By James Prince
Radio is still a factor, terrestrial radio is still something that is very viable. But online radio is still, you know it’s something that I include in my media plans and there’s definitely strong implications to being able to reach people there as well. It’s a different – it’s a different way of reaching people, so for example if in your office, you’re not able to get a signal from a radio station… people are still often streaming their favorite radio station online. And so, it’s just a different channel to reach them on.
Probably you’ve asked yourself “what is Internet radio”? Because we might not be too familiar with it in Nigeria. Well, Internet radio (also known as online radio or web radio), is a digital audio service delivered via the Internet.The radio feed is streamed over the internet through servers rather than being broadcasted on the traditional AM or FM bandwidths.
The internet was envisioned as an open standard, where information would flow freely and everyone would have access to it. In an ideal world, sure, but in the real one, free flow of information is a distant dream, with a heightened amount of data colonisation. However, there are those who refuse to give up that dream. One such person is Elena Maroulleti.
Elena Maroulleti, has built an influential cultural media presence (radio, television, Internet radio) in the U.S.A by utilizing her talent and the knowledge she has acquired by studying and researching the different representative aspects of the Greek and Cypriot culture, folklore and music. As the founder of AKTINA FM she has been praised and rewarded for her achievements. However, her initial journey has been rather challenging.
When she first announced her revolutionary decision to launch AKTINA FM as the first Greek American Radio with an English-language and bilingual format (English and Greek), members of the Greek American community and especially of the Greek American press and media, were exceptionally skeptical and very critical. They were even more critical when she also announced in 2002 that she also plans to launch her television program AKTINA TV exclusively in English and with English subtitles when Greek is spoken. In both cases she was warned that she will fail and these programs will not survive more than a week. Ms. Maroulleti however had already identified something her critics had missed and that was the “language barrier” and the gap which existed and separated the old generations from the new generations of Greek Americans whose first language is English and who cannot follow at all the exclusively Greek speaking media.
With the establishment of AKTINA FM in 1993 in its current language format, Ms. Maroulleti closed this “language barrier” and gap and since then many generations of Greek Americans whose first language is English have a radio outlet that they can relate to and look up to. AKTINA FM keeps them in touch with their Greek ancestral roots, culture and heritage. Broadcasting the radio in English, she has also successfully achieved in reaching wide and diverse audiences who are educated about Cyprus and Greece and the rich cultures of these two countries. Being fluent in English and in Greek, it was also very easy for her to apply her innovating bilingual format in the broadcasts of AKTINA FM which helps the new generations keep in touch with the Greek language and even show interest to learn Greek. Using the Greek language through the bilingual format of AKTINA FM, has also helped to keep on board Greek speaking listeners instead of alienating them.
Interestingly enough, way before the establishment of AKTINA FM, Ms. Maroulleti was already producing live cultural and folk arts programs in English for the benefit of the new generations of Greek Americans and of the general public. At that time, she was also heavily criticized for this endeavor and many had said she will fail. However the tremendous response from her targeted audience with their strong participation in these events proved her critics wrong. These programs were produced for the non-profit she co-founded and presides over, CYPRECO of America, Inc., (Est. 1990) formerly known as The Greek Cultural & Folk Dancing Group “The Vraka,” Inc., (Est. 1977).
It is worthwhile noting that, following the unprecedented success of both AKTINA FM and AKTINA TV, all of those skeptics and critics who rushed to judgement predicting that these programs will not even last for one week on the air, years later were themselves inspired to follow in Ms. Maroulleti’s footsteps by including English and bilingual language sections in their newspapers, magazines, publications and broadcasts. Those same skeptics and critics also publicly admitted and stated that, “Elena Maroulleti has set the basis for the introduction of the English and bilingual language format in Greek American media in the U.S.A and for this we applaud her!”
The request to lease airtime to broadcast AKTINA FM on WNYE 91.5FM as a non-profit and commercial-free radio, was initially submitted by CYPRECO of America, Inc., an already established non-profit and tax-exempt cultural organization. However, to best serve the needs of AKTINA FM as a broadcast outlet and all other future planned endeavors relating to media and broadcasting, in early 1993, Ms. Maroulleti founded and incorporated in the City and State of New York, AKTINA Productions, Inc., as a non-profit Media and Arts Cultural Organization. A year later in early 1994, AKTINA received its full tax-exempt status becoming the principal organization which owns and operates AKTINA FM and AKTINA TV. CYPRECO on the other hand, continued and still continues to be a close partner of AKTINA FM that provides radio content. Meanwhile, over the years, the partnership between CYPRECO and AKTINA Productions, Inc., has grown to include the co-production of concerts from AKTINA ‘s series, “Greek Music Journey” while since 2021 CYPRECO also produces and provides content for AKTINA TV such as cultural mini documentaries.
In 1998 Ms. Maroulleti took another revolutionary step to further accommodate the smooth operation of AKTINA FM. Up until then, she was utilizing the studios of WNYE in Brooklyn, New York for the live broadcasts of AKTINA FM with programming that included interviews with guests. However, WNYE had several restrictions as far as how many guests can enter the premises for each broadcast something that prevented Ms. Maroulleti to run the show as she wished . Since, she did not have the funds to rent a space; she decided to convert half of her own home into a professional radio broadcast facility. Her self-financed project which also provided space for a TV studio, took six months to complete and once completed, it became the first ever state of the art radio station built in a home.
In April 2002 Ms. Maroulleti also founded and established AKTINA TV on WNYE Channel 25. AKTINA TV is prepared in the broadcast facility of her home and then transmitted for air to WNYE Channel 25 on a timely basis through a special high speed internet service.
Five months following the establishment of AKTINA TV, in a September 5, 2002 publication of Newsday, reporter Sheila McKenna profiles Elena Maroulleti and her achievements as a cultural advocate for Greece and Cyprus through radio, television and live performances. In the article, among other, Ms. McKenna also quotes Ms. Maroulleti in the following areas: PROUD OF: “When I came to this country I discovered that nobody knew where Cyprus was, so I made it my purpose to educate the general public…” FOCUS: “AKTINA FM, on WNYE 91,5, offers a bilingual format (Greek-English)…, and on the Internet live (www.aktina.org)…The TV program just started in April on WNYE Channel 25…” REWARD: “We touch topics that nobody else will do and my reward is knowing that so many people support us.”
To her credit, Elena Maroulleti was also the first to introduce Greek American Internet Radio in early 1993 known as AKTINA NET. In 2008 AKTINA NET was renamed AKTINA FM Greek American Internet Radio and by late 2016 it became a full fletched 24/7 Online Radio Station streaming nationwide in the U.S.A and worldwide.
During her long and impressive career as a journalist and radio/television broadcaster, Ms. Maroulleti has conducted countless of exclusive interviews with world leaders, United Nations leaders and world Presidents including former President Clinton (1990), high ranking U.S.A officials from all branches of local, state and federal governments, renowned international stars and other high profile personalities among others.
Elena Maroulleti who has dominated online Greek American Internet Radio for nearly a half century comes from the coastal town of Famagusta in northern Cyprus. She was born in capital of the island Nicosia. Her parents, both of whom have passed away, were Kyriacos Maroulletis and Lucy Maroulleti. Her mother, who was her great inspiration in all of her cultural endeavors, was an author, playwright, poet, translator and also co-founder of CYPRECO of America, Inc.
Young Elena was taught the English language in private schools while on Cyprus. She attended the London College of Secretaries, and thereafter, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She has independently studied and extensively researched the Greek and Cypriot folklore and culture. Always eager to learn more and further expand her knowledge in the areas she cares more which are none other than the culture, history, folklore and music of Cyprus and Greece, she self-finances frequent trips to Cyprus and Greece. Over the years, she has gathered and recorded substantial information through countless interviews with traditional folklorists, musicians, dancers, archaeologists, authors and other folk arts experts both in Greece and Cyprus. She is also a filmmaker and has produced many documentaries highlighting different aspects of the Greek and Cypriot cultures, including ancient sites and monuments which are broadcasted on AKTINA TV and which also posted on the AKTINA TV Youtube Channel, a very popular online channel with over 6,000 subscribers.
Utilizing all of her spare time while still employed at ABC News, she launched AKTINA FM in 1993 on WNYE 91.5FM on a purely volunteer basis and without any compensation. Ms. Maroulleti embarked on a mission to make a difference for Greek American radio broadcasting by delivering radio programming that is inclusive to all and not exclusive to a particular group. Despite the many challenges she has faced over the years, she never gave up. She dared what others would never dare. She removed the “language barrier” by delivering AKTINA FM in English and with a bilingual format. For decades now, many generations grew up listening to AKTINA FM and watching AKTINA TV and the name “AKTINA” has become a household name for over 1M New Yorkers from all different ethnic backgrounds who make up New York’s diverse society. On the national and international level, AKTINA FM reaches over 3M listeners.
AKTINA FM was initially launched on 91.5FM as an hourly weekly show but, it quickly grew to become the most highly rated “ethnic” program on this station. Within a year Ms. Maroulleti was offered by WNYE additional airtime to expand the broadcasts of AKTINA FM and soon after more hours which she accepted. By 2005, AKTINA FM had grown to a 13h-hour highly rated weekend show within the coverage area of WNYE which includes the entire Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and the outskirts of Pennsylvania. The next big bold step taken by Ms. Maroulleti was her 1995 decision to introduce Greek American Internet radio and later expand it into a 24/7 full fletched Online Streaming Radio Station.
AKTINA FM, the first Greek American radio outlet to introduce online streaming and also the second Online Internet Radio to emerge in the world, delivers to its wide and diverse audiences, commercial-free cultural content relating to Cyprus and Greece, news, special reports and entertainment. It streams commercial-free and it is easily accessible from ten “secure” websites owned and operated by AKTINA Productions, Inc., and three “secure” owned and operated by CYPRECO of America, Inc. It is also available on TuneIn and through TuneIn on all Smart Speakers such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple Siri.