Spain: Adventist Radio Station obtains important license

Madrid, Spain [Pedro Torres; CD EUDNews]. The Council for Audiovisuals in Catalonia (Spain) (Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya - CAC) conceded last September 3rd, a license for an FM radio station to the Cultural Association of Adventist Radio in Spain (Asociación Cultural Radio Adventista de España - ACRAE). It is the very first license obtained by a Seventh Day Adventist Church operated radio in Catalonia and Spain. “It has been a closed door for many years and, for the first time we could get in”, said Pedro Torres, Communications Director of the Spanish Union of Churches, and president of ACRAE. Different news media have echoed this authorization, highlighting in their questions to the editorial office of the Spanish Union of Churches that this is the first license obtained by a religious non-catholic radio station in Catalonia. CAC offered in summon 23 different FM radio licenses in Catalonia, territory which competences have been transferred by Spanish central government to the regional authorities. Last September 3rd in a plenary session of CAC according to its webpage “was approved the allocation of 22 licenses of FM radio for commercial use". CAC received 224 applications, awarding the licenses through public competitive bid. in one of the interviews, Pedro Torres, ACRAE President and Communications Director of the Spanish Union of Churches said: “We are satisfied by obtaining, finally, one license". “Although the Spanish legislation comprises the figure of cultural radio stations, the opportunity to get such a license is almost impossible. We have been suffering discrimination for many years in all public bids where we presented applications. This is a success, and expect to be the first of many others, with God’s help". The support of HopeMedia.es has been, is, and will be important, providing contents and technical support for many years to RadioAdventista.com, the radio project of the Seventh Day Adventist Church for years, and in present time continued by the church operated association ACRAE. 15 different spaniards and catalonian news media have echoed this historic achievement, not only from the Adventist point of view, but also regarding religious liberty and plurality in communications in Spain. pictures: 1. the Logo; 2. Pedro Torres, Communications Director of the Spanish Union of Churches, and president of ACRAE.