According to vowel reduction rules, the "е" at the beginning in some words like Европа Елена Екатеринбу́рг should be reduced just like "j+ɪ" (where "ɪ" stands for something very near to "и"). Wikitionary says they should be pronounced in this way too.
But if I listen to a russian radio jingle ( “Европа +”) and some others native speakers saying that words I hear the “e” being pronounced like “j+э” as it would have been a stressed one even if shortened.
Could someone please explain the correct way to pronounce the unstressed “Е” at the beginning of a word and the exceptions?