[cma-l] Sign the petition! CMFE requests support for the Saxonian Community Radio sector

[Jaqui Devereux]

Dear all

We urge you to sign the petition below to save 3 community radio 
stations in Germany:

Sign the petition to support community radio in Saxony
http://coloradio.org/site/offener-brief/

Forwarded message:

CMFE requests support for the Saxonian Community Radio sector

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

Following recent developments the survival of three community radio
stations in the German Federal State of Saxony, namely coloRadio
(Dresden), Radio T (Chemnitz) and Radio Blau (Leipzig) is under threat
from next year. At the moment, they are broadcasting a 49 hours a week
?window program? on the frequencies of Apollo Radio. The Sächsische
Gemeinschaftsprogramm GmbH & Co KG, the operating company behind Apollo
Radio, is currently financing the audio transmission costs for these
three community radio stations.

On 13 October 2009 the Sächsische Gemeinschaftsprogramm GmbH & Co KG
informed them that the current cooperation agreement for financing the
audio transmission costs will be terminated on 31 December 2009. If this
termination becomes real, it would mean the end of the FM broadcasting
of all free radio stations in Saxonia, because all three stations, run
by volunteers, have no other financial sources to pay for the audio
transmission costs.

Concerning the case in Saxony, we would like to draw the decision
makers? attention to the fact that recognition for the Community Media
in Saxony is insufficient according to the recent European policy documents.

The Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE) therefore:
- requests for the short term to work towards a renewal of the existing
situation in where financial support for the three community radio's is
guaranteed in a contract with the commercial stations;
- requests next to establish special financial support procedures
according to the specificities of the Community Media sector instead of
obliging them to stay dependent of commercial media;
- requests to advance in the Third Media Sector recognition watching
over the European harmonization through the implementation of guidelines
as the Resolution of 25 September 2008 of the European Parliament on
Community Media in Europe (2008/2011 (INI)), which invites the EU Member
States to recognize and to support this sector.
- supports the demand of the Bundesverband Freier Radios to financial
support for the three Saxon free radio stations and the request for a
legal commitment to promote non-commercial radio stations as a third
sector of radio broadcasting in Saxony.

CMFE strongly recommends that the responsible Saxonian authorities,
referring to the mentioned Resolution of the European Parliament and the
Declaration of the Council of Europe, supports Community Media
initiatives in Saxon. We ask for a serious commitment to support the
sustainability and development of community radio and its continuing
delivery of social and economic benefit. CMFE offers any help with
expertise and welcomes feedback to this letter.

  > Read the letter of support of CMFE
http://www.cmfe.eu/docs/2009_November_18_support_sachsen.pdf

  > Sign the petition to support community radio in Saxony
http://coloradio.org/site/offener-brief/

  > Bundesverband Freier Radios
http://www.freie-radios.de/








-- 
Jaqui Devereux

Director
Community Media Association

15 Paternoster Row
Sheffield
S1 2BX

+44 114 279 5219


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