(English below)

keng unerkennung fir Community Medien?

Radio ARA ass staark irritéiert vum Gesetzestext fir déi nei Pressehëllef.

Nach viru kuerzem huet et geschéngt, wéi wann de Staat Community-Medien och endlech zu Lëtzebuerg géing unerkennen. No jorelaangen Diskussioune mam Medieministère an enger positiver Recommandatioun vun der ALIA gouf Radio ARA virun zwou Wochen an d‘Chamber invitéiert. Awer een Dag nodeems Radio ARA an der Medienkommissioun iwwer d’Wichtegkeet vu Community Medie fir d’Medienpluralitéit geschwat huet – an ouni d’parlamentaresch Débât iwwert de Service Public ofzewaarden, huet de Regierungsrot e Gesetzestext ugeholl, dee fir eis e grousse Réckschlag bedeit.

Community Medie ginn a praktesch all europäeschem Staat nieft ëffentlechrechtlechen a privat-kommerziellen en als drëtte Pilier vun der Medielandschaft unerkannt a gefërdert. Institutioune wéi d’EU-Parlament, d’UNESCO an den Europarot recommandéieren all hire Memberlänner fir déi Chancen z’ergräifen déi Community Medie bidden an doduerch d’Medienkompetenz an der Gesellschaft ze verankeren a virun allem marginaliséiert Gruppe mat anzebezéien. Community
Medie ginn der Zivilgesellschaft den direkten Access op d’Antenn, se stäerken d’Participatioun an sinn eng Ausbildungsplaz a Sprangbriet fir Journalist*innen. Am virleiende Gesetzestext 7631, deen sech an der Haaptsaach op déi geschriwwe Press fokusséiert, goufen d’Community Medien an enger Zeil dobäigeprafft. Déi Hëllef, déi fir si virgesinn ass, ass plafonéiert, a geet laanscht all reell Besoinën. Iwwert eng Mindestzuel vu Vollzäit Journalist*inne ginn si un ee System gebonnen, deen am Widdersproch zu hirer Funktiounsweis steet. Dass haaptsächlech Mëttele fir Technik, Infrastruktur a Personal fir Administratioun, Koordinatioun a Kommunikatioun gebraucht ginn gouf net beduecht.

Lisa McLean (Responsabel engleschsproochegen “ARA City Radio” a Community-Shows Radio ARA): “Radio ARA gëtt zu Lëtzebuerg och gebraucht well e groussen Deel vun der Bevëlkerung net vun deenen anere bestoende Medien representéiert gëtt. Mir hu geduecht, dass grad d’Pandemie kloergemaach hätt. Mat engem Noriichteprogramm an 10 Sproochen, dorënner arabesch, tigrinya, farsi, albanesch, russesch, italienesch… hu mir Leit zu Lëtzebuerg erreecht, déi soss keen Accès op lokal Informatioune gehat hätten. Mee elo hu mir missen als éischt feststellen, dass mir fir d’COVIDNoutfall-Pressehëllef net eligibel sinn an dann, dass eis Aarbecht a Potential insgesamt net verstane gëtt. Dëst deet wéi”.

Zanter dem Enn vum leschte Joer ass Radio ARA finanziell an engem kriteschen Zoustand. Wéi all Medien hunn och mir Probleemer fir eis nach iwwer Reklammen ze finanzéieren. A Konkurrenz steet Radio ARA hei mat deenen grousse Medien, déi en plus duerch de System vun der Pressehëllef, Sue vum Lëtzebuerger Staat kréien. Bei Radio ARA schaffen 170 Fräiwëlleger a Freelancer, awer och Leit mat (auslännesche) Pressekaarten fir Sendungen an Noriichte vu gudder Qualitéit ze maachen. 12 Leit (an Deelzäit) sinn agestallt a këmmeren sech haaptsächlech ëm d’Organisatioun, d‘Ausbildung an de Projetsmanagement. De Radio huet net emol genuch Sue fir en Techniker oder eng Technikerin anzestellen.

Guy Antony (Präsident): “Dat neit Gesetz gëtt eis net gerecht. Et ass wéi mat enger Blinddarmentzündung an d’Klinik ze kommen an dann den Aarm gegipst ze kréien. Dobäi si Community Medien eng grouss Chance an enger Demokratie. Lëtzebuerg huet ee grousse Mangel u Medienpluralismus an een attestéierte Problem bei der Medienkonzentratioun. De Projet de loi 7613 verschäerft déi Problemer nach. Fir Radio ARA bedeit dat, dass eis Existenz um Spill steet.”

Matgedeelt vu Radio ARA, 22.07.2020

(English below)

No recognition for Community media?

Radio ARA is deeply disturbed by the new text of the Media Support Bill.

Until recently, it seemed as if the state would finally recognize community media in Luxembourg. After years of discussions with the Ministry of Media and a positive recommendation from ALIA, two weeks ago Radio ARA was invited to the Chamber of Deputies to present their role to the Media Commission. However, one day after Radio ARA spoke to the Media Commission about the importance of community media for media plurality – and without waiting for the parliamentary debate on the public service, the Council of Ministers adopted a bill that means a major setback for the radio.

In virtually every European state, community media is recognized and promoted as a third pillar of the media landscape, besides public law and private-commercial media. Institutions such as the European Parliament, UNESCO and the Council of Europe recommend all Member States to seize the opportunities offered by community media, thereby consolidating media literacy in society and, above all, involving marginalized groups. Community media give civil society direct access to the antennas, strengthen participation and provide a training ground for journalists.
In the present legal text 7631, which focuses mainly on the written press, community media is included in one line. The aid provided for them is capped, and does not address the real needs of community media. The requirement of a minimum number of full-time journalists, means they are bound by a system that contradicts their way of working. The requirements of community of media is for technical and infrastructure support as well as personnel needed for administrative, coordination and communication with the massive number of community
volunteers that are involved at the station.

Lisa McLean (responsible for English-language “ARA City Radio” and Community Shows Radio ARA): “Radio ARA is important in Luxembourg because a large part of the population is not represented by the existing media. We thought that our response during the pandemic had made our mission clear. With the Local News produced in 10 languages, including Arabic,
Tigrinya, Farsi, Albanian, Russian, Italian … we reached people in Luxembourg who would not otherwise have had access to important local information. But first we realized that we were not eligible for COVID emergency press assistance and then that our work and potential is not understood at all. This hurts.”

Since the end of last year, Radio ARA has been in a critical financial state. Like all media, it has become increasingly difficult to finance the station solely through advertising. A large number of advertising clients have moved to digital media which will receive additional funding from the Luxembourg State through the press assistance system. Radio ARA employs 170 volunteers and freelancers, as well as journalists with (foreign) press cards to make good quality broadcasts and news. 12 people are employed (part time) and mainly take care of the organization, training and project management. The radio does not have enough money to hire a technician, this work is done on a voluntary basis, by its supporters.

Guy Antony (President): “The new law does not do us justice. It’s like coming
to the clinic with appendicitis and then getting your arm plastered. While
community media offers a great opportunity in a democracy and would
address Luxembourg’s great lack of media pluralism and alleviate the problem
with media concentration, this new Media Bill 7613 intensifies the problem,
and means Radio ARA’s existence hangs in the balance.

Radio ARA, 22.07.2020