Non commercial/community Broadcasting in Denmark, a case of study.
Local radio and TV had a thin start in the end of the 1970s where few local TV attempts were cable broadcasted. After evaluation of these trials, the ministry of cultural affairs (1981) decided that “new and more extensive trials should be done and some grants should be given”.
Already in 1983, when the new “experimental system” (1983-87) for local radio and TV started, the question of the “public grants” to the stations and program activity was centrally placed in the media political discussion. The left wing of the Parliament looked at the local stations as a political-cultural phenomenon that should be granted in the same way like other cultural forms (theatres, museums). The right wing of the parliament looked at the new local media as a front runner in the fight to break Denmars Radio’s (the national public service institution) monopoly and as the possibility to create a market based alternative to DR. That’s why they refused any kind of support and said that this private owned media should be financed by advertisement and sponsors (market conditions). In this period (83-87) the public grants where very little (ca. 6 mio.DKK). In 1987, the local radio and TV were allowed to use advertisement as a form of financing.
In the end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s the local radio and TV platform was split up in two.One layer consisted of the commercial stations (with professional employees, large broadcast area, etc.) and the other layer consisted of the non commercial stations (with volunteers, and financed by different forms).
In 1988 (the Local radio and TV media policy was revised) and it has been decide to establish the “Local Radio Fund” to support to the local radio. The Fund was also called “The Robin Hood Fund” because the commercial stations based on advertisement should pay fees (10% of their annual income) to the non commercial stations. The commercial stations, however, were very creative so they actually avoided paying. The “Local Radio Fund” closed in 1991.
In 1994, 95 and 96 there were 7,5 mio. DKK( per year) to support the local radio stations and this grants were administrated by the “Committee of Local Radio and TV”. There were conditions to get grants: A station should have broadcasted regularly the last 6 months, the programs should have focus at local information and debate and should cover the needs of special local groups. It was forbidden to have employed people, no advertisement were allowed and they should not broadcast more then 40 hours a week. The grants were given to the local radios partly as grants for running expenses and partly as grants to projects. For the local TV there were no grants.
Local radio and TV has always been relatively marginalised in the commissions and committees work that has influenced the Danish media policy in the 80’s and the 90’s. On the other hand, local radio and TV have always been centrally placed, because all the main media political struggles have taken place here.
It was also in the 1990s that the local radio and TV platforms (the commercial and the non-commercial) demand to the political system became stronger: The commercial stations wanted powerful frequencies, large broadcast areas and a frequency without sharing obligations and possibility for networking. The non commercial/community stations demanded more grants and wanted to keep the established system (sharing broadcasters and frequencies).
In 1996 a new media policy compromise has been made for the period of 1997-2000. It confirmed the two layers at the local radio and TV and wished to improve the economical conditions for the two types of local stations (commercial and non commercial). A new grant system was established to support the non commercial/community local stations. The new grant system covered 3 areas:
Experimental trial with local radio and TV, trial with media schools and grants to the local radio and tv stations. In that periode a “Local Board of Radio and TV” was functioning. It has probably been the best periode for non comercial local radio and tv.
A new goverment took over in 2001, which was liberal and conservativ, and in a few years the non commercial local radio and tv could feel how the good conditions were substantial reduced. The “Local Board of radio and TV” was closed down, the grants amount was substantially reduced and there was speculations about closing the non comeercial local radio and TV. The Minister of Culture set up an inquire to find out how many listeners/viewers the local radio and tv had (he was expecting that the result showed that there were very few listeners/viewers, so he could close the local radio and tv stations). But the Minister was forced to think twice, because the local tv stations had a very big rate of viewers and that saved the local radio and TV from closing.
In 2006 a new media policy compromise was made (including the opposition) for the periode of 2007-2009. The amount og grant grew and returned to a lavel 4 years before. However the socalled must carry obligation was abolished which made it difficult for local tv-stations to operate to the benifit of the local audience. The new system og licences for radio stations are only due until the 31th. december 07 and for TV stations until 31th october 09. The time after the 1st November 09 has to be decided by the Parliment; Who’s going to pay for the the system and who will be the gate keepers. There’s a lot of discussions about digitalision, but until now not much clarity except for closing the analog system by the end of october 2009.
General information:
How to get a license for non commercial local radio and TV
Everybody (privat persons, NGOs, business companies, etc.) can apply for a license for non commercial local radio and TV. First of all there must be free time avaible in the local area of the applicant. Licences areas are until now geografical identical with the old 15 county areas (abolished by Januar 07 for 5 regions). Secondly the applicant must prove that they can financie to run the station until they are able to get grants.The applicant must produce the programs locally and cannot not make advertisement. But sponsership is allowed.
How to get grants for non-commercial local radio and television
Application for non-commercial local program activity will be handle by the RTB – the national radio and tv board. Only stations (radio and tv) which have a license to non-commercial local program activity and has been broadcasting regularly in 6 months can apply for subsidies/grants. Radio Stations can apply for max. 15 hours a week and tv stations for max. 3 hours per week. But it is allowed to apply for more hours.
Funding for 2007:
The subsidies/grants (for working, running expenses/operating costs) for 2007 for non-commercial/community local radio and television are 48,8 mio .DKK( around 6,5 mio Euro)
Distributed/divided by 159 non-commercial local radio- and 110 non-commercial local tv- stations.
The special pool is divided by 20 of this stations.
There are 3 funds: one for radio, one for tv and a special one for student, handicap and folk high school radio and tv-stations.
In 2007, a radio station gets 207,26 DKK(27,63 euro) per hour and a tv-station gets 2.072,58 DKK (276,34 euro) per hour. TV stations who get subsidies from the special pool get extra 946,19 DKK (126,15 euro) per hour. Radio stations who get subsidies from the special pool get extra 94,62 DKK (12,56 euro) per hour.
Only new produced programmes can get subsidies/grants, repeated programmes get a much smaller grant per hour. Advertisement is forbidden, but it’s allowed to have sponsors (a billboard in the beginning and at the end of the program). Co-productions with other stations are possible, but subsidies/grants will be divided between the co-producers.
Subsisies are paid quarterly in advance.The MS(Media Secretariat) keeps ca. 20.000 DKK ( however max. 25% of the total subsidy), until a station has delivered the account for 2007 (deadline:1th april 2008), together with a timetable formular for the total broadcasted hours in 2007. After MS has approved both, the rest subsidy will be paid.
Each station has to keep a record of the new produced programmes for 3 months.
The local radio stations are broadcasting at local FM frequencies and the local tv stations are broadcasting at the local commercial tv stations (non commercial TV window from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m., according to the media policy). Copenhagen is an exception in the TV area, because they have their own frequency (Channel 2) for 24 hours.
This year the RTB has given permission to the first trial of digital non commercial tv in Roskilde (near Copenhagen) to the students tv station, UTV. That’s the first trial of digital TV for community tv in Europe.
Abstract for Budapest – 17/18 may 07
Rui Monteiro
Global Media Aarhus (Indvandrer TV & Radio Bazar)
Mediehus Aarhus
Jægergårdsgade 152
DK - 8000 Århus C
Office:+45 – 46 93 52 43
mobil: +45 - 21 66 52 43
email:
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