Petition for the preservation, development and existence of the independent Radio Student

Radio Študent (Ljubljana, Slovenia) emerged as a direct product of the student movement of 1968; when the first three hours of test programming were broadcast from the student dormitories in Ljubljana on 9 May 1969, no one could have imagined that at the end of the 1980s, Radio Študent would play a key media role in the independence of Slovenia. Today, 44 generations and countless individuals later, the Radio Študent Institute has over 150 regular contributors and is the oldest and largest student, community and independent radio station in Europe and a unique media, cultural, educational and research institution in Slovenia and beyond.

Due to a drop in revenues from student work and the resulting drastic cuts made by Radio Študent’s founder, the Student Organization of the University of Ljubljana, and furthermore due to the shifting of responsibility and ignorance and irresponsiveness of other competent institutions and stakeholders, a bold question mark hangs over the continued existence of Radio Študent. The question of the continued existence of Radio Student is not just a question of the survival of some radio station; it is a question of preserving independent media and independent culture and the historic achievements of independent and spontaneous student action in its most positive form. Ultimately, it is a question of civilization, a question of maintaining and preserving a culture and organization free from capital and politics.

THE RADIO DEMANDS:

• to the Student Organization of the University in Ljubljana: operations in the public interest, the redistribution of assets and the creation of short- and long-term mechanisms that would enabled the continued, uninterrupted operation of Radio Študent and other not-for-profit institutions and activities that are in the interest of university students and society in general;
• to the University of Ljubljana: the completion of the formal portion of the procedure for establishing the University of Ljubljana as a co-founder of Radio Študent, a move which all partners and stakeholders (the Radio Študent Institute, the Student Organisation of the University of Ljubljana and the University of Ljubljana) have already agreed to;
• to the Municipality of Ljubljana: the creation of mechanisms for the systematic financing of the Radio Študent Institute as a unique municipal public radio service and a unique cultural and educational institution operating in the Municipality of Ljubljana; for over 45 years, Radio Študent has been operating in the interest of the citizens and residents of Ljubljana;
• to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia:long-term legislative solutions for the stable, adequate financing of the broadcast and other cultural activities of Radio Študent and the educational processes and hands-on training that Radio Študent constantly conducts;
• to the Post and Electronic Communications Agency of the Republic of Slovenia: the assignment of frequencies with the aim of expanding the range and listenership of Radio Študent to all of Slovenia, or at least to all university centres in Slovenia;

SIGN THE PETITION: https://radiostudent.si/peticija/