  We present a new, model-independent method to analyze radiative decays of
mesons to a vector, isovector pair of pions of invariant mass square below the
first significant pion-pion threshold in the vector channel. It is based on a
combination of chiral perturbation theory and dispersion theory. This allows
for a controlled inclusion of resonance physics without the necessity to
involve vector meson dominance explicitly. As an example, the method is applied
to an analysis of the reactions eta -> pi+ pi- gamma and eta'->pi+ pi- gamma.
