Portugal

[PT] New Radio Law

IRIS 2001-4:1/22

Helena Sousa

Communication and Society Research Centre, University of Minho

On 23 February 2001, the Portuguese Parliament approved a new Radio Act (Act nº 4/2001). One of the most relevant changes introduced by the new act relates to autonomous production by local radio stations. In order to guarantee the specificity of local radio stations (frequently used merely as broadcasters of national radio channels), Act nº 4/2001 makes it compulsory for local stations to produce eight programming hours per day (to be broadcast between 7 am and midnight) with their own technical and human resources. Overall, local Hertzian radio stations are now obliged to broadcast 24 hours per day.

Act nº 4/2001 contemplates for the first time specific bidding for university radios. Although there are already several university radios in the country, they have had to compete for frequencies with other local, non-academic projects. The new law also deals with cable and satellite broadcasts, stating that the establishment of independent distribution systems depends on specific regulation, namely Law Decree 241/97 of 18 September 1997 and Law Decree 381-A/97 of 31 December 1997.