Language Research

The Constitution, adopted on June 11, 1975

Updated (April 2004)

BROADCASTING LEGISLATION

LAW 2644/1998 applicable to pay radio and television services includes the following provision concerning broadcasting in the Greek language (there are no corresponding provisions for other languages):

Article 10 (3)

Licensee providers of pay radio and television services shall reserve at least 25 percent of their total monthly transmission time for programs originally produced in the Greek language.

Licensee providers of pay radio and television services shall ensure in the first year of their function that up to at least 30 percent of the total transmission time dedicated to programs originally produced in other languages should be subtitled or dubbed into the Greek language. This percentage can increase each year by 5 percent; however, at most to 50 percent. In the above-mentioned percentage exclusively musical programs are not included.

LAW N. 2328 ON THE LEGAL STATUS OF PRIVATE TELEVISION AND LOCAL RADIO, THE REGULATION OF THE RADIOTELEVISION MARKET AND OTHER PROVISIONS, 1995

Article 3 (18)

ERT-S.A. [the public service broadcaster], and private television stations shall reserve more than 25 percent of their transmission time, excluding the time appointed to news, sports events, games, advertising and teletext services, for programs originally produced in the Greek language.

OTHER LANGUAGES

Greece is generally monolingual in its policies and hellenizing in its state-building function.

Legislation governing broadcasting does not contain any provisions favoring the use of minority languages or their access to the media. The law requires television and radio broadcasters to safeguard pluralism. No specific policies promote diversity or minority interests in the media.

While the licensing system is open to anyone who fulfils necessary criteria, minority groups have rarely met these. The state fails to subsidize the establishment of independent minority media or to allocate public service broadcasting facilities and equipment for the production of independent minority programs. The public broadcaster transmits programs promoting the Greek language and its correct use; however, it does not broadcast any corresponding programs for other languages.

Source: Minority-language Related Broadcasting and Legislation in the OSCE, Program in Comparative Media Law and Policy (PCMLP), Center for Socio-Legal Studies, Wolfson College, Oxford University & Institute for Information Law (IViR) (http://www.ivir.nl/index-english.html), Universiteit van Amsterdam (Study commissioned by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities), April 2003, edited by T. McGonagle (IViR), B. Davis Noll & M. Price (PCMLP), http://www.ivir.nl/publications/mcgonagle/Minority-language%20broadcasting.pdf

Top of page

Updated (July 2007)

SERIOUS IMPACT OF THE NEW ACT ON THE TURKISH RADIO BROADCASTING

The new broadcasting law, which seriously affected the Turkish radio broadcasting, has already been approved by the Greek President and published in the official gazette.

Statement of Minority Deputy, Ilhan Ahmet, caused grief among minority members. He has stated that the law prepared by his Party should not cause concerns while some offers would be discussed at the Parliament and the condition of employing six full–time personnel would be converted to part–time personnel. However, Ahmet did not touch upon the most critical condition of dominant broadcast language and he only stated that Turkish would not be prohibited.

Concerning the issue, Halit Habipoglu, chairman of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stated that the new law paved the way to ban Turkish broadcasting on the back of accepting Greek as the dominant language. He added that the new law was very dangerous and aimed to destroy the basic right to broadcasting in mother language and right to information. Habipoglu underlined that the new law should be abolished promptly, expressing ABTTF intention to initiate protest actions throughout Europe.

Meanwhile, Greek Government has not made any official statement yet but it is expected to make official statement in the coming weeks.

Source: Minelres Archives, August 2007 http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2007-August/005222.html

Top of page

Updated (July 2007)

NEW MEDIA ACT PASSED BY THE GOVERNMENT

The Greek Government passed a new Broadcasting Act on 5 July 2007 that regulates the country's electronic media landscape.

In particular, all current radio stations licenses will have to be replaced. To gain a new license, the language of the programs will have to be primarily Greek. It appears that the new legislation is designed to hinder the regional media development and exclude minority groups from receiving information in their mother tongues.

This restriction applies almost solely to the several radio stations broadcasting in Turkish in the region of Thraki as well as to any potential Macedonian or Vlach minority radio that plans to start broadcasting in the future.

Furthermore, the law requires a capital of up to 100,000 Euros from radio station owners who wish to apply for a license and they will have to keep it on deposit as a guarantee. This requirement makes it almost impossible for existing small radio stations even to participate in the process. In addition, a minimum amount of 20 employees is required for local radio stations to be eligible for a new license.

The International Press Institute and its affiliate South East Europe Organization think that these new provisions, along with another recent media law which stipulates that local newspapers are obliged to employ at least three full–time professional journalists, prohibit low–circulation media, minority or community newspapers and other cultural products from having access to the market place.

The Athens Union of Daily Newspapers' Journalists and independent liberal MP, Stefanos Manos, also complained about the new law, which now should be signed by the Greek President and be published in the Official Gazette before entering into force.

Source: Eurolang News, July 16, 2007 by Georgios N. Papadakis http://www.eurolang.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2923&Itemid=1&lang=en

Top of page