FOTP 2013 Full Report

enforced by the NCRTV requires stations to classify their programming as either news orientedor non–news oriented. Stations in the latter category are not permitted to air any news-relatedprogramming, and have been fined for doing so. It is difficult for stations to changeclassifications once they have been set, though enforcement of the rule is uneven, with morepolitically and economically influential stations often avoiding punishment.A 2007 media law mandates that the main transmission language of radio stations beGreek. The law also requires radio stations to keep a certain amount of money in reserve and hirea minimum number of full-time staff, placing a disproportionate burden on small, municipal, andminority-owned stations. The same law permits broadcast stations owned by political parties tooperate without a license. In October 2012, the Council of State ruled in favor of HristianismosFM, a radio station belonging to the Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost. The station had beenshut down in 2001 after it was unable to acquire a license. Based on the new decision, theNCRTV issued a license to the station, but it failed to allocate a frequency, and the outletremained off the air at year’s end. In December, Euronews—a pan-European news channel ofwhich the public broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) is a founding member—launched its Greek-language version. Within a few days, however, its terrestrial broadcast wastemporarily halted by ERT, which cited potential “harmful consequences” for ERT’s ownnewscasts and the public interest.Both public and private media are largely free from government restrictions, but stateownedstations tend to report with a progovernment bias. There are several independentnewspapers and magazines, including some that portray the incumbent government unfavorably.However, many media owners have a close relationship with the government, and this is oftenreflected in a lack of critical commentary on key issues, including the debate surrounding thefinancial crisis. In February, economist and journalist Dimitris Kazakis was fired by radio stationAlpha 98.9 as a result of his antiausterity views. In October, ERT, allegedly under politicalpressure, suspended television presenters Kostas Arvanitis and Marilena Katsimi for commentsthey made on the air about the public order minister’s reaction to the Guardian article notedabove. The two were later reinstated. Also in October, the general manager of the state-ownedAthens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) was ousted for the agency’s publication of twopurportedly inaccurate wire-service reports, one of which pertained to the Lagarde List. InDecember, journalist Thanos Dimadis resigned from national station Skai TV, claiming that hecould no longer work under the pressure of maintaining Skai’s proausterity editorial line.A trend of growing violence against journalists continued in 2012. A number ofjournalists were attacked and in some instances injured during protests against the country’sausterity plan. In March, correspondent Anthee Carassava was attacked by police and taken to apolice station after covering an independence day military parade in Athens. In April, ManosLolos, an accredited photographer covering a protest in Athens, was hospitalized with severeinjuries after being beaten by police. Journalists were also attacked by individuals affiliated withGolden Dawn during the year, including Xenia Kounalaki, who was threatened in April afterpublishing a critical article on the party. In November, journalist Michael Tezari was beaten bymembers of Golden Dawn at an anti-immigrant demonstration. Separately, KonstantinosBogdanos, a radio presenter and journalist for Skai TV, was violently assaulted by three men inAthens in May. And in September, an attempt was made on the life of Vaxevanis outside hishome in Athens. No suspects were arrested by year’s end in either attack.The contracting economy, and the resulting decline in circulation and advertising,continued to adversely affect the media sector in 2012, weakening its ability to cover the crisis182