Radio Mars

Maribor Študent Radio was established in 1990 as a community independent radio. Its activities were funded by several foundations, including the Open Society Institute, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Slovenia, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the TEMPUS PHARE Programme). During 2000-2003 its programme frequency was suspended because of unsolved ownership issues, although MARŠ continued to be transmitted via the Internet and cable systems. In September 2003 the FM frequency 95.9 MHz was once more assigned to MARŠ and today its programmes are broadcast 24 hours a day.

The goal of MARŠ has always been to become an innovative campus radio service with a range of community content for marginal and subcultural social and ethnic groups, unlike the average commercial radio station. Its main characteristics are its information plurality and critical approach to topics. Cultural content is featured daily; the Cultural Editor prepares several programmes, including interviews and reviews of theatre, cartoons, dance and music (new creators and approaches, jazz, ethno, electronic music, hip hop, classical music, metal, blues). On Saturday a two hour 'Cultural Sabbath' programme is broadcast, in which cultural events in Slovenia and abroad are thoroughly analysed. MARŠ has several correspondents in the former Yugoslavia, Europe, the USA and Africa.

MARŠ also collaborates closely with Radio Študent (RŠ) and with other non-commercial community radio stations from Banja Luka, Belgrade, Mostar, Novi Sad, Sarajevo, Sombor, Skopje, Zrenjanin, Zurich and Basel on the Crossradio initiative - for more information see http://www.crossradio.org. Each week one of these stations contributes a half-hour programme which then is broadcast by all members of the network. The aim of the project is to help reduce distrust and tension between the different cultures in South East Europe, to encourage cultural dialogue and to promote the plurality of media while supporting freedom of expression.

Since 1995 MARŠ has bestowed the annual MARŠ Walking Boot Award on the most original rock’n’roll band.