---- Apologies for cross-posting --- Dear All, following up on my previous message, attached below, I am pleased to inform you that the summarised version of the study 10 Years of Community Radio in Austria. An Explorative Study of Open Access, Pluralism and Social Cohesion by Judith Purkarthofer, Petra Pfisterer and Brigitta Busch (University of Vienna) is now available in English and can be downloaded from http://www.communitymedia.eu/images/publications_books/2008_purkarthofer_pfisterer_busch_10_years_community_radio_austria.pdf The findings will be also presented at the forthcoming ECREA conference, to be held on 25-28 November in Barcelona, in the session 'Community Radio, Participation, People and Practice' (Radio Research Section, 27/11/2008 | 11:00am | Room 131). Further info at http://www.ecrea2008barcelona.org/guide/abstract.asp?id_callfor=1142&id_seccion=13&id_subseccio=114 Abstract This paper presents the results of a qualitative research project which was initiated by the Austrian Federation of Free Radios (VFRÖ) and financed by the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR). The research started in spring 2007 and aimed at compiling and describing the effects of Austrian Free Radio on plurality and social cohesion. It was also conducted as a pilot study for further, more comprehensive radio research. Twenty-two group interviews with staff and volunteers focused mainly on the production side of Free Radio. Additionally, multimodal material such as websites, flyers, schedules, broadcasts, network drawings, guest books, e-mails, photos etc. completed the set of data used for the analyses. Here, an overview of only the most important findings shall be introduced and presented. We invite those who are interested in a more detailed report and read german to take a look at the extensive study published by RTR in 2008. (http://www.rtr.at/de/komp/SchriftenreiheNr32008) Best Wishes, Salvo Salvatore Scifo Editor, communitymedia.eu www.communitymedia.eu connecting community media research>teaching>policy>practice in Europe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two new studies, included in the volume 'Non Commercial Broadcasting in Austria and Europe' (Nichtkommerzieller Rundfunk in Österreich und Europa) have been published by the Austrian National Regulator RTR (Rundfunk & Telekom Regulierungs) and presented on 13 October 2008 in Vienna. The first one, 'Ten Years of Free Radios in Austria: Open access, diversity of opinion and social cohesion' (10 Jahre Freies Radio in Österreich: Offener Zugang, Meinungsvielfalt und soziale Kohäsion), has been written by Brigitta Busch, Petra Pfisterer and Judith Purkarthofer from the Center for Intercultural Studies, University of Vienna. The second study, Community Media in Europe: Legal and economic contexts of the third broadcast sector in 5 countries (Community Medien in Europa: Rechtliche und wirtschaftliche Rahmenbedingungen des dritten Rundfunksektors in 5 Ländern), has been written by Otto Tremetzberger and Helmut Peissl, respectively Chairman and Deputy Secretary of the Austrian Free Radio Federation (Verband Freie Radios Österreich). The full version of both studies is currently available only in German and can be downloaded from the RTR's website at http://www.rtr.at/de/pr/PI13102008RF