Anonymous Comrade writes

11th June 2003, Amsterdam



This is a call to all Free Radio makers, listeners and

sympathisers worldwide to support the Dutch Free Radios in

their protest against Dutch National Radio Frequency

Policy which currently threatens the very existence of

Free Radio in the Netherlands.



Please feel free to forward this message.



Messages of support and requests for further information

will be gladly received at.....

radiofestatie@yahoo.ie

http://www.xs4all.nl/~artburo/cgi/r100/guestbook.h tm



A further statement will released within the next few

days to coincide with the 100,000 ANTENNES FREE RADIO

MANIFESTATION in Amsterdam on June 14th. Please contact

radiofestatie@yahoo.ie if you'd like to be kept informed

of developments.



Please read on.....


100,000 ANTENNAS - FREE RADIO MANIFESTATION

JUNE 14 - AMSTERDAM

http://www.vrijeradio.nl



The Dutch government's recently implemented Zerobase Radio

Frequency Policy is designed to control and regulate free

use of the ether by commercial radio stations. On May 23

this year most available space on the Dutch airwaves was

auctioned off to the highest bidder. It should come as no

surprise to anyone that as a result of this auction it has

become clear that for the next eight years only the

biggest, most commercially and mainstream oriented

stations will be able to exploit the remaining Dutch

frequencies. The government's claim to preserve diversity

in the new airwave distribution has proven to be a fraud.



The ZeroBase Policy acknowledges only two kinds of radio:

public and commercial. Any radio formats that don't fit

within either of these categories have in effect become

criminal organisations. Zerobase's nasty little brother

"Project Etherflits", an initiative of the Department of

Economic Affairs, has since March of this year been

pro-actively identifying and tracking "illegal"

broadcasters throughout the North and East of the country,

confiscating studio equipment and imposing large fines.

Many stations have already been forced off the air.

Recently strong rumours have been circulating that the

mayor of Amsterdam has granted permission to use police

and riot-control forces to get rid of the city's Free

Radio stations - Radio 100, Radio Patapoe and Radio de

Vrije Keyser. Although Free Radio culture in the

Netherlands has a long history and remains innovative,

popular and highly valued as an important cultural and

political resource, Free Radio is neither public or

commercial. Thus, under the Zerobase legislation these

stations will never be granted a legal broadcasting

permit. Nowhere in Europe have legislators been so blind

to active, independent radio-making culture. This needs to

be changed.



During its twenty-five years of existence Dutch Free Radio

has been a beacon of Dutch and international fringe

cultures, alternative political action and social change.

An extraordinarily diverse range of radio makers have

seized the chance to express and promote their culture and

present [counter]information in a way that would be

impossible under the rules and regulations of the

so-called "free" market.



Free Radio is an initiator of and participant in an

important broad (sub)cultural coalition. Because of the

ill-defined definitions of legislators, THE CONTINUING

EXISTENCE OF FREE RADIO IN THE NETHERLANDS IS NOW UNDER

SERIOUS THREAT.



THE DUTCH FREE RADIOS NOW PROTEST AGAINST THIS SHOCKING

DEVELOPMENT.



WE URGENTLY DEMAND THAT THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES

NON-COMMERCIAL, NON-PUBLIC FREE RADIO AS A SEPERATE LEGAL

RADIO CATEGORY WITHIN THE NATIONAL FREQUENCY POLICY. THAT

IS TO SAY THAT LOW-COST, FREE-ACCESS DOMAINS IN THE ETHER

MUST BE CREATED.



To support this demand, to shed light on our situation,

and to discuss possible solutions, the Dutch Free Radios

are organizing a huge radio event in Amsterdam on June 14

at 5 different locations in and around the Vondelpark.....



100,000 ANTENNAS - FREE RADIO MANIFESTATION



.... to show that we are still alive and kicking, and how

much we will be missed if Dutch politicians fail to end

the threat to Free Radio stations in the Netherlands.


Spokespersons.....

Erik Bout 0625 168 168

Joop Ankerman 0618 855 348



General co-ordination......

Fransien van der Putt,

Stichting Bevordering Vrije Meningsuiting

radiofestatie@yahoo.ie



Programme details, updates and info.....

http://www.vrijeradio.nl

radiofestatie@yahoo.ie



Streaming info.....

http://www.indymedia.nl/live/


100,000 ANTENNAS

Programme Details


DE BALIE

11:00 - 13:00

Radio Text Mix Live: radiospeakers, readers and

storytellers, Herrie P, Markha Valenta, E Bout, M Maris, A

Love Supreme, Herbert Visser, Klaas K, Ruth D, Arie

Altena, F Depuis, e.v.a.


VOORBEELD

11:00 - 17:00

Radio Kraakgeluiden Live - Anne LaBerge, Cor Fuhler, Colin

McLean.

Ruth Dreier's Free Radio Sound Lounge - with soloists and

soundscapers including Oorbeek, Herrie, Beeldplaatje,

NetEcht and more.

Patapoe Sound System, Willy Wonka, Snail Surround System ,

Radio Worm, Meeuw Musak, DFM rtv (streams).


DE BALIE

13:30 - 16.30

RADIO 100 DEBATE

A debate between local politicians, MPs, public, private

and commercial radio journalists, and spokespersons from

the "free space" movement, covering the following

questions.....



. What future does free space and access culture have in

the Netherlands?

. Has the principle 'No culture without sub-culture' lost

it's value?.

. Should organising free space be limited only to physical

space?

. What are the consequences of the new Zerobase Radio

Policy for the quality of Dutch Radio?

. Can non-commercial, non-public radio survive under the

new regulations? . What are politicians prepared to do to

sustain the long tradition of Free Radio in the

Netherlands and counter the cultural impoverishment of the

Dutch radioscape?



Speakers - Hansje Kalt (Amsterdam Anders), John Goring

(VVD), Hans Bakker (SP), Maik Ter Veer (ADM), Freek (Vrije

Ruimte), Kees Vendrik (2e kamer/GL), Remco Scha (Uva),

Gerrit Kalsbeek (Vpro - Radio1), Arthur Elsenaar (artist)

and others.

Chairpersons - Erik Bout and Pieter Hilhorst.


VONDELPARK

13:00 - 1700

Amsterdam Klezmer Band + Bob Fosko, Willem de Ridder,

Hartzeer, Solbakken, MC Quajongen, Frank Starik, Bart

Breij, Camiel Proost, Armand, Ron Sekolsky, Lenny St Luce,

Donald Gardner, Iriel Sayeed, Rina Mushongha and Zoe,

Jamaican Jukebox, Kinderpret, Bakker Wieteke, DeauDeaux's

actionpainting, DJ Akla/Radio 100 invites all

streetmusicians, eva.


OCCII

21:00 - 01:00

Ilse Lau, Liana Flu Winks, Thom Revolver


VOORBEELD

19.00 - 04.00

Party Zone! with Funk the System, Mugezond, La Clica,

Shen, PowerxPower, DJ Hassan, DJ Meeuw, Li-Z, 3-1

(live-act), Dope Selecta Special with Koldun + guest DJ's

+ MC Headhuntah + XelaVision Image Attack.


http://www.vrijeradio.nl"