Technologies and public access

In order to open up medial spaces for everybody, debates centering on technological developments have taken on increasing relevance in past years. Though, it has not been the demands of free media themselves—for freedom of opinion and information, diversity of opinion, and open access—that are changing; the change has been in the instruments, which have undergone an ongoing process of transformation. Thus, the strategies and practices have had to transcend the purview of individual media. In this context, however, the technological innovations and adaptations constantly orient themselves on the concrete needs of those who use them, whereby the demands and challenges are in continual flux. Marginalized groups like immigrants as well as movements critical of globalization are increasingly using both analog and digital media for self-representation and political activism. Moreover, the reach of networks operating via free media in geographically peripheral zones is increasing. Therefore free media have to permanently confront the issue of access opportunities. How can “old” analog and “new” digital technologies be made and kept useful for and accessible by the various different user groups and communities and for the infrastructure of the free media themselves? The way free media deal with technical innovation and adaptation functions like a modular construction system: The technical infrastructure in actual practice is a patchwork of anything that’s available, usually not technical mastery is called for but rather the capability of assembling combinations and tinkering together “intelligent patchworks”. Going about this engenders cooperative relationships whose very hybridity is a source of creative and ultimately politically relevant potential. Tech-heads work together with—or are themselves—political activists, artists and immigrants and set up tangible interfaces between the users’ communications needs and the technical means available. Free media projects therefore redefine and reinterpret technologies, like the German Ligna Group's “Radioballett” or Manu Luksch's “Virtual Borders”. Meanwhile, many free radio stations have been facilitating everyday operations by making use of various digital, Internet-based applications (CBA, YARM). These combinations of technical improvisation and communicative interaction expand free media’s ability to act and to a certain extent are even what make cooperative undertakings possible in the first place. The Radio FRO Conference addresses these developments and discusses the latest communications tools, strategies and projects in order to create real occasions for communication and participation.

Public access and control

The existence of civil society networking and communication is also a question of access and control. On a political level regulations of the WWW and attempts for a restrictive use are being discussed. At the same time the replacement of old analogue transmission technologies by new digital broadcasting systems will lead to changes in frequency spectrum and modification within the regulatory frameworks on national and international level. Thus the diverse independent communication platforms need to develop common strategies for contributing to the decision process, introducing alternative perspectives and solutions and preserving access to future distribution platforms. In fact the current developments are fundamental threats to the freedom of information, expression and the plurality of media. It is essential to be aware of and to take an active part in these discussions. At the Radio FRO Conference experts from different fields in the media sector discuss the consequences of these developments as well as the necessity of future alternative models for community (media) platforms.

September 5
10.30 - 15.00
Sky Media Loft