A major change is coming to the helm of France's leading radio station. Appointed in 2022, Adèle Van Reeth will leave her position as director of France Inter in the coming weeks. She will be replaced by Céline Pigalle, the current head of news at Radio France and head of the Ici network (formerly France Bleu).
While the station remains the leader with approximately 7,2 million listeners, its momentum has clearly eroded since the start of the new season. Léa Salamé's move from the morning show to the 20 p.m. slot on France 2, followed by a major overhaul of the schedule, has cost the station several hundred thousand listeners in just a few months.
The internal situation was also turbulent, marked by a series of departures within management: Marc Fauvelle to BFMTV, Jonathan Curiel to the M6 group, and then Philippe Corbé to France Télévisions. These moves destabilized the station.
Adèle Van Reeth's tenure was also marked by editorial controversies, notably the Guillaume Meurice affair, and internal tensions surrounding programming choices. With the arrival of Céline Pigalle, Radio France is clearly refocusing on news and ensuring managerial stability to revitalize its flagship station.
