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.