International commercial radio broadcasting: Nation shall speak profit unto nation

Abstract

Less well known than international radio services operated by governments, international commercial radio broadcasting has had an almost equally long history, and seems at present to be growing at a more rapid rate. Motivations to operate international commercial radio stations usually are profit‐based, although the various SOFIRAD‐administered stations also appear to serve as yet another aspect of the French presence abroad. Many such stations have been quite successful, and their approaches to programming may contain lessons for other international broadcasters.