By Stephan Delbos

On August 30, Radio Wave 100.7 FM, Prague’s only non-profit, youth-oriented radio station, is being forcibly taken off the air and made digital. In practical terms this means that Radio Wave’s  programming will no longer be available on analog radio. The benefits and drawbacks of this change are debatable, but there is little doubt that the station will lose many of its listeners. It will perhaps come as little surprise that investigation into the issue has revealed a drama of questionable intentions and excuses that vary from silence to scandal.

First the silence: The main players most obviously responsible for the fate of Radio Wave remained unavailable for comment at the time of going to print, despite repeated phone calls and emails. For the record, they are: Václav Kasík, the General Director of Český Rozhlas (the Czech equivalent of the BBC, of which Radio Wave is a member station),  René Zavoral, Kasík’s spokesperson, and Dana Jaklová, the spokesperson for the Radio Council and a member of Czech Parliament.

 Now the scandal: members of state  broadcasting standards advisory  bodies have  been openly hostile to the very idea of the station since the moment of Radio Wave’s launch in 2006. Members of the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting (RRTV) immediately moved to shut the station down. The RRTV fined the station for broadcasting in breach of the law, but Prague Municipal Court rejected the case as having no legal basis. Still, Jaklová began a campaign insisting that Radio Wave be shut down, regardless of the court’s ruling. Czech Radio Council, an independent advisory board, fronted by Jaklová, claimed that Radio Wave interfered with the broadcast of Cro Region, a station in the region of Bohemia. The transfer of Radio Wave's frequency to Prague radio station Český Rozhlas 2, however, contests Český Rozhlas’assertions of frequency interference, and as Cro Region also acquired an extra transmitter at Benešov to offset the interference, Jaklová’s passionate dedication to taking Radio Wave off the air is suspicious. In a 2007 interview with The Prague Post, Jaklová stated: “I don’t think Radio Wave’s programming is a public service.” Earlier that year, she told the Prague weekly Respekt: “The disappearance of Radio Wave wouldn’t disturb me.” According to Czech Business Weekly, Jaklová has even complained that “public radio’s presentation of information is endangering democracy.”

 

But Jaklová is a member of the Civic Democrats, and of Česká média news service owned by Jaroslav Berka, one of the country’s top professional media lobbyists. These strong ties with commercial media lobbyists cast doubt on her position as the strongest advocate for the digitalization of Radio Wave. As a popular non-profit station, Radio Wave stands in direct opposition to mainstream media that are increasingly in the ownership of a very small number of companies. If media conglomerates are clearing the way for radio stations whose interests more closely coincide with their own, one can assume taking Radio Wave off the analog airwaves is only the first step toward the McDonalaldization of Prague radio.

But why should we care about the downfall and digital induction of a locally owned and operated independent radio station that broadcasts eclectic, classic and cutting-edge music from around the world? Because the forced closure of a vibrant local cultural institution, which contributes to the musical consciousness of an estimated 50,000 listeners, is an event that affects us all. Stations like Radio Wave provide a refuge from the latest boy- and girl-group jingles. Forcing the station to go digital not only leaves a dead space on the air, but a space that will most likely soon be filled with commercials and lackluster mainstream DJs.

Apathy is a dull antidote for the pain of awareness. So talk. Let others know that you know. Protest. Go set yourself on fire if you want to. Or just pass on the information in your hands. But don’t let anyone take it from you. České

On the day of print,  René Zavoral contacted us with Český Rozhlas' previously released official statement, disregarding our specific questions.

For more information, we recommend www.blistky.cz and www.aust.cz -- two sites on Czech media which have consistently covered this affair in depth, along with its implications for the independent public broadcasting. Also visit www.praguepost.com for the articles "Radio Wave loses out on analog" and "Radio Wave's legality questioned" and www.cbz.cz for "Dvořák and Jaklová: Do you want to rock?".

Today! 11 November

Wave of protest against the Council of Czech Radio @ Roxy
live: 100 ° C / BT'n'J / Beatburger Band
+ Ohm Square (voc by Charlie One) dj set
Start 18:30

Average user rating

   (0 vote)