The end of an era will be marked soon, as the 20-year-old studios of municipal radio at Thessaloniki's Angelaki str. are moving out, following a plan of its supervisor and municipal advisor, Sofia Aslanidou. According to her announcement before the municipal council, the municipal information company managed to get new premises in the Eteria Makedonikon Spoudon building, that now houses the municipal TV100, with no rent increase. The radio will be accommodated in the new rooms, while the existing facilities of television are being renovated. Also, according to announcements, radio station "City Radio of Literature and Art" (100.6) will be granted to voluntary groups and schools in Thessaloniki, beginning of September, while some information mentioned that the "youth radio" FM101 may have to cease operation.
Ahead of the move, there is something a important enough to note: the current municipal radio studio on Angelaki str. can be proud for achieving direct contact of the radio producer with the city, since the studio windows are located right on the wide pavement of this central street, in a way that passersby can see the producers and vice versa. But after it being relocated to the upper floors of Eteria Makedonikon Spoudon, this contact will be lost. And if you think about it, the placement of a radio station studio in the center of the city, in constant interaction with the street life, has always been one of the biggest bets. The history of Thessaloniki boasts several examples. Apart from the pavement of Angelaki str., which now accomodates 7 radio studios (municipal FM100, FM100.6, FM101, public service 102FM, 9.58 and shortwave, and the commercial 1055Rock) several other radios have tried to have a "window" towards the city center, one way or another: the announcer of Radio Thessaloniki (first in the OTE telecommunications tower and later in the building above the ticket counters of the YMCA) often greets the "car lights signaling" of cars driving up Nikolaou Germanou str, in front of YMCA. Serenades sang by listeners under the studios Forever 87.6 on the central Aristotelous Str. are of historic importance, while still today, Star FM, Zoo, Heart FM and Plus are facing this very street from their windows.
Of course, when the survival of entire radio stations is being questioned, pavements, good view and studio windows are just a luxury. But given the potential merge of 9.58, those of you who still live in Thessaloniki may enjoy the opportunity to walk along the "radio pavement" just for a little longer.
Post new comment