| advertisement |
|
|
| advertisement |
|
|
|
| 25 years of Jewish radio in France
|
|
 |
Julien Dray (L), spokesman of the Socialist Party, François Hollande, first secretary of the Socialist party, Nicole Guedj, former minister and Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres (R), minister of culture
Photo: Alain Azria
|
|
|
| Page tools |
 |
|
|
|
PARIS (EJP)--- Four ministers and several presidential candidates attended in Paris the 25th anniversary dinner of the French Jewish radio station Radio J and declared their attachment to the Jewish media.
Radio J, one of France’s four Jewish radios, last Monday celebrated its 25th birthday with a fancy gala dinner in Paris with several national leaders and about 500 guests, including foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, and several other members of the government, including Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres (culture), Christian Estrosi (territory management), Xavier Bertrand (health), and opposition leaders such as the Socialist Party’s first secretary François Hollande, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe and rightwing leader Philippe de Villiers.
Popular presidential candidates Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal failed to attend the event although they were announced, causing disappointment among the audience.
Radio J was created on 17 June 1981, when newly elected president François Mitterrand decided to legalise private radios besides the existing state-controlled stations.
“We founded the radio because we found that other media misinformed the audience on the Middle-Eastern conflict,” Radio J chairman Serge Hajdenberg told EJP. “Our movement ‘Jewish Renewal’ founded the radio, which became the first independent Jewish media, and during the following few months other members of the community created three other radios: Radio Community, Radio Shalom and Radio Judaiques.
Each station wanted to prevail but the four ended up sharing the same frequency, 94.8 FM, after the French Media Superior Council (CSA) refused to grant them separate frequencies. The time-share makes it financially difficult for each station radio to survive, since they can only broadcast for six hours a day.
Large audience
Radio J is often described as a right-wing station, whereas Radio Shalom is more left-wing. The latter is owned by the French-Moroccan businessman Robert Assaraf. Radio Community is the “official” community station located in the same building as the Jewish umbrella association CRIF.
The stations have asked for separate frequencies and the idea was supported by political leaders.
Twenty-five years after it was created, Radio J’s most prestigious program, “The Forum”, is considered to be one of France’s leading interview radio shows with guests such as PM Dominique de Villepin, foreign affairs minister Douste-Blazy and opposition leaders.
“I always accept the invitations I get from Radio J because I know they’ll let me give a full answer,” said presidential candidates Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Laurent Fabius. “When you give an interview on Radio J you know your message will be heard and widely broadcast.”
Political leaders believed the Jewish radio was essential to give a better idea on what is happening in Israel and to inform the community of anti-Semitic assaults.
Remembering victims
On Monday night during the celebrations, these difficult times were remembered, such as the murder of Ilan Halimi last February, other anti-Semitic attacks and terror attacks in Israel.
Alona, a survivor of the Dolphinarium dance club suicide attack in 2001, attended Radio J’s anniversary and her mother thanked the radio for its support.
A few months after the attack, several survivors were invited by Radio J to France, where they vacationed for a week and met with political leaders. One of Radio J’s two studios was named ‘Dolphinarium studio’ in honour of the victims.
During the event funds were also raised for the station, with € 170,000 worth of collections from the guests.
|
|
 |
|