<nettime> Launch of FreeB92 - NetAid: 10 years B92 (15 May 1999)

[helpb92-l@xs4all.nl]

NEWS RELEASE

FreeB92 - NetAid

May 15, 1999, B92's 10th Birthday

A Global 24-Hour Peace Netcast in aid of Radio B92 and other media workers
in distress in and from Yugoslavia.

'When reality fails us, we move to the virtual world. But pain is real and
it stays with us.'

Just hours before the start of NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia, the
Yugoslav authorities shut down the transmitter of the Belgrade-based
independent broadcaster Radio B92. Within days, the station had been taken
over completely by a new government-appointed management. All of B92's
staff refused to work with the new management and on April 11 they
resigned en masse.

For the past 10 years, Radio B92 has been one of the most vibrant voices
for peace and democratic change in Serbia, and Yugoslavia. By using the
common language of advanced popular music and culture, and professional
journalism, B92 has taken an active stand against ethnic hatred, violence
and war. We have promoted human rights, freedom of expression and speech,
and respect for minorities and the right to differ and be different. We
have played house, techno, drum'n'bass, jazz, hip hop, and alternative
rock. B92 has won world-wide acclaim over the years for its continuous
struggle for and commitment to democracy, as well as for the solidarity it
has shown others, including MTV's Free Your Mind award in November 1998.

As a demonstration of the enduring free spirit of B92, and the forces for
peace and democracy, a 24-hour live Internet broadcast - Free B92 - NetAid
- will take place on May 15, on Radio B92's 10th birthday. Artists from
all over the world are participating in the event, which is made possible
thanks to the support of by HelpB92 (Amsterdam), Kunstradio (Vienna) and
Radio Qualia (Australia) as well as the hundreds of thousands of friends
of B92 from all over the world.

The broadcast will take place on the 'Free B92' web site at the following
URL:

http://www.freeb92.net

as well as at:

http://helpb92.xs4all.nl
http://www.b92.net

Join the Free B92 - NetAid global peace netcast. Play a song or DJ live in
our designated studio (in Vienna), dedicate a track or a DJ mix, or simply
send a message in support of peace, freedom and democracy. Join the event
to send a birthday card for banned Radio B92's 10th anniversary!

The aim of Free B92 - NetAid is to show solidarity and support for the
people of B92 and other media in distress in the region, who continue to
keep the faith and defend the free spirit of B92 in spite of war,
government repression and the latest ban on the radio station and
independent media.

Free B92 is a website established by the Help B92 coalition. The site is
maintained and published by the B92 team of journalists and associates,
working from various parts of the world. The common aim of Free B92 and
associated projects is to preserve the spirit of professionalism which has
been stripped from everyday communication in Yugoslavia through the
Belgrade regime’s banning and takeover of Radio B92 and other independent
voices in the country.

The artistic concept behind this project is to unite different musicians,
artists, producers and DJs around the struggle for the freedom of
expression. Get together in the virtual world as creation is the only
possible answer to destruction. This event is announcing the age when
artists will be able to react to the horrors of our time directly from
their studios, bedrooms or clubs. The message is out there for the world
to listen.

CDs, MDs, DATs and other music materials for this event can be sent to:

ORF - KUNSTRADIO
ATTN. NET-AID
ARGENTINIER STR. 30A
A-1040 WIEN
AUSTRIA

(Please, enclose a short biography/info)

Voice mailbox for birthday greetings and messages of support: +31 20
4216439

For further information please contact Gordan
of the FreeB92 team:

Gordan Paunovic <stupido64@yahoo.com>
Tel. +431 504 3110

Technical support (FTP, encoding) -
Adam Hyde (Radio Qualia) <adam@va.com.au>

Artists confirmed for 15 May NetAid so far:

DJ John Acquaviva (Definitive/Plus 8) Canada
DJ Miles Holloway (Paper Recordings) England
Disko B/Gigolo family (Hell, Naughty) Germany
DJ Charlie Hall (Vic Music) England
DJ Fred Giteau (ex-POF Records) France
DJ Mark Allen (Quirk) London
DJ Blim (Emotif) England
Davide Squillace (Cloned Vinyl) Italy
Amptek (Eclectic) Italy

Sonic Youth, USA
Mike Watt (ex-Minutemen, ex-Firehose) USA
EC8RO (Digital Hardcore Recordings) Germany
Syd Griffin (Cole Porters, ex-Long Ryders) USA
Boiled In Lead, USA (Balkan-music influenced band)
Anastasia, Macedonia (see OST for "Before The Rain")
Comma, USA
Big Sky, USA

Xchange network live stream

Live stream from Belgrade:

DJ Vlada Janjic (B92)
DJ Boza Podunavac (B92)
Teenage Techno Punks

B92 birthday concert (Belgrade):
Darkwood Dub
Kanda Kodza i Nebojsa
Neocekivana sila...
Jarboli

Other Voices (Echoes From a War Zone), sound piece Gordan Paunovic (B92)
Kunstradio production

...and more surprises...

Vienna on-site line-up to be confirmed. Some parts of NetAid will be
broadcast live on FM4 (Vienna).
Check our home page for more details soon.

NetAid events will be organized every month until B92 is back on air.
Stay net-tuned!

Keep the faith!

FreeB92 - NetAid team.


---
#  distributed via nettime-l : no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime> is a closed moderated mailinglist for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: majordomo@desk.nl and "info nettime-l" in the msg body
#  URL: http://www.desk.nl/~nettime/  contact: nettime-owner@desk.nl