Portugal Props Up Portuguese Pop

Here at World Music Central we don’t normally stray into the world of popular
music, but on Friday a Portuguese official announced an initiative passed by
Portugal’s parliament that sets a quota on the amount of local talent played on
Portuguese radio stations.
 
The Socialist government passed the measure that sets a 25% minimum of
Portuguese music played on the radio. The new ruling is seen as a way to defend
Portugal’s identity and as a means to promote the country’s local traditional
fado music, as well as, the increasing number of Portuguese rock and popular
bands. Portuguese music played over the airwaves accounted for only 7% of the
total music played and only 25% of music sold last year. Noncompliance to the
new law could mean fines up to 50,000 euros or $60,440.While the Portuguese record industry cheered the measure, critics complained
that the new measure appeared driven by nationalism in the face of a large,
ever-expanding European Union.

 
Portugal hasn’t been the first to pass such a measure. France has had in place a
law which requires 40 % of the music played over the airwaves to be French
music.