🚀 go-pugleaf

From: amarc@gn.apc.org
Subject: Europe media policy - AMARC input
Conf: amarc.radio
Date: 13 Oct 94 21:25 EDT


European community radios seek international recognition

European community radio broadcasters have called upon the Council
of Europe and its Members States to recognise the contribution
which community radios make to media pluralism and freedom of
expression and information and to support and assist the current
and future development of the sector.

The call comes in a paper tabled by AMARC-Europe, the European
section of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters,
for the Fourth European Ministerial Conference on the Mass Media
which takes place in Prague, 7 - 8 December 1994.

The paper recommends national and international anti-concentration
regulations to prevent the takeover of community radio stations by
commercial companies, reservation of frequencies in the FM band
(87.5 to 108 MHz) and measures to assist community radio stations
adjust to structural and technological change.

AMARC-Europe also urges research be undertaken into the impact of
new regulatory, economic and technological developments and
stresses that new digital sound broadcasting systems should be
accessible, affordable and appropriate to the needs of community
radio.

Community radio broadcasters fear that new digital technology
could leave many broadcasters in the same position as vinyl record
processing plants and are concerned that current digital sound
broadcasting systems have not sufficiently addressed the needs of
local and community radio services.

Further information:

AMARC-Europe, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX Tel: +44 742
795219  Fax: +44 742 798976  E-mail: amarc@gn.apc.org

Copies of the AMARC-Europe submission to the Council of Europe
have been posted in English and French in the apc conference
<amarc.radio> as replies to this topic. Copies are also available
by post or e-mail from address above.