Espace musique

Espace musique

Type	Radio network
Country	Canada
Availability	National, through regional stations
Owner	Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Launch date	1974
Former names	Radio-Canada (1974-1997) La chaîne culturelle (1997-2004)
Website Espace Musique

Espace musique is the French-language music radio service of Canada's national public broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Société Radio-Canada). It is the French equivalent of the English CBC Radio 2, although it has a different programming focus.

History

The network was originally launched in 1974, with stations in Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City and Chicoutimi.

Previously known as La chaîne culturelle, the network was rebranded as Espace musique in September 2004 as part of a major repositioning of the CBC's French services ^[1]. Many high-brow cultural programs were moved to Première Chaîne, while the new Espace musique service adopted a more populist approach focusing on four genres – classical, jazz, world, and folk music – and French-language song.

For about two weeks in late August / early September 2004 leading up to the Espace musique relaunch, the network did not have any name, at least officially. The network "stunted" with a continuous stream of classical and jazz music, aside from hourly newscasts simulcast from Première Chaîne and regular reminders that la Chaîne culturelle had shut down and (later) that it would relaunch as Espace musique on September 7.

The rebranding was controversial. The network's previous format had been similar to that of CBC Radio Two, and was indeed regarded by some as superior to its English-language counterpart, leading many cultural commentators to criticize the new format. However, Bureau of Broadcast Measurement ratings taken soon after the relaunch ^[2] suggested that the service has indeed become more popular.

The network presently covers the majority of Quebec, all provincial capitals, and certain other large cities such as Ottawa and Vancouver. Unlike most CBC broadcast networks, Espace musique broadcasts the same programming simultaneously on all stations regardless of location, with the exception of two weekday evening programs that are interchanged on the British Columbia transmitters.

Schedule

Stations

References

1. ^ (French) [1]
2. ^ (French) [2]

External links

• Espace musique