Media One Group is one of the largest private media companies in French-speaking Switzerland. The company operates four commercial radio stations — One FM, Radio Lac, LFM and Rouge — alongside five advertising-supported private television channels and a growing portfolio of digital media businesses. As audience habits continue to evolve, the broadcaster has invested heavily in strengthening its radio brands while expanding across digital audio, video and multiplatform content.
Nearly two years after becoming chief executive officer, Julien Fregonara has overseen much of that transformation. Here, he discusses audience growth, digital strategy and why local content remains central to Media One Group’s future.
RedTech: Nearly two years after taking over Media One Group, how do you assess the transformation so far?
Julien Fregonara: The past two years have been exciting. I joined a strong company with well-established brands and highly committed teams. My priority was to strengthen our foundations while preparing Media One Group for the rapid changes taking place across the media industry.
We have reinforced our radio stations, expanded our digital activities, invested in new infrastructure, including a television studio, and encouraged closer collaboration between our different businesses. We have also strengthened our relationships with listeners, clients and partners.
One important development has been the growth of our television business. Through our five Carac TV channels, we have become the leading private television group in French-speaking Switzerland. The performance of our local programming and daily movie schedule demonstrates that regional television continues to have an important role.
Overall, the results have been very positive. Our audiences have grown, our brands have become stronger, and we have shown that a regional media company can continue to grow by focusing on local content, innovation and quality.
RedTech: Media One Group recently placed three stations in the top three private broadcasters in French-speaking Switzerland, while Radio Lac achieved a record audience. What has driven that success?
Fregonara: These results reflect the work of our teams. We operate four radio brands with distinct and complementary positions. One FM and Radio Lac broadcast from Geneva, while LFM and Rouge serve audiences from Lausanne. Each station has its own personality, audience and editorial direction.
Listeners increasingly value local, authentic content. Our presenters, local news coverage and strong community presence allow each station to build close relationships with its audience.
Radio Lac’s record audience reflects that strategy. The station has strengthened its position as Geneva’s leading local media brand.
RedTech: What changes have you made across the four radio brands?
Fregonara: We reviewed every station alongside its management team. That included programming, editorial content, marketing and brand visibility.
The most significant project involved Rouge. We repositioned the station and strengthened its brand identity. Audience figures increased by more than 30%.
More broadly, we wanted every station to express its own identity while benefiting from the scale and synergies of the wider group.
RedTech: How has your programming and music strategy evolved?
Fregonara: Every station needs a strong identity that complements the others within the group. We have worked to make those differences even clearer, so listeners immediately understand what each station offers.
Editorially, we have invested in content that creates value through local news, well-known presenters, regular features and events that connect with our communities.
Musically, we continually refine each format to ensure every station remains true to its identity while meeting audience expectations.
RedTech: How do you balance traditional radio with digital audio?
Fregonara: We no longer see traditional radio and digital audio as separate businesses — they form a single ecosystem where audiences consume content across multiple platforms.
Live radio remains central because it creates immediacy and shared experiences. At the same time, we are accelerating our investment in podcasts, on-demand content, streaming, social media and video that extends the listener experience beyond the live broadcast.
Media One Group has become a multimedia company. Radio remains our core business, but it now sits alongside digital media, events and television. Together, these platforms allow us to deliver integrated solutions for audiences and advertisers.
RedTech: What are your priorities over the next few years?
Fregonara: Our priority is to continue investing in content and talent because our people remain our greatest strength.
We also want to accelerate our multimedia strategy by producing more audio, video, digital and live content that reaches audiences wherever they are.
We will continue to expand our television business because our regional channels have shown strong demand for high-quality local programming.
Finally, we want to strengthen our regional identity further. As media becomes increasingly global, local content becomes even more valuable. We want Media One Group to remain the company that tells the stories of French-speaking Switzerland and supports its communities, businesses and institutions.
This story originally appeared in the July/August 2026 edition of RedTech Magazine. You can read or download that edition for free here.
You can access all past RedTech publications, also for free, here.
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