Greek Pressure and Pain

Michael Hedges April 30, 2010 Follow on Twitter

Pressure brings out the best and worst, often all at once. Long brewing economic issues have pushed the Greek government and its people to the edge. Greek media is both feeling that pressure and showing it.

Television news programs and newspaper headlines this week have reflected palpable distress of Greeks over the consequences, real and rumored, of the financial bailout. Most Greeks are unhappy and, often, fearful as polls dutifully touted on every media outlet proclaim.

A satirical broadcast on television channel Alpha raised eyebrows with media regulator National Broadcasting Council. The broadcast depicted European Commission (EC) Commissioner for Economic Affairs Olli Rehn and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. All newspaper covers have depicted German Chancellor Angela Merkel in less than flattering light.

Meanwhile, Greeks are turning to their TV for escape. The Greek Idol talent show on Alpha pulled a 34.7% audience share Monday night (April 26). A German cast member of a reality TV show was voted off.

Greek media used to be much more fun. There are over a thousand radio stations having so much fun only a few bother with a license. Everything in Greece used to be much more fun.

Greek newspapers are feeling the crush. Circulation of Sunday editions for the first quarter fell 9% over the same period one year on, according to figures from EIHEA (April 29). Six of 22 Sunday newspapers make up 82% of all Sunday newspaper sales. Smaller circulation newspapers are seeing the biggest circulation declines.

From the first of this year the Greek government has struggled for solutions to the economic malaise and facing resistance at every turn. Austerity measures largely affecting public sector employment led in February to a general strike. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Commission (EC) asked for (read:demanded) more pain. Public and private sector workers again took to the streets in mid-March.

That led to Greek government resistance to the conditions laid out by the European Central Bank (ECB). Negotiations were painful but the debt problem worse. The Greek Parliament passed measures to raise tax revenue. It wasn’t enough for the German government, having the lead seat at the ECB. All things considered, events moved very quickly over ninety days, Greek media struggling to keep up with it all.

Greek workers returned to the barricades this week.  Broadcast technicians joined the strikes Wednesday morning (April 28) affecting all private sector Greek radio stations. The industrial action will continue through Friday (April 30). Citing financial distress, the radio owners refuse a union demand for wage increases.

With all public sector enterprises facing austerity, Greek public broadcasting (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation – ERT) isn’t exempt. Contracts of “hundreds” of ERT employees, according to unofficial sources, will end in June, adding to the overall insecurity felt within the entire Greek media sector. Those who are “efficient” and essential under the new ERT organization will be offered contract extensions, said an ERT representative at a meeting (April 28) with union journalists. ERT officials told union journalists the “future” depends on the Ministry of Finance.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Paul Geroulanos presented to the Greek Parliament (April 28) a restructuring plan for ERT management. Among the provision in the draft bill are creating separate positions for chairman and chief executive officer. Eliminated would be several executive directors.

Citing the “political situation and pressures,” ERT CEO Kostas Kekis abruptly resigned from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) board (April 24). Mr. Kekis has been an active member of the EBU board since 2008. The ERT board is scheduled to meet next week (May 6) to discuss reorganization plans, including reassignment of top-level managers and further budget cuts.

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