About Freies Radio Kassel

Freies Radio Kassel

Freies Radio Kassel (FRK) is Kassel's non-commercial local radio — a free radio receivable in Kassel and surroundings, streaming since early August 2011. Owned by the Freie Radio Kassel e. V. association, it broadcasts on FM 105.8 MHz and DAB+ channel 6A. It defines itself as "Einschaltradio" — a station consciously listened to, not background "dudelt" — with citizens of all generations (an age span of 7 to 70) making programmes: royalty-free music shows, shellac-schlager hours, the Turkish-language "Radyo Kassel", and a Forstfeld residents' show.

Overview

Freies Radio Kassel is a non-commercial local broadcaster for Kassel. The station's eight-hour daily programme is so full that would-be moderators sometimes wait weeks to go on air. Its broadcast studio was in the historic listed Salzmann factory in Kassel's Bettenhausen district until September 2012; after the FRK had to leave on 30 September 2012 (investor Dennis Rossing had planned a technical city hall there with the city — never realised), the new studio is near the Opernplatz at Opernstraße 2 in the Kassel city centre.

History

The history began with the founding of the Radio-Initiative Kassel e. V. association in June 1994. A year later, during the federal congress of free radios at the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof in Kassel, came a first broadcast. Regular broadcasting began on 1 May 1997 — licensing and the frequency search took longer than planned. Since 29 June 2018 the station is also on DAB+. During the 2012 move from the Salzmann factory to the city centre, operations were shut down for the first time in FRK history — only an emergency programme from the computer could air in autumn/winter 2012.

Programming

The programme is made by Kassel citizens across generations: music shows, the Turkish-language "Radyo Kassel", a Forstfeld residents' show, shellac-schlager hours and royalty-free music — eight hours of daily programming as "Einschaltradio".

Coverage & Audience

Freies Radio Kassel broadcasts on FM 105.8 MHz in Kassel, on DAB+ channel 6A and as worldwide streaming audio since August 2011.

Ownership

The owner is the Freie Radio Kassel e. V. association.

Digital Presence

The station operates freiesradio.org with streaming audio since August 2011 alongside social media, extending its citizen-made Kassel programme to listeners beyond the terrestrial footprint. The digital offering carries the station's community programmes on demand.

From the Schlachthof to the Opernplatz

The history of Freies Radio Kassel begins with the founding of the Radio-Initiative Kassel e. V. association in June 1994. A year later, during the federal congress of free radios at the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof in Kassel, the initiative went on air for the first time with a three-day event broadcast — a dress rehearsal for the station to come. But licensing and the search for a suitable frequency took longer than planned, and regular broadcasting only began on 1 May 1997. The station's first home was the historic listed Salzmann factory in Kassel's Bettenhausen district, where the studio operated from 1997 with much volunteer initiative — though always somewhat off the beaten track. On 30 September 2012 the FRK had to leave the Salzmann building, and the new studio opened near the Opernplatz at Opernstraße 2 in the Kassel city centre — close to the pulse of downtown, from the town hall to the Museum Fridericianum, the adult education centre, the Kulturbahnhof and the state theatre all within minutes.

Einschaltradio: Citizens on the Air

Freies Radio Kassel defines itself as "Einschaltradio" — a station that is consciously switched on and listened to, not background "dudelt". Its programme is made by the citizens of Kassel across generations, with the association proud of an age span from 7 to 70: schoolchildren, family fathers, interest groups, seniors. The daily eight-hour programme is so fully booked that would-be moderators sometimes wait weeks for their slot. The schedule reflects the city's diversity: a show with royalty-free music, a lovingly presented hour of shellac schlagers, a programme by and for residents of the Forstfeld district, and the much-listened-to Turkish-language "Radyo Kassel". With experience, the technical and content quality of the programmes has steadily improved, and interest in making radio oneself keeps growing.

The 2012 Shutdown and the Digital Leap

The 2012 move from the Salzmann factory to the city centre marked the first shutdown of operations in FRK history: in autumn/winter 2012 only an emergency programme from the computer could be broadcast while the new studio was built. Since early August 2011 the station has also streamed its programme as streaming audio, and since 29 June 2018 it has been receivable on DAB+ (channel 6A) alongside FM 105.8 MHz. The owner remains the Freie Radio Kassel e. V. association — a non-commercial, volunteer-driven station that has kept its community-radio character through licensing battles, relocations and the digital transition.

Kassel's Non-Commercial Voice Since 1997

The Freies Radio Kassel (FRK) is a non-commercial local radio station receivable in Kassel and surroundings — on FM 105.8 MHz, via DAB+ (channel 6A) and as streaming audio. Regularly on air since 1 May 1997, it is run by the association Freies Radio Kassel e.V. as a citizen radio: programmes are made by volunteers of all generations — an age span of 7 to 70, as the association proudly notes — from schoolchildren to senior citizens, interest groups and migrant communities. The FRK understands itself as an "Einschaltradio" ("switch-on radio"): not a station that "dudelt" (drones) alongside, but one that is consciously listened to from the most diverse interests. The daily programme runs eight hours.

From the Schlachthof to the Opernplatz

The station's history begins with the founding of the association Radio-Initiative Kassel e.V. in June 1994. A year later, at the Bundeskongress Freier Radios in Kassel's Kulturzentrum Schlachthof, the first transmission took place — with punk music and alternative topics. Licensing and the search for a suitable frequency took longer than planned, so regular operation only began on 1 May 1997. Since early August 2011 the programme has also been streamed; since 29 June 2018 it has been receivable via DAB+. The studio was housed until September 2012 in the historic, listed Salzmann-Fabrik in the Bettenhausen district — a home built with much volunteer initiative since 1997. On 30 September 2012 the FRK had to move out (investor Dennis Rossing had planned a technical town hall there with the city of Kassel, which was ultimately never realised) and relocated to Opernstraße 2 in the city centre, near the Opernplatz. During the move, for the first time in its history, transmission was shut down: only an emergency programme could be played from a computer.

A Programme Made by Its City

The programme reflects Kassel itself: a show with copyright-free music, a lovingly moderated hour of shellac schlagers, a programme by and for residents of the Forstfeld district, and the much-listened-to Turkish-language "Radyo Kassel". Interest in making radio oneself keeps growing — would-be presenters sometimes wait several weeks for a slot, since the eight daily programme hours are fully booked. The FRK is a member of the Bundesverband Freier Radios, the federal association of Germany's free radios, and part of the audio portal through which the German-language free radios exchange programmes. For three decades it has proven the free-radio promise in North Hesse: radio not as a product, but as a commons — made by the citizens who listen to it.