2023-06-23 02:00:00
Free radios have been allowed for 25 years. How they see their role – now and in the future.
Even as a child, Susanne Imhof was fascinated by the radio. “It’s just insanely fun,” says the social worker from Salzburg. Again and again she thought about getting into the radio business professionally, but she was too afraid that she would then lose her enjoyment of it.
She has therefore been pursuing her passion as a hobby for more than 20 years. As one of the longest-serving broadcasters at “Radiofabrik”, she invests around 20 hours of her free time every month in a music show and a second show in which she introduces everyday heroes, from climate activists to paragliders: “I want to make visible how much There is commitment in our society.”
The approximately 300 other citizen journalists who go on the air at Radiofabrik with their own formats also show commitment. The free radio, which is non-commercial and free of , is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, together with the majority of the 14 other free radio stations throughout Austria.
What Susanne Imhof appreciates most about free radio is the freedom to present content that doesn’t exist anywhere else. She sees shows like those of Radiofabrik as pioneers of podcasts. Jumping on the podcast train has never crossed her mind: “It’s a very special feeling to be in the studio. It’s more professional and has more quality standards.”
Alf Altendorf, Managing Director of Radiofabrik, also sees no competition for free broadcasting in social media: “On the Internet, what constitutes journalism is often forgotten.” For Altendorf, however, the role of independent radio has changed since it began 25 years ago. “I don’t see us purely in the role of journalists, but above all in that of mediators and trainers.” With workshops, a professional infrastructure and clear broadcasting guidelines, Radiofabrik enables the civilian population to be their own mouthpiece.
In the future, this will also be done more in rural areas. Georg Wimmer, co-founder of Radiofabrik and native of Mittersiller, is building an external studio for Radiofabrik in Zell am See as part of an EU leader project. By the end of the year, “Radio Pinzgau” should go on the air in the district.
The radio factory is now financially secure, says Alf Altendorf. They are “not happy” with the black-blue government in Salzburg, but they see Stefan Schnöll as an “attentive interlocutor.” At the federal level, Altendorf is not afraid of a possible coalition between the ÖVP and the FPÖ: “If you were to question our financing, you would have to do the same for private commercial broadcasting.”
Altendorf emphasizes that free broadcasting will continue to be needed in the future. In the field of media education in particular, there is no competition. Last year, almost 1,500 people were trained in media criticism and media production through school workshops, among other things. “I would like everyone here to take a crash course and understand how the media work. If we want to keep our open society, we need enlightened fellow citizens.”
For the broadcaster Susanne Imhof, independent radios not only have a social benefit, but also a personal one: “Doing radio has strengthened my personality and made me more self-confident. I’ve grown incredibly with this medium.”
Radiofabrik celebrates its 25th anniversary
Radiofabrik is not only celebrating its 25th birthday this year with its own anniversary beer, but also with a content offensive. With the “Werkspost” format, she gets professional journalists behind the microphone and lets them comment on regional politics. In addition, there will be a panel discussion in the ARGEkultur in the city of Salzburg on September 27th. The relevance of free broadcasting for civil society will be discussed. The focus will be on the question of why free radio is still needed in times when anyone can start a podcast with the simplest of means.
Finally, on October 13, the anniversary celebration will take place in the Salzburg Literature House. More on that below www.radiofabrik.at
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