Greek gays yesterday condemned as racism and prudery a fine imposed on a small Athens radio station which forced a regular program for homosexuals off the air.

The protest came after the broadcasting regulator ESR fined the station 5,000 euros over a weekly nighttime radio show presented by a lesbian that has been running for the last five years on Epikoinonia FM, run by the Neo Iraklion municipality.

OLKE, Greece’s main homosexual association, and Synaspismos Left Coalition lashed out at what they called the muzzling of gays on the airwaves.

ESR justified the fine by saying the content of the program was “undoubtedly of bad quality,” and because each show was followed by advertisements for gay bars and condoms.

The radio station ended the series saying it did not have enough money to run the risk of further fines.

A statement by OLKE condemned what it called the homophobia of ESR, recalling that the regulator had in November 2003 fined Mega TV 100,000 euros for transmitting a shot of two men kissing. (AFP)