SAINT-GIRONS, France — Radio Couserans (RDC), an associative station founded in 1982 in Saint-Girons, Ariège, delivers programs deeply connected to its local community. Since joining Les Indés Radios in November 2018, the station has advanced its digital transformation, leveraging Axel Technology, DEVA Broadcast and RCS technology.
With two employees — Nicole Pene, the station president, and journalist Jean-Louis Péguillan — and around 20 volunteers, Radio Couserans is the only station serving the 18 valleys of the Couserans region in the Pyrenees mountains bordering Spain.
Broadcasting 24/7 on four FM frequencies and online (though not yet on DAB+), the station’s programming reflects its commitment to its local audience and its motto: “Proud of our traditions, proud of our region.”
Weekday programming features local news updates every quarter-hour starting at 7 a.m., hosted by Péguillan. The main programming, presented by volunteers, begins with “La Matinale,” hosted by Hugo from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; continues with Sandra’s upbeat midday slot, 12–1 p.m.; followed by Jérémy’s “Le Drive” from 4–6 p.m., with varied music programming. On Mondays, Thierry Carmouze hosts “Le Forum des Sports” from 6–7 p.m., focusing on rugby, a passion in Occitanie.
Volunteers produce weekly shows on local topics such as literature, the mountains, the Couserans region, sports and music — including two hours of accordion music on Sunday mornings and even a program in the region’s historical Occitan language. From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., the station airs a playlist of popular hits.
RDC also offers around 10 podcasts, making some broadcasts available on-demand. Listeners can stream the station live or revisit shows via its website and app. Deeply involved in the life of Couserans, RDC regularly invites local associations to participate in its programs.
“In a way, we’re like a public service broadcaster. During the pandemic, we served as a vital link between the valleys,” said Péguillan. Based on the ratio of listeners to the population, RDC is the most-listened-to station in Couserans alongside France Inter, a channel of Radio France.
The station airs hourly national and international news flashes, 16 per day, and daily sports and general news updates. “We work with the audio press agency A2PRL, and these segments are produced remotely via voice tracking by external providers as if they were live,” explained Pene.
Radio Couserans’ digital development strengthens its local identity and connection to its audience.
Self-broadcasting and technology
Radio Couserans operates its own broadcast and production studio, equipped with four Sielco transmitters installed by Toulouse-based Coméquip.
“This setup gives us extensive coverage across the Couserans, Bas-Salat and Comminges regions,” said Péguillan.
In 2020, the broadcast chain from microphone to transmitter was brought in-house with the help of Coméquip.
This includes an Oxygen 3000 digital broadcast console from Axel Technology, which features customizable routing and audio presets, and Falcon X7 audio processing technology, allowing the station to define its sound identity.
The transmission equipment includes an audio processor, MPX generator and RDS encoder, enabling precise control of sound levels and frequencies, which is essential for FM and online broadcasting.
“Even though our volunteers are familiar with the equipment, Jean-Louis and I handle all technical adjustments. The console is user-friendly, making it accessible for everyone,” Pene added.
The station also uses DEVA Broadcast’s second-generation IP audio encoder, the DB91-TX, to transmit audio over IP networks and Sound4 Impact audio processing for watermarking. Coméquip introduced DEVA Broadcast to southwest France.
Advertising and program scheduling
Radio Couserans schedules ads in three blocks per hour: local ads air between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., while national ads run from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“Our radio has a strong regional impact, and many advertisers trust us. We also work with TF1’s advertising network, which boosts our resources for reports and travel,” said Pene.
Ad breaks at the beginning and end of the schedule are reserved for Indés Radios, but local ads can be included within set guidelines.
The station relies on RCS platforms for ad and program scheduling. It uses Live Assist Zetta2GO for program scheduling, GSelector for music programming, NetCom2Go for ad scheduling and Revma for streaming. “Having one provider like RCS simplifies operations, and their support team is very responsive,” Pene said.
After developing a technical plan, the station worked directly with RCS to implement the tools. “David Chevalier, RCS Europe’s commercial development manager, coordinated our training and installation. Their technicians worked on-site and remotely over a week, connecting our five desktops and two laptops. RCS provides constant support, ensuring compatibility and resolving issues quickly,” Pene added.
The author has worked in the radio industry for over 30 years. She has held posts as both a producer and presenter for French stations, such as Radio Notre Dame and Radio France’s France Culture. In addition to being involved with academic research and EU consulting in Brussels, she specializes in print journalism.
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