Minister Ilias Mossialos announced the austerity measures for the reform of the Greek public broadcaster ERT, letting only half of the organization intact. Apart from switching off ET1 (the national channel number one), the digital Cinesport+, the one which is being actually hurt by the reforms is the public radio. Thessaloniki-based ERT3 is loosing two of its 3 radio services, the cultural service 9.58 and the shortwave service. Furthermore, the 19 local public radio stations will be merged in order to form 9 regional ones, while 15 out of the 20 mediumwave transmitters will be switched off. Apart from that, the oldest TV & radio magazine "Radiotileorasi" will cease being issued, although it has been the only magazine that includes a special section for radio. Finally, the National Audiovisual Archive is being merged with the Archive Department of ERT, whereas a Multimedia Department will also be formed.
Cuts amid surplus
The real reason for the measures announced remains unclear: ERT had a surplus after the last season, the TV license fee hasn't been reduced, whereas the long-term goal, that ERT will pay taxes back to the state (=divert the TV license fee to the empty state funds), if ever happens, will be unique all around Europe. The building that has been used by ET1, on Katechaki str. will be given to the Ministry of Civil Protection, leading us to the conclusion that a recreation channel is giving its place to a police station, although this may imply a really bad symbolism. It is only the "bargain" estate at Perea (where the old shortwave transmitters use to be) is expected to bring some money in, as it is being given to the Ministry of Economics, most probably in order to be sold. Creating a multimedia department might have some point, if it hadn't been just for the extension of the existing service of ERT-online.
The sad loss of 9.58
Shutting down 9.58, the cultural radio of Thessalonki, will be a terribly bad step for a city whose everyday life is based on cultural activities, given the fact that the local speech radio is being overall reduced. The fact that the radio had no good ratings is rather funny an excuse for a public (whatsmore cultural) broadcaster. Meanwhile, its listeners have already started protesting over the social networks (Facebook and Twitter).
As long the local public radio stations are concerned, in the best case they would lead to a profit only by liquidating their estate (although in most cases e.g. buildings, they are owned by the state and are not likely to be sold, due to their location). By merging local radio, which has already been underdeveloped due to lack of administration and funding, many cities will lose one of the very few news radio services with actual local coverage; not to mention that a similar merging on a regional level has been unsuccessfully tried fifteen years ago.
Food for the masses blaming the state
The reasoning of the measures may be broad, but few hypotheses actually hold. According to some opinion, the public broadcaster is victim of the massive demand for shrinkage of the public sector, without considering any sense of amendment but just for making impression. Meanwhile, shrinking ERT won't be anything but favouring the private media and also pushes towards the general spirit of recession on the media, including loss of quality and services offered, along with reducing work positions and cutting salaries.
