Lisa McLean, pictured at a Delano Live event in December 2018, says it is great that Ara Radio has received recognition of its role in adding to the diversity of Luxembourg’s media landscape. Jan Hanrion/Maison Moderne (archives)

Lisa McLean, pictured at a Delano Live event in December 2018, says it is great that Ara Radio has received recognition of its role in adding to the diversity of Luxembourg’s media landscape. Jan Hanrion/Maison Moderne (archives)

“I think that relieved is probably closer to how we feel at the moment,” station manager Lisa McLean told Delano on Thursday morning when asked if the public broadcaster is pleased with the multi-annual agreement it has signed with the ministry of state media and communication. “We didn’t receive the amount we had asked for, but in the current climate that is also understandable,” she adds.

The deal guarantees the public service broadcaster €250,000 a year--though only €200,000 for the remainder of 2021--to develop its mission to provide programming that “reflects the social, cultural and artistic events” of the grand duchy.

The move follows more than a year of active lobbying by the radio station to get some form of support because it was not covered by the law that will reform state aid for media. In February dozens of staff, volunteers and supporters marched on parliament to make their voice heard. “One thing that has overwhelmed us over the past year, is the outpouring of support we have received for different people in Luxembourg and beyond,” says McLean.

“This past year and a half have been really difficult for a number of reasons,” she adds. “The financial aid we receive will make a huge difference to stabilising our current financial situation. And some of the money will go immediately to solving technical problems that we have been experiencing, and getting permanent technical support.”

Community service

At the signing session on Wednesday, prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP), in his capacity as minister in charge of media, commended Radio Ara’s efforts to establish itself as an essential platform for citizens representing various interests and social groups and for addressing communities that are maybe not served by other media. He also noted the role played by the station during the pandemic by broadcasting multilingual news programmes and said Ara was a key to an guaranteeing the fundamental right to freedom of expression and information.

McLean cites Sam Steen’s Breakfast Show as playing an important role in that community outreach. It is, she says “a staple for many in the international community as they start their day. But more than that Radio Ara adds to the diversity of Luxembourg’s media landscape, and with such a diverse population, this is extremely important. It is great to have recognition of this.”

Indeed, McLean says that the community shows that volunteers create for the station make a difference to many people living in the grand duchy. “This would perhaps be a good opportunity to reiterate that our doors are always open to people who would like to get involved in creating shows. Either music shows, as heard in the evenings or weekends, youth shows in the afternoon, or community shows. We’re here to stay, so it is a great time to get involved.”

Anyone who has an idea for a show on the Radio Ara network or wants to help out the station in other ways can contact Lisa McLean by email: [email protected]