According to the 2014 World Press Freedom Index released yesterday by the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Greece is a ‘close challenger’ for dubious title of being the lowest ranked European Union country when it comes to press freedom.
That position is currently held by Bulgaria which is ranked 100th out of 180 countries, but Greece is nipping at its heels coming in at 99th place. Yet only five years ago Greece occupied a much more respectable position. The report describes Greece drop of over 50 places in the rankings as a ‘dizzying’ slide.
The NGO notes that Greece has an abysmal record when it comes to freedom of information, writing, “While freedom of information is occasionally abused in some European Union countries, it is repeatedly and blatantly flouted in others. This is the case in Greece.”
The report also notes that since 2007 the economic crisis and austerity have had a number of negative effects on journalism in the country.
RSF single out the Samaras government for criticism particularly over the June 2013 shock closure of the 4 TV stations and 5 radio stations of ERT, the historic public broadcaster which happened literally overnight. The report describes the move as an ‘unprecedented move’ and a ‘turning point in Greece’s history’. As the authors write, “Just hours after ERT was told of the decision, dark screens with the words ‘No signal’ stunned Europe and the world. Under international pressure, the government finally announced the creation of a new state broadcaster to be called NERIT.”
The media industry has also been hit hard financially, the report notes, as the entrepreneurs and ship owners who funded much of the national newspapers and TV stations have disinvested from the industry, causing budgets to be slashed and leaving numerous journalists unemployed.
Of course that the media in Greece has traditionally been largely funded by well-connected tycoons is also the reason it has (not unjustifiably) a bad reputation in Greece, with clientelism traditionally rampant. As a result of public anger journalists covering demonstrations have suffered from violence at the hands of anti-establishment protesters as well as police brutality.
Furthermore the report notes the rise of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn is particularly dangerous with the group’s leadership openly targeting journalists and with the number of death threats on the rise.