Radio C

Autonómia had been working on establishing a Roma community radio station since the early 1990s. Following the establishment of Roma radio editorial teams in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania as part of an international programme, the pilot broadcast of Roma Radio went on air in Hungary at the Sziget Festival. Radio C was established in 1998 under the leadership of editor-in-chief György Kerényi, with its initial capital provided by Autonómia.

The station was awarded the FM 88.8 frequency in 2001. The broadcast could be received in Budapest, where it became one of the most listened-to stations among the city’s Roma community; in the countryside, it could be accessed via the internet. Alongside music and cultural programmes broadcast 24 hours a day, it also aired news, current affairs and advocacy programmes.

The station’s programmes were produced by a team of around forty people, comprising volunteers and staff with previous experience in radio. Its office and studio were located in the 8th district, where the majority of the capital’s Roma community lives.

The revenue structure, originally planned to rely on grant funding and advertising revenue, proved unstable; due to ongoing financial difficulties, the radio station eventually ceased operations in 2011.

Radio C was not merely a radio station, but also a key shaper of Roma self-identity; it demonstrated the potential of sustainable tools for Roma community media, self-organisation and cultural identity.