From the Smell of Lunch to the Sound of Freedom: Discovering Radio LORA

On a sunny Tuesday around lunchtime, we stepped into the independent world of Radio LORA. We immediately realized it was lunchtime thanks to the smell of food that surrounded us as soon as we walked in and made our stomachs growl. After leaving the kitchen behind, we entered a rather empty room with white walls covered in posters. Once everyone sat down, however, the place suddenly felt cozy. Some of us sat around a table coated with stickers, where we met a young man doing an internship at LORA. 

First of all, it is important to understand what community radio is. It is one of the three types of broadcasting media and usually privately founded and operated mainly by volunteers. Radio LORA would normally belong to this category, but the situation is more complicated. Today, Radio LORA is officially a private, non-commercial, and independent radio station that focuses on social, ecological, cultural, and political topics.

This raises an interesting question: why is it not considered a community radio station?

We quickly understood that in Bavaria everything is different not only because people say “Grüß Gott” and “Servus”, but also because community radio does not official exist there. Radio LORA is not the only station of this kind in the region, there is also Radio Z in Nürnberg. In fact, there is a radio Z poster hanging in the main room. 

Radio LORA exists since 1993. The woman guiding us through its history described it as a “critical alternative to public broadcasting and private stations”, the name LORA stands for local radio. Their goal is to encourage people to reflect critically and to give a voice to minorities who are ignored by mainstream media. The topics discussed range from economics and social issues to culture and politics. Almost everyone working there is a volunteer, except for two employees responsible for coordination who are funded by Munich’s social department. 

Learning about the station’s history was fascinating, especially because it’s so different from that of traditional broadcasters.

In 1994, because of a legal mistake, the station almost went bankrupt. Radio frequencies in Germany are limited and must be renewed regularly. LORA repeatedly had to compete to keep its frequency, but it always managed to survive. Another surprising fact was the concept of a “split frequency,” something I had never heard of before. This means several stations share the same frequency. In fact, since 2004 in the 92.4 FM (frequency of radio Lora) you can pray the rosary after midnight! Nowadays LORA broadcasts from 4 p.m. until midnight from Monday to Friday and each day has a different thematic focus.

What fascinated me most about LORA was the creativity of its programs. Anyone can propose a program, as long as it is approved by the programming committee. It also seems the perfect place to learn because participants must do everything themselves: interviewing, editing and producing content. 

The program that shocked everyone in the room was probably the cooking show. At first, the idea sounded strange because listeners obviously cannot see the food being prepared. However, the more I thought about it, the more interesting the concept became. Listeners focused on the sounds of cooking, almost like modern ASMR, while the hosts described recipes, smells, and traditions. Today, cooking shows on television seem completely normal because we are used to them, but the main purpose of food is not to watch it — it is to experience it. In that sense, a cooking show on the radio is not as strange as it first appears.

Another program that impressed me positively was “Beautiful Stutter”. The goal of the show is to make stuttering audible and reduce the fear of speaking with others. I found this idea truly meaningful. It demonstrated that LORA is not only socially inclusive in theory, but also in practice through its programs. The station actively creates a safe space for voices and experiences that are often excluded elsewhere.

Then, our narrator also mentioned several other unique programs, including an Asian show featuring Indian music; a program dedicated to erotic literature, and Bettgeflüster. Although the title is a wordplay that sounds romantic, the actual content is about gardening.

Before visiting radio LORA I did not know much about community radio and radio in general. When I was younger, I often listened to the radio in the car with my parents, but nowadays I usually connect my phone via Bluetooth and listen to my own playlists. However, LORA feels completely different from commercial radio. It is not simply entertainment; it is a place created for the community itself. People can listen to a wide variety of programs and form independent opinions because the station is not connected to political parties, sponsors, or commercial interests. As a result, it can report stories and express opinions more freely than mainstream media. Moreover, if listeners are not satisfied with existing programs, they even could create their own and learn new skills in the process.

Overall, this visit surprised me. I discovered a creative and deeply human media space that gives people the opportunity to be heard. 

P.S. After spending the entire morning working on this blog post, I decided to take a break and go for a walk by the lake in Tutzing. While walking along the shore, I unexpectedly spotted a Radio LORA sticker. It felt like a strange coincidence. After spending hours reflecting on the station’s role in the local community, seeing its logo outside Munich reminded me that community media can leave traces in places where you least expect them. It was a small detail, but somehow the perfect ending to the story.