CMFE Member: CMS Community Media Sweden

CMS, Community Media Sweden, formed in 2015 and is the umbrella organization for RÖK (Riksförbundet Öppna Kanaler i Sverige / National Swedish Open TV Group) and NRO (Närradions Riksorganisation / National Local Radio association) .

RÖK (https://www.oppnakanalen.se/eng) unites member stations broadcasting in 30 Swedish counties via Cable TV and IPTV, with a total channel subscriber base of over 2 million Swedish citizens! These stations are open to everyone and to all organisations. Charities, Non-Profits, Companies och individuals can make and broadcast their own TV Programmes with us. Our work is funded primarily by membership fees and the members themselves. Swedish law allows most broadcasts to be additionally funded by Sponsorship & Paid Product Placement, but commercial advertisements are strictly forbidden.

Lotta Gröning, first chairperson of CMS in 2015, believed that a new initiative on the local radio and television channels can revitalize local democracy, not least when it comes to integration issues and local surveillance.
“The opportunities are great, not least now that integration issues have to be on the table and the number of journalists in the country is getting fewer and the media houses are becoming increasingly concentrated and uniform,” says Lotta Gröning.