Radio relief for stressed parents
Internet radio station Radio Doudou is not limited to children - it aims to hook grown-ups, too
A FRENCH actor and father of three has launched an internet radio station for babies aged up to three.
Julien Bocher, 39, launched Radio Doudou online and as an app in May and already boasts 50,000 listeners. It broadcasts a flow of handpicked music 24 hours a day, with no adverts, DJs, or interruptions for news.
He said that he came up with the idea after discovering a lack of choice of music that appealed to both young children and parents alike when his eldest child was born nine years ago.
The station plays music from Debussy to Norah Jones, and the Beatles or Henri Salvador. Its playlist varies monthly and it has about 850 tracks available at a time.
The station is going down well with its listeners, who heard about it mostly by word of mouth. One of the most common comments on the website has been along the lines of, “why did no one think of this sooner?”.
Mr Boucher said he has two main criteria for choosing a piece - which are also tested by his children: will babies like what they hear, and would the parents want their children to listen.
The music also varies according to the time of day: it is more vibrant in the morning, and quieter during afternoon nap times and in the evening.
After initially offering the app free of charge, he now charges €1.79 - and although there are no adverts on the radio station, the website does take advertising.
Image: Radio Doudou
