Use of the Virgin brand: Lagardère Active receives go-ahead from the CSA

Lagardère Active receives go-ahead from the CSA

Europe 2 will now become Virgin Radio and Europe 2 TV will be renamed Virgin 17

The Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel today agreed to accept Lagardère Active’s request to change the name of its radio station, Europe 2, and of Europe 2 TV, the generational music channel on French digital TV (TNT).

Lagardère Active is delighted with this decision by the CSA. Europe 2 will now become Virgin Radio and Europe 2 TV will be renamed Virgin 17.

With Virgin Radio and Virgin 17, Lagardère Active will operate two new prestigious brands, conveying modernity, dynamism and ambition. Backed up by this signature, Virgin Radio and Virgin 17 will offer rich and diversified new programmes as soon as they are launched in France.

Didier Quillot, CEO of Lagardère Active declared: “Virgi
n is a powerful and dynamic brand, with a major international presence in the youth market, media and, of course, music. Our proposed name change, appears to be an excellent marketing project which will benefit all players in the market. We are proud of the inroads made by Europe 2 and Europe 2 TV, which, with their new names, Virgin Radio and Virgin 17, will open up an era of new opportunities and new challenges”

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group, said: “I am delighted that Virgin’s latest media venture is in France, where Virgin Megastores and Virgin Mobile have already received such a fantastic welcome. Our international radio stations are proving immensely popular and I am sure French radio and television listeners will love our unique style. Virgin is working with Arnaud Lagardere, who has an outstanding pedigree in French media. I am confident that together, we’ll build two of the best radio and television stations in France.”

Lagardère Active is part of Lagardère, one of the World’s leading media groups with operations in over forty countries. Its media interests span magazines, book publishing, TV and digital media. Aside from Virgin Radio, Lagardère operates two other radio stations in France.