# SOFIRAD

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SOFIRAD
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/SOFIRAD.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOFIRAD
> Source revision: 1352592633
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Defunct French company

**Société financière de radiodiffusion** (**Broadcasting Funding Company**, **SOFIRAD**) was a [French-government-operated](/source/Government_of_France) company that managed the state's participation in radio and television broadcasting. At closing time, it was valued at €26,892,007.

## History

Société financière de radiodiffusion was founded on 7 November 1942 under the name *Société financière de radio* (SOFIRA) (Radio Funding Company) to hold financial operations that were not possible for the state administration of national radio, especially concerning participation from private companies, eventually launching a "war of the waves".[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 1943, the German-backed government created a radio station in [Monaco](/source/Monaco), [Radio Monte Carlo](/source/RMC_(France)), with the aim of broadcasting propaganda towards southern France. The financial company grouped all French companies holding shares in the station.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

After [Liberation](/source/Liberation_of_France), on 13 November 1944, the administrative council changed; [René Hoffherr](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ren%C3%A9_Hoffherr&action=edit&redlink=1) became its president and its headquarters transferred from [Cusset](/source/Cusset) (Allier) to Paris.[1] On 17 June 1946, the administrative council decided to add a D (this becoming SOFIRAD) to avoid confusions with another company also named Sofira.[2] This holding allowed the French government to take part in the shares, and financial control, of the main peripheral stations in small countries along the French border: [RMC](/source/RMC_(France)) from Monaco (in 1944), [Europe 1](/source/Europe_1) from the [Saar Protectorate](/source/Saar_Protectorate) (in 1954), [Sud Radio](/source/Sud_Radio) from Andorra (since 1961). Only [Radio Andorra](/source/Radio_Andorra) and [RTL](/source/RTL_(French_radio)) in Luxembourg remained outside its control. In 1968, SOFIRAD launched [Monte Carlo Doualiya](/source/Monte_Carlo_Doualiya), an Arabic subsidiary of RMC, its first station.[3]

In the late 1970s, SOFIRAD and [Gaumont](/source/Gaumont) took control of [Telefrance USA](/source/Telefrance_USA), a French-language television station in New York City that was available on cable networks there. After injections of capital, Gaumont faced financial issues and the channel was put into liquidation.[4] In 1981, SOFIRAD tried a partnership in Brazil, by signing a contract to sell equipment without [Coface](/source/Coface)'s warranty to the television network [Rede Bandeirantes](/source/Rede_Bandeirantes). The revenues gained from the airing of dubbed French films, sold by Sofirad do Brasil, reduced potential economic failures.[5] In practice, SOFIRAD acquired a number of rights for films and their dubbing that were not released. The ratings of the first titles were seen as a deception and the revenues could not afford further rights. The company was liquidated and SOFIRAD agreed to a partial remittance agreement for the debt in exchange for payment over the years.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In 1981, SOFIRAD launched [Africa No. 1](/source/Africa_Radio) in association with the [Gabonese](/source/Gabon) president [Omar Bongo](/source/Omar_Bongo), catering to the [Françafrique](/source/Fran%C3%A7afrique).[6]

Through a subsidiary company owned by RMC, but entirely managed by SOFIRAD, SOFIRAD started producing feature films and animated series. Following an agreement with [Parafrance](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parafrance&action=edit&redlink=1), it co-produced the film *[Les Uns et les Autres](/source/Les_Uns_et_les_Autres)*,[7] and co-distributed twelve others, such as *[Rue Barbare](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rue_Barbare&action=edit&redlink=1)* and *[La Passante du Sans Souci](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=La_Passante_du_Sans_Souci&action=edit&redlink=1)*. Independently, it produced animated series through its [France Animation](/source/France_Animation) subsidiary (*[Les Mondes Engloutis](/source/Spartakus_and_the_Sun_Beneath_the_Sea)*,[8] *Tarzan*, etc.). Initially named RMC Audiovisuel, SOFIRAD left the company in 1987 and planned to selling the [Saint Lucian](/source/Saint_Lucia) radio station [Radio Caribbean International](/source/Radio_Caribbean_International).[9] It then left Europe 1 (in exchange for the building of a legal FM network)[10] and Sud Radio in 1986, and from RMC later on, in 1998.[11]

The dissolution of the company in 1999 following the sale of RMC was a lengthy process.[12] The company was finally dissolved on 1 August 2017.[13]

SOFIRAD's archives are preserved and searchable on the [National Archives of France](/source/Archives_Nationales_(France)).[14]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** *La Loi*, 24 October 1945, p. 1, col. 2-5 ([Read online](https://www.retronews.fr/journal/la-loi/24-octobre-1945/1703/3334707/1))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *La Loi*, 14 September 1949, p. 3.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sb_3-0)** Bula, Sandrine (2016-07-14). ["Les fonds photographiques des Archives nationales, une source pour l'historien de l'architecture"](https://dx.doi.org/10.4000/lha.597). *Livraisons d'histoire de l'architecture* (31): 81–90. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.4000/lha.597](https://doi.org/10.4000%2Flha.597). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1627-4970](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1627-4970).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CV_4-0)** [*Cable Vision*](https://books.google.com/books?id=9BMcAQAAMAAJ). Cahners Business Information. September 1983. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [La Sofirad contrôle la plupart des stations péripheriques](https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1981/06/19/la-sofirad-controle-la-plupart-des-stations-peripheriques_2730512_1819218.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Africa No. 1](https://www.museum.tv/radio-encyclopedia/africa-no-1)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Instrument de la politique audiovisuelle française à l'étranger: la Sofirad est en quête d'un homme fort](https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1994/09/22/instrument-de-la-politique-audiovisuelle-francaise-a-l-etranger-la-sofirad-est-en-quete-d-un-homme-fort_3849839_1819218.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [" Les mondes engloutis " de France-Animation.](https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1985/02/18/les-mondes-engloutis-de-france-animation_2750909_1819218.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Après FMI, RMC audiovisuel et VDM La SOFIRAD cherche à vendre Radio-Caraibes internationale](https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1987/12/12/apres-fmi-rmc-audiovisuel-et-vdm-la-sofirad-cherche-a-vendre-radio-caraibes-internationale_4077114_1819218.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["La mémoire de la FM > Histoire des radios"](http://www.schoop.fr/histos/europe1.php). *SchooP*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [Sofirad : un controleur d'État sera chargé du démantèlement](https://www.lesechos.fr/1998/12/sofirad-un-controleur-detat-sera-charge-du-demantelement-805617)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Projet de loi de finances pour 2006: Action extérieure de l'État (action culturelle et scientifique extérieure)"](http://www.senat.fr/rap/a05-102-2/a05-102-27.html). *sénat.fr* (in French). and ["Financière de radiodiffusion Sofirad"](https://www.infogreffe.fr/societes/entreprise-societe/542094354-financiere-de-radiodiffusion-sofirad-750154B094350000.html). *www.infogreffe.fr* (in French).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Financière de radiodiffusion Sofirad (Paris) Chiffre d'affaires, résultat, bilans sur Société.com - 542094354"](https://www.societe.com/societe/societe-financiere-de-radiodiffusion-542094354.html). *www.societe.com*. Retrieved 2019-02-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** A [detailed research instrument](http://www.siv.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/siv/rechercheconsultation/consultation/ir/consultationIR.action?udId=root&consIr=&irId=FRAN_IR_055071&frontIr=&auSeinIR=false) is available in the virtual inventory room of the National Archives.

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National United States Israel

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SOFIRAD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOFIRAD) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOFIRAD?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.