As part of its ongoing development, the Rouge fm Group is taking a majority stake in the share capital of Radio Lac, a Geneva-based private radio station. This move will enable Rouge fm to pursue its strategy, instigated in 2005, of building up a radio group based in French-speaking Switzerland. Edipresse is backing this drive and intends to work together with Rouge fm in developing its FM radio stations and new digital audiovisual products.
A little over one year after Rouge fm was first launched, the management team of this private radio station based at Crissier is pressing ahead with its expansion and staying true to its initial objective: to build up a radio group and to differentiate itself clearly from its rivals in the radio and media landscape of French-speaking Switzerland. As part of its ongoing development, the Rouge fm Group is taking a majority stake in the share capital of Radio Lac, a Geneva-based private radio station broadcasting from that end of Lake Geneva to Villeneuve at the other end. At the same time, the international media and communications company, Edipresse, already a Radio Lac shareholder, has decided to increase its stake in the Genevan private radio station.
Rouge fm Group diversifying
By taking over Radio Lac, the Rouge fm Group is expanding and continuing to create, provide and broadcast audio entertainment and information programmes which the group is keen to bring to a much wider audience through all forms of technology available: its FM frequencies, of course, cable, but also via the Internet, with two theme-based channels already up and running since Rouge fm's launch: Radiosport.ch, the radio station for all sports fans, and Rougeplatine.com, the radio station for electronic music. The group is developing and will develop soon several more theme-based radio channels so as to prepare for the shift to the Digital Age as smoothly as possible. In the not too distant future, Swiss radio stations will be able to broadcast in digital quality, thus enabling them to broaden extensively their programme offerings to the Swiss listening public.
Rouge fm and Edipresse working together
In anticipation of this switch to digital, the Rouge fm Group and the international media and communications company, Edipresse, have decided to work together on joint projects connected to developing these new information technologies. The two groups are thus pooling their skills and competencies to offer a broad range of information and entertainment programmes aimed at the general public in the French-speaking region of Switzerland.
For further information, please contact:
Frédéric Piancastelli, CEO of Rouge fm, 021/636.33.11
Gérard Schoch, CEO of Radio Lac, 022/818.85.11
Christophe Rasch, Head of TV & Multimedia Dept., Edipresse Publications SA, 021/349.45.82
