COPE was set up in 1959 when 44 broadcasting licences were granted by the Government to the Bishops, the Jesuits and the Dominican priests. Although each was operating in its own way, the licencees quickly set up a network, the Cadena de Ondas Populares Espanolas.
In 1971 the Spanish Episcopal Conference, the Bishops, the Jesuits and the Dominicans set up the Radio Popular S.A. company, a service company for the radio stations taking care of programming and advertising. In 1974 the company changed its name into Radio Popular S.A.-Cadena de Ondas Populares Espanolas (COPE) and integrated the stations. It started to work like a real network in 1983 combining national programmes with local ones.
The COPE, being a "general, professional and commercial" radio, is a commercial radio whose main shareholder is now the Episcopal Conference (73%) together with some minority shareholders (various press groups notably). It defines itself publicly as a general-interest radio inspired by a Christian humanism.
It transmits its programmes by 213 transmitters in AM and FM all over Spain (see transmitters map attached) and reaches listening figures of 2,5 million listeners, i.e. ranking third in Spain. From 1992 the COPE has been developing a thematic radio, Cadena 100, which music and entertainment programmes are aimed at young audiences, but with an intention to distinguish itself from the current fashion of the "young" radios by offering a "participative and not reiterating" music programming.
The staff counts 842 employees and the annual turnover is about 4,5 million €
The COPE has recently entered the television market through its 85% subsidiary Popular TV, which has started to transmit in Madrid, Sevilla and the Rioja.
Contacts: COPE
Avenida Alfonso XI, 4
28013 MADRID
Phone: +34 91 595 12 80
Fax : +34 91 401 12 44
Websites & E-mail
COPE: www.cope.es communicacion@cope.es
Cadena 100: www.cadena100.es
