Greece’s Regional Broadcasting Union (PEIRAS) met with Christos Spirtzis, the Hellenic Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure and Networks (YPOMEDI) and Lefteris Kretsos, the Secretary General for Information and Communication, at the end of February to discuss the future of the country’s radio landscape.
Both Spirtzis and Kretsos were quick to point out that a joint effort should be made to find the most favorable conditions to encourage legal operation and sustainability of regional radio broadcasting, taking into consideration the many obstacles the stations face.
PEIRAS is the country’s largest media union and represents more than 375 member radio stations nationwide, excluding those in the large urban areas of Athens and Thessaloniki.
It has been advocating for the rights of regional radio stations since 2002 and provided suggestions to the Greek government on how to help ease the “institutional licensing and operational framework” of these stations during the February meeting.
The government, which is finalizing radio license application criteria in preparation for the licensing of all privately owned radio stations throughout the country, appears receptive to PEIRAS’ ideas.
“The dialog with all associations of radio stations owners begins now,” said Spirtzis in a written statement. “The government’s final decisions (from both YPOMEDI and the Secretariat General of Information and Communications) will be developed after an extended discussion and full technical documentation, in accordance with the specificities of each region, with a goal of finding the best solutions, with the greatest possible consensus and cooperation of all parties.”
There are more than 850 privat FM stations in Greece.
— Andreas Tzanakos
