European Union on the air

In April 2008 European Union will have its own network of radio stations working in a consortium. Good, but who is missing?
So far Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia and Sweden are out of the project. Finland and the UK don't seem very interested: their radio stations aren't proper members but only associate radio stations.
It would be interesting asking BBC and (italian) Rai why they didn't join the project.

The press release is available from the official site of Ms Margot WALLSTRÖM, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for institutional relations and communication strategy, you can see her blog here

Brussels, 26 February 2008

Europe on the air: a network of European radio stations is launched

From April 2008 on, day in and day out, 16 radio stations from 13 countries working in a consortium and 7 associate radio stations will co-produce and simultaneously broadcast programmes devoted to current affairs and society in the Europe of 27

Broadcast daily, the programmes of this EUROPEAN network will include daily news reports, interviews, debates, magazines looking at subjects in greater depth and coverage of live events. The first broadcasts will go out in April 2008.

Initially, broadcasts will be in 10 languages (Bulgarian, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish), but they will gradually expand to the 23 languages of the EU.

This network is open to all kinds of national, regional, local, public or private radio stations, and already ranges from "Radio Polskie" to "Punto Radio" (Spain), via "Deutsche Welle", "Radio Netherlands", "Radio France Internationale" and "Radio Slovenia International".

Other radio stations can join the network if they meet the rules laid down by the consortium.

The interactive nature of this daily programme lasting between 30 and 60 minutes will also be enhanced by the launch of a common internet portal in July 2008.

On 28 February 2008, Ms Margot WALLSTRÖM, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for institutional relations and communication strategy, welcomed the support which the European Commission intends to give to the European consortium of radio stations for five years from its launch.

On 14 December last the Commission signed a service contract for € 5.8 million per annum with the consortium coordinated by "Deutsche Welle" and RFI following the Invitation to Tender of 14/07/2007. The strictest respect for the consortium's editorial freedom is guaranteed by an editorial charter.

Messrs. Erik BETTERMANN, Antoine SCHWARZ and Jan HOOK, respectively Presidents of Deutsche Welle, RFI and Radio Netherlands International, stressed to the press in Brussels the unique, enriching experience which the contributions and broader perspective of the consortium partners will bring to the citizens of the 27 countries of the EU in lively, well documented programmes on questions relating to Europe.

Members of the consortium on 26 February 2008

Germany Deutsche Welle
France RFI
Netherlands Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Spain Punto Radio
Poland Polskie Radio Warsaw
Poland Polskie Radio Szczecin
Belgium RTBF
Bulgaria Bulgarian National Radio
Czech Republic Czech Radio
Greece Skai Radio
Hungary Hungarian Radio
Romania Radio Romania International
Slovenia Radio Slovenia International
Portugal Europa Lisboa

Associate radio stations (not members of the consortium who can relay whatever subject they wish)

UK CUR 1350 Cambridge University
Germany Hochschulradio Aachen
Germany TIDE Radio Hamburg Media School
Germany CampusRadioBonn - Bonn University
France Radio Campus Paris
France Eur@dionantes
Finland Radio Moreeni - Tampere University