In an attempt to better reach European youth with news and information about Europe, 16 broadcasters from 13 European nations are cooperating in Euranet, formerly known as the European Radio Project.
The station is expected to begin broadcasts on 31 March 2008, with its Web site launching on 1 June 2008. The Euranet name was unveiled in late February by Margot Wallström, vice-president of the European Commission and the person in charge of the E.U.’s communication strategy.
According to Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, one of the participants in the project, Euranet programming will target 20- to 45-year-olds with news and information programming in all 23 official E.U. languages. The programs will air on frequencies of consortium members, as well as be available via the Internet as on-demand streams and podcasts.
The project is involving a wide variety of broadcasters, ranging from local and regional operations to national and international broadcasters.
Euranet consortium members include Deutsche Welle (Germany), Radio France Internationale (France), Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (the Netherlands), Punto Radio (Spain), Polskie Radio and Polskie Radio Szczecin (Poland), Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (Belgium), Bâlgarsko Natsionalno Radio and RFI Sofia (Bulgaria), Ceský Rozhlas (Czech Republic), Skaï Radio (Greece), Magyar Rádió (Hungary), Radio Romania International and RFI Romania (Romania), Radio Slovenia International (Slovenia) and Europa (Portugal). Student stations at universities in Finland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom will also rebroadcast Euranet programming.
