RadiOrakel risks being closed down – Dagsavisen

– We try to make the best of it, and see if we can row it ashore. But it is clearly a big challenge now, says Hanne Rye Hanssen, responsible editor for the 42-year-old Blitz-run radio channel and cultural institution RadiOrakel.

The other day, RadiOrakel wrote on his own Instagram: “This year the radio may have to close for good. We have long operated on a knife’s edge when it comes to finances, and after the phasing out of the UN grid was imposed, we have had even greater challenges. Without an increase in funds, 2024 will be RadiOrakel’s last year”.

RadiOrakel saw the light of day in 1982, as “the world’s oldest female-run feminist radio channel”, according to themselves.

The channel has been a springboard for many strong cultural and media voices for 42 years.

The FM channel RadiOrakel receives operating support from the cultural agency in Oslo municipality. In addition, they receive support from the Norwegian Media Authority and Fritt Ord. But not from the Culture Council.

– And it’s not because we haven’t tried, replies Rye Hanssen, and continues:

– We will look at everything that can be applied for. Now we are FM radio, and it’s not always that easy.

– Have you had your funds cut, or is this about the expensive times, that production is becoming more expensive, and that the funds are not enough?

– We have operated with a small deficit for a long time, but have taken the steps that can be taken to save. The equity has been eaten up over time. What we have been asking for a long time from Oslo municipality is an increase in operating subsidies, says Rye Hanssen.

She says that they applied for NOK 960,000 in operating grants from Oslo municipality for 2025, but in 2024 they were awarded NOK 214,000.

– Lack of political will

With that subsidy, Rye Hanssen fears that there will no longer be life made for RadiOrakel, and that there will be silence from them on 99.3 MHz on the FM band.

– Because the FM legislation is as it is, we have very few instruments to manage to collect these funds on our own. We’ve tried, to say the least, and we’ll keep trying until the money runs out. But ultimately this depends on political will, says Rye Hanssen, and continues:

– What we often hear from the politicians when they talk to us is that feminism, inclusion and diversity are important, and that you must have strong voices in the media that do not belong to the big media houses. There are many nice words. But when it comes to funds, there is a shortage, says Rye Hanssen.

RadiOrakel won Oslo City’s artist prize in 2019.

Rye Hanssen believes that the channel, as a tiny organization with very tight finances, gets a lot done – both debates, courses and events.

She believes it is a paradox that actors who run purely commercial media companies get a lot of support, while those who run ideals get less.

Now Rye Hanssen hopes that both the Minister of Culture and the cultural politicians in the Oslo city council will listen to her, and can cough up increased funds for the channel.

Minimum 30 voluntary weekly hours

RadiOrakel has an administration of 0.80 per cent full-time employees who run the entire organisation. These are paid, but it is far below the industry standard. In addition to this, there are many voluntary monthly jobs when it comes to technicians, journalists and content producers.

– A minimum of 30 voluntary hours a week are put in here. It’s not about a lot of money in the big picture. But for us, as a small organisation, it means everything.

In a portrait in Dagsavisen in April, Nationaltheatret current Liv Gulbrandsen said that RadiOrakel was a very strong, sparkling and well-knit environment and institution, and highlighted names such as Janne Formoe, Kristine Koht, Nina Stensrud and Ragnhild Silkebækken, who were part of the channel in the eighties and nineties.

Also read: – Without RadiOrakel, I would not have been on this stage today

Afraid of side effects

Rye Hanssen fears the ripple effects in cultural and media Norway if RadiOrakel finds itself forced to throw in the towel.

She will encourage everyone who has had a foot inside RadiOrakel, but also others, to raise their voice and strike a blow for greater media diversity.

– We provide a low-threshold offer to Culture and Media Norway. Both journalism and radio journalism, as well as a variety of other things. We see it working very well. We also see that many talented people take solid experience from us to the larger media companies and cultural institutions. We teach people to raise their voices. It’s about democracy, concludes Rye Hanssen.

Keep yourself updated. Get a daily newsletter from Dagsavisen