet***; of the animator **Kash** who joined NRJ to replace **Bruno Guillon** at the head of ***6/9*** and **Albert** after eight years spent in both stations, also departing for NRJ. The slogan also changes (**Rock Star Music**) as well as the dressing. **Bruno Guillon**, ex of the ***6/9*** of NRJ also arrives, with **Camille Combal**, on the station at the end of the afternoon. They animated the ***17/20***. **Bruno Guillon** exchanges his place with **Kash**. On December 23, 2008, **Éric Madelon** left the station, leaving the place to **Clément**, a defector of the program entitled ***Talk*** on Fun Radio.

On April 29, 2009, **Gaël Sanquer**, a retiree of Fun Radio, where he held the position of head of broadcasting and responsible for music programming, was named director of programs for **Virgin Radio**.

In June 2009, **Jean-Pierre Sablier** and **Sébastien Cauet** presented their latest show. In the weekend of 11 and 12 July 2009, **Léo Lanvin** and **DJ Zebra** also make their last after remaining 12 and 18 months respectively on **Virgin Radio**. Between the 1st and the 15th of July 2009, three newcomers arrive on **Virgin Radio**: **Déborah Grunwald** (formerly Fun Radio and NRJ Belgium), **David Mantaul** aka **Ti'Dav** (ex Skyrock) and **Léo Cuenca** (ex RTL2, Fun Radio and Radio FG). On July 31, 2009 at 21:00, **Sébastien Séfrin** definitely turns the page **Virgin Radio** after thirteen seasons of presence.

On August 24, 2009, **Bruno Guillon**, **Christina Guilloton** and **Arthur Pillu-Périer** recovered the morning with the eponymous program **Bruno Guillon**, from 5:30 to 9:00, replacing **Cauet**, while **Camille Combal** animated the after-work of 18:00 to 20:00 with **Camille Combal** and his orchestra.

In early December 2009, **Sam Zniber** was replaced by **Jean Isnard** as head of **Virgin Radio**. This is the third direction in two years. Throughout the month of December 2009, the listeners were able to vote for the 100 pop rock titles of the 2000s. On 1 January 2010, the results were revealed with an overwhelming victory of the Muse group (presence of four titles in the top seven of the standings , including the top three places).

In early August 2010, **Déborah** left the station. **Gaël Sanquer**, also joining NRJ, is replaced by **Denis Rostagnat** (ex: NRJ Group and Rouge FM). **Florian Gazan**, another flagship host of NRJ on ***6/9***, joined **Bruno Guillon** in the morning, now broadcast from 5:00 to 9:00. **Arthur Pillu-Périer**, on the contrary, left **Bruno Guillon** for the program **Camille Combal** and his orchestra, now broadcast from 17:00 to 20:00 and then during the year from 17:00 to 19:00.

On September 1, 2010, the inter-union group of **Virgin Radio** and RFM called the strike workers to denounce a plan of mass closure of the local stations of these two stations. This is a historic first since the group was created.

Faced with the collapse of the audience since the beginning of 2010, the choice is made to abandon the pop rock format and add dance and R'n'B in the playlist and increase the rotations.

As of January 3, 2011, the slogan changed for the fifth time since the creation of the radio and became **Un MaXx de Tubes**, a slogan already used by **Europe 2** a few years earlier.

In early April, **Denis Rostagnat** left the position of Director of Programs. He is replaced by **Thomas Plessis**, also director of radio programs and internet development of Lagardère Active Radio International. The latter will leave the group in May 2012 to join **Cyril Hanouna** on the D8 channel and devote himself to his production activities. He will be replaced by **Roberto Ciurleo**.

Between 2010 and 2011, the distribution of dance titles increased by 22%.

In July 2011, after three seasons with **Virgin Radio**, **Bruno Guillon** and his team joined Fun Radio to replace **Manu** in the morning; it is also the departure of **Ti'Dav** for Le Mouv', by **Thomas Caussé** for OÜI FM, and especially **Philippe Despont** who after thirteen years at **Europe 2** and **Virgin Radio** joined RFM to animate the mornings of the weekend. In the autumn of 2011, it is **Cyril Hanouna** who animates **Hanouna** in the morning in the company of **Enora Malagré**, defector of NRJ. For her part, **Camille Combal** animates ***Le Noir Show*** from 21:00 to 0:00.

At the beginning of June 2012, the Lagardère Active group announced its intention to sell all or part of the capital of **Virgin Radio**, whose hearings were in free fall. Goom Radio, a bouquet of webradios was interested in a buyout of **Virgin Radio**, but the operation did not finally succeed.

At the end of the 2011-2012 season, **Greg di Mano** leaves **Virgin Radio**, **Leo Cuenca** joins RFM, **Camille Combal** sees his show ***Le Soir Show*** stopping for lack of sufficient audiences. On August 27, 2012, **Cyril Hanouna** leaves for a second season of **Hanouna** in the morning with a renewed team while a new music program, ***Le Lab***, hosted by ***Double F***, is broadcast every night between 21:00 and 2:00. The grid will run several months with a very small number of facilitators. On this occasion, the radio adopted a new slogan: **Le Playlist Pop Music**.

A new program schedule is set up on 26 February 2013 and will allow the return of **Albert Spano**, a former animator from **Europe 2**. He takes the box 9:00/13:00. The evening of the weekend is animated by **DJ Zebra**, who also makes his return.

On March 28, 2013, **Denis Olivennes**, President of Lagardère Active, which owns **Virgin Radio**, declares that an offer to repurchase 20% of the capital of the radio was made by NRJ, but that no firm offer **Virgin Radio** was no longer available for sale.

In June 2013, after two seasons on the morning program, **Cyril Hanouna** announced his departure for Europe 1. This end of season also marks the departure of ***Double F*** which ends 10 years on **Europe 2**-**Virgin Radio**. On August 26, 2013, two new programs were airing: first ***Virgin Tonic*** hosted by **Christophe Beaugrand** and **Florian Gazan**, and then also **Enora** in the evening, a free station hosted by **Énora Malagré**.

The slogan of the station evolves. **Le Playlist Pop Music** becomes **Le Playlist Pop-Rock-Electro** but despite this, the audiences continue to decline with only 4.1% in November 2013.

On March 5, 2014, the station inaugurated a new studio, **Studio Indochine**.

On March 20, 2014, the station launches into television. Lagardère Active, after selling Virgin 17 to **Bolloré**, is launching a new low-cost channel, capturing radio broadcasts and broadcasts with a budget of no more than two million euros a year. It is present on the Internet as well as on **ADSL** networks. The channel broadcasts concerts, extracts of filmed programs and music videos. The station should also get closer to the **Melty** group and create about thirty web TV on YouTube.

In May 2014, due to poor audiences, ***Énora le Soir*** was reduced by one hour while **Jean-Michel Maire** joined the team. On July 4, 2014, **Albert Spano** left **Virgin Radio** for the second time after 16 months on the ***9h/13h*** to join RFM, to animate this same time slot. At the same time, **DJ Zebra** leaves the station while **Christophe Beaugrand** joins RTL. On August 25, 2014, **Camille Combal** returned to animate ***Virgin Tonic*** with **Laure Cohen** and **Clément Lanoue**.

On June 29th, 2017, **Camille Combal** announced that he was replacing ***Virgin Tonic*** with **Clément**/**Nico**/**Ginger** and **Mélanie** for the final season. On July 2, 2017, **Lionel**, iconic host of the station, announces his departure from the station for the reason that he plans a trip around the world. On July 7, 2017, **Morgan**, host of the ***16h/21h*** on **Virgin Radio** national, announces his departure from the station to join Mouv'. His replacement is known, it will be **Victor**, host of Virgin Radio Provence. **Cauet** announces August 21, 2017 on his **Facebook** page that he will host the ***18h/21h*** from August 29 on **Virgin Radio** with name of program ***Cauet s'lâche***.

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