“My name is Stefan Möller. I am CEO of RadioMedia Finland, President of the Association of European Radios and a member of egta. I am also someone who has spent most of my professional life – and much of my personal life – working with radio and audio.

Because at the end of the day, radio is not just a technology or a distribution channel.

It is a relationship.

It is companionship, trust, local connection, culture, creativity and, in many cases, a lifeline when people need reliable information most.

That is why today’s discussion matters—not just for broadcasters, but for anyone who believes in fair access to trusted media.

At first glance, virtual assistants may seem like a niche technology issue. But from the perspective of media and radio broadcasters, they are something much bigger. They are rapidly becoming the gateways through which people access content, information and services.

And if we want the Digital Markets Act to remain effective in the media environment of tomorrow, we need to recognize that reality.

Increasingly, listeners no longer access radio directly. They reach it through smart speakers, mobile ecosystems, connected devices, virtual assistants and, increasingly, through the operating systems built into their cars.

In those moments, the platform is no longer simply carrying a request. It interprets it.
It decides what the user meant. It determines what gets surfaced first, what gets recommended, how content is routed and what data is retained.

In other words, these platforms are increasingly shaping access to audiences, discoverability, data and, ultimately, monetization.

That is why, from our perspective, virtual assistants are no longer just interfaces.
They are becoming gatekeepers.

We are not here asking for special treatment for radio. We are simply asking the DMA to recognize what is already happening in practice.

When a small number of platforms control how citizens discover content, how voice requests are interpreted, how services are ranked and how data flows back to content providers, they are performing exactly the kind of gatekeeper’s role the DMA was designed to address.

And I underline that this is important and it is no longer just our opinion.

A recent study commissioned by the German media authorities confirms what broadcasters across Europe are already experiencing.

It concludes that platform power in the voice ecosystem is becoming structurally embedded. A handful of large platforms increasingly control the entire value chain
-from hardware and operating systems
-to virtual assistants and AI-driven content routing
-while broadcasters risk losing control over discoverability, audience data and, ultimately, their commercial relationship with listeners.

The study also makes another important point. The issue is becoming more urgent, not less!

As virtual assistants evolve into AI-powered ecosystems embedded across connected devices, homes and vehicles, their role as gateways to media will only grow stronger.

That is precisely why we believe the time has come to recognize virtual assistants as Core Platform Services under the Digital Markets Act.

Let me finish with one simple observation.

Radio has survived and adapted through every technological transformation of the last hundred years.

We are not afraid of innovation in fact, our industry has embraced it.

But innovation works best when it remains open, fair and accessible.

As someone who has spent a lifetime working with radio, I don’t fear new technology.

I fear a future where people think they have a choice, when that choice has already been made for them by an algorithm.

As virtual assistants become the front door to media for millions of Europeans, we need to ensure that no single platform can quietly determine what people hear, what they do not hear, or under what conditions media organizations can reach their audiences.

This is not about protecting radio from the future.

It is about ensuring that the future remains open to competition, media pluralism and consumer choice.

For those of us who believe in trusted media, local voices and a diverse European audio landscape, that is a goal worth pursuing.

Thank you.”

Photos of the event can be seen here.

This timely event follows the joint European broadcasting associations’ statement AER has co-signed, calling the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera for urgent action under the DMA to address the growing gatekeeping role of virtual assistants and connected TV OS – you can read the statement here. 

For more information, please contact the AER office in Brussels at aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

Brussels, 30 June 2026 – The General Assembly of the Association of European Radios (AER) today unanimously re-elected its Presidency for a new term, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to representing the interests of commercial radio broadcasters across Europe as the sector navigates a rapidly evolving technological and regulatory landscape.

Stefan Möller, CEO of RadioMedia Finland, was re-elected as President of AER. Corinna Drumm (VÖP, Austria) and Daniela Beaujean (VAUNET, Germany) were re-elected as Vice Presidents, while Luka Duric (HRF, Croatia) continues as Vice President and Treasurer.

The General Assembly also elected the Executive Committee for the new mandate, bringing together representatives from commercial radio organisations across Europe.

The Executive Committee comprises :

Julián Velasco Mielgo (AERC, Spain), Kevin Moignoux (SIRTI, France), John Purcell (IBI, Ireland), Alexandra Daskalopoulous (EIIRA, Greece), Elena Cappuccio (CRTV, Italy), Philip Pilcher (Bauer Media Group), Niels Marslev (Danske Medier, Denmark), Rein Lang (ERL, Estonia), Mattias Gustavsson (Mad Man Media, Sweden), Matt Payton (Radiocentre, United Kingdom), Nicola Bomio (VSP, Switzerland) and Philippe Zahno (RRR, Switzerland).

During the General Assembly, members reviewed AER’s activities over the past year and adopted the Association’s Programme of Activities for 2026. The programme sets out AER’s priorities for the coming year, including safeguarding radio’s accessibility, discoverability and prominence across connected environments, engaging with European policymakers on key legislative initiatives, and strengthening cooperation across the commercial radio sector.

Following the election, AER President Stefan Möller thanked the members for their continued trust and highlighted the importance of a united European commercial radio industry.

“Everything AER has achieved has been the result of a collective effort. Our members, Task Forces, Secretariat and Presidency have worked together to ensure that the voice of commercial radio is heard where it matters most – in Brussels.

AER has entered a new phase. Alongside our national associations, we have welcomed corporate members, and I hope to see many more European radio companies becoming part of our work. I also encourage broadcasters in countries that do not yet have a national commercial radio association to come together and establish one. Strong national cooperation is the foundation of strong European representation.

Our biggest challenges no longer come from within the radio industry. They come from global technology platforms, digital gatekeepers, artificial intelligence and an increasingly complex European regulatory environment. These challenges affect every commercial broadcaster, regardless of size or market.

The work AER does benefits the entire commercial radio sector. When we help protect radio’s prominence, improve the regulatory framework or ensure policymakers understand radio’s value, the whole industry benefits.

Competition belongs in the marketplace. Cooperation is what gives our industry a strong voice in Brussels. The broader and stronger AER becomes, the more effectively we can represent commercial radio and help secure its future across Europe.”

Looking ahead, AER will continue to advocate for policies that ensure radio remains easily accessible, discoverable and prominent across connected vehicles, voice-controlled interfaces and digital platforms. The Association will also continue to work closely with European institutions, national associations, corporate members and industry partners to strengthen the position of commercial radio in an evolving media landscape.

Press release here. 

About AER

The Association of European Radios (AER) is the leading European organisation representing commercial radio broadcasters. Through its national association members and corporate members, AER promotes the interests of commercial radio before the European institutions and other key stakeholders.

AER works to ensure that commercial radio remains a vibrant, innovative and trusted medium by advocating for fair regulation, technological accessibility and a competitive media environment. Together, AER’s members represent thousands of commercial radio stations and services that reach, inform, entertain and connect millions of Europeans every day.

The joint letter, addressed to Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, welcomes the Commission’s efforts to provide greater legal clarity on the new AI transparency rules. At the same time, it raises serious concerns that parts of the current draft Guidelines risk producing outcomes that are disproportionate, technically unworkable and ultimately counterproductive for professional media.

The concern is not with the principle of transparency itself. Media organisations fully support the need for clear information where AI-generated or manipulated content creates a genuine risk of misleading audiences. The problem lies in the way the draft Guidelines currently interpret the relevant provisions of the AI Act. As drafted, they risk extending labelling obligations far beyond deceptive or high-risk content and into a wide range of professional editorial material that is clearly fictitious, harmless or only minimally adjusted. According to the signatories, this would lead to systemic over-labelling, legal uncertainty and significant operational burdens for media providers.

Together with the co-signatories, AER is calling for three targeted adjustments to the draft Guidelines:

• A narrower and clearer definition of “deepfake”

The current draft risks capturing content that is merely “realistic”, even where there is no genuine risk of deception. The joint letter calls on the Commission to limit the notion of deepfake to content that presents a real risk of misleading audiences, and to explicitly exclude fictitious, non-deceptive content as well as minor technical or editorial adjustments.

• Clarification of the timing of disclosure obligations

The signatories argue that Article 50(5) of the AI Act sets the latest point at which disclosure must be made, but does not create an obligation for continuous or persistent labelling throughout a piece of content. The current wording of the draft Guidelines risks implying precisely that, which would be disproportionate and, in many cases, impractical.

• Proportionate and workable labelling standards

The letter also calls for labelling requirements that reflect technical realities and human perceptual limits. Excessive or repeated labelling across large volumes of low-risk content would not strengthen trust in transparency; on the contrary, it could lead to “banner blindness” and weaken the impact of warnings in the cases where they are genuinely needed.

For radio and audio services, the issue is especially sensitive. Unlike visual media, audio formats do not lend themselves easily to repeated or persistent disclosures without affecting the listening experience itself. Requiring frequent or continuous transparency notices in low-risk cases would risk interrupting programming, confusing listeners and ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the disclosure.

Transparency measures should help audiences identify genuine risks of deception – not create warning fatigue or desensitise listeners through repeated notices attached to content that is not misleading in the first place. The joint letter calls on the Commission to adjust the draft Guidelines so that they remain faithful to the AI Act’s purpose: building trust through meaningful transparency, rather than undermining it through excessive and indiscriminate labelling.

Read the joint letter here.

For more information, please contact the AER office in Brussels at aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

Radio is a communication service but also a cultural medium that constitutes a core pillar of media pluralism, social cohesion, linguistic diversity, and provides trusted information, including in times of crisis and emergencies. We welcome that the proposal acknowledges certain elements relevant to the radio sector, including interoperability of radio equipment and the role of spectrum. While we welcome the European Commission’s recognition of radio as an integral part of Europe’s communications landscape and its contribution to the internal market, we believe that the broader cultural and societal role of radio, long acknowledged under the European Electronic Communication Code (EECC), deserves stronger emphasis in the DNA.

In particular, the DNA must safeguard universal access to free-to-air licensed radio broadcasters’ services, and support radio’s critical contribution to the resilience of communication systems, media pluralism and fair competition. As currently drafted, elements of the proposal risk weakening these principles in the specific context of radio.

Without clear and future-proof regulatory safeguards, there is a real risk that free-to-air broadcast radio will no longer be universally available in cars, undermining its role as a trusted, resilient, and universally accessible medium.

This is particularly concerning given that vehicles remain one of the main environments for radio listening (radio listening in vehicles accounts for around 30% of total listening in the majority of EU member states and is as high as 70% of total listening in Italy). Two parallel developments are putting pressure on radio’s position in cars. On the one hand, a growing number of new vehicles are being sold without radio receivers. On the other hand, car manufacturers operating at a global scale are increasingly prioritising partnerships with global digital platforms over direct and unfettered access to licensed radio broadcasting services. Taken together, these trends risk progressively marginalising radio’s presence in vehicles and limiting its ability to reach listeners in one of the very places where radio is listened to the most.

Summary of AER recommendations:

• Guarantee the presence of broadcast radio receivers (FM and DAB+) in all relevant new vehicles put on the EU market; This will deliver universal and unfettered access to radio to EU citizens whilst they are on the move;
• Protect long-term access to UHF spectrum for broadcasting;
• Preserve subsidiarity and avoid excessive EU-level centralisation with regards to spectrum;
• Reject direct or indirect network fees on media services.

Read the full position paper here.

For more information, please contact the AER office in Brussels at aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

While virtual assistants are already listed as core platform services under the DMA, none have been designated so far, creating a regulatory gap. With the rapid integration of AI, these virtual assistants are increasingly becoming key entry points to media content across smartphones, smart speakers and in-car infotainment systems.

For radio, this development is particularly critical. As audiences access radio and audio through voice commands, virtual assistants can effectively control which content is found, prioritised or excluded altogether. Without DMA obligations, this risks limiting fair access, reducing discoverability and undermining media pluralism.

Broadcasters therefore urge the Commission to act swiftly: designate major virtual assistant providers as gatekeepers, launch a market investigation if thresholds are not met, and clarify the definition of business users to reflect real market dependencies.

With AI-driven interfaces reshaping how audiences access content, ensuring fair and open access through virtual assistants is becoming an urgent priority for the future of radio in Europe.

Signatories (in alphabetical order)

1. Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT)
2. Association of European Radios (AER)
3. Asociace komerčních televizí (AKTV)
4. Slovak Television Broadcasters’ Association (ATVS)
5. Asociația Română de Comunicații Audiovizuale (ARCA)
6. Confindustria Radio Televisioni (CRTV)
7. European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
8. European association of television and radio sales houses (egta)
9. Televisión Comercial en Abierto (UTECA)
10. Verband Privater Medien (VAUNET)
11. Verband Österreichischer Privatsender (VOP)

Read the joint letter here. 

For more information, please contact the AER office in Brussels at aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

Radios inform, entertain and educate their audience. During natural disasters like devastating floods, deadly wildfires and earthquakes fuelled by the worsening climate crisis, radio is the first, and often the only remaining tool to inform and support the public.

During emergencies and natural disasters, the population can rely on broadcast radio to freely access trustworthy, high-quality information, anytime and anywhere, even via small, inexpensive, battery-powered radio receivers. Radio has proven fast, agile and effective to spread information widely in critical situations.

In their role to deliver trusted and lifesaving information, commercial radios bare burdensome public value obligations and are therefore in no position to compete with other market players for spectrum. Securing spectrum in the future, which is needed for the terrestrial distribution of broadcast content, is of paramount importance.

Luka Đurić, AER Vice-President and Director of the Croatian Radio Forum comments: “Broadcast radio has proven to be one of the most reliable sources of information in times of crisis in Croatia, both during the Homeland War in the ‘90s and after the recent earthquakes. Its accessibility, independence from internet or mobile networks, and its ability to quickly reach a large number of people make it an essential communication tool in emergency situations.

Following the devastating earthquakes, when mobile networks were overloaded or down, people turned to radio in their cars to stay informed. This highlights the continued importance of traditional broadcasting, especially in disaster scenarios where digital infrastructure may fail. The resilience of radio ensures that critical information reaches those in need, reinforcing its role as a vital public service.

Today, on World Radio Day we celebrate how vital radio is in times of climate crisis and environmental disasters, a source of information that you trust and a lifeline that keeps you safe.”

Daniela Beaujean, Vice-president of the AER and Managing Director of VAUNET – Verband Privater Medien adds: “During the severe floodings in Germany in 2021, radio played a vital role in warning and informing the population.

In Germany radio reaches 90% of the population and 75% listen to radio daily. Radio is still a true mass medium with a special approach and proximity to listeners when it comes to information and content with social and public value. That is why it is important that all distribution channels for radio (FM, DAB and IP) stay available for broadcasters – in order to reach their audiences on a daily basis and especially in times of such crisis and catastrophes.”

For more information, please contact aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

Read the full letter here.

For more information, please contact aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

Apple’s new terms not only disregard both the spirit and letter of the law, but if left unchanged, make a mockery of the DMA and the considerable efforts by the European Commission and EU institutions to make digital markets competitive.

Read the full joint industry letter co-signed by the AER, here.

For more information, please contact aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

Read the full statement here.

Radio, the Trusted Guide in a Changing World

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

World Radio Day 2024 marks 100 years of radio, a period in which it has become the medium that is arguably closest to human hearts and minds, providing news, entertainment and education in all corners of the world. It satisfies our need to be informed both for day-to-day decision-making and in times of emergency and crisis. Over the past century, radio has proved itself as a crucial medium in maintaining freedom of opinion and expression, often being the only one still up and running in times of crisis.

Studies have repeatedly shown that radio has the greatest trust, with most citizens rating it above television, the internet, social networks or the written press. Radio is a triumph of accessibility, immediacy and intimacy, and there’s a strong public-interest case for protecting it and our access to it.

We believe that remaining easily accessible to all people, in all places, regardless of how they receive radio means using terrestrial broadcast networks (both analogue and digital) – still relied upon by the majority of listeners globally – and fostering online access to radio that is just as democratic and open.

Cars are a particular concern, consistently among the most popular locations for radio listening. Whether it is terrestrial broadcast or internet, radio in cars should not just be easy to find, it must be impossible to miss.

Information is a public good and a shared resource for all of humanity. Radio has its place in the digital transformation of the information ecosystem, complementing the internet and digital platforms. The evolution of communication technologies should advance people’s right to receive information and ideas through any media – instead of regressing it.

We call upon governments, regulatory bodies, the technology and automotive industries, and all members of the global radio community to put safeguards in place to ensure that radio continues to thrive; to protect the free and unfettered access radio provides to a plurality of opinions and to trusted information; to allow radio to continue to help communities and all minority language speakers to receive information and participate in democratic processes; and to ensure radio remains available to all people regardless of their financial means or personal circumstances.

List of signatories in alphabetical order:

• Academia Espanola de la Radio
• AER – Association of European Radios
• AIR-IAB – International Association of Broadcasting
• AMARC international – World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
• Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
• ASBU – Arab States Broadcasting Union
• Caribbean Broadcasting Union
• COPEAM – Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators
• EBU – European Broadcasting Union
• EGTA – Association of television and radio sales houses
• Public Media Alliance
• UNESCO
• URTI – International Radio and Television Union
• World DAB
• World Radio Alliance

Download the PDF here

For more information, please contact aer(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)aereurope.org.

We, at AER, support the main objectives of the EMFA to promote the independence and pluralism of media in Europe. In order to do so, it should not forget the essential public value role of radio, providing millions of European citizens with trusted and reliable information, companionship and entertainment daily.

We hope discoverability and findability will be embraced as core objectives in the final text of EMFA (in particular in its article 19), so listeners will be able to find, choose and engage with content that is otherwise difficult to access and find.

Stefan Möller, President of the AER, said: “the EMFA is a crucial opportunity to enshrine in legislation the support that EU lawmakers recognize is necessary to secure the future of radio and ensure a level playing field between the tech platforms and licensed radio broadcasters.”