Structural Media Pluralism| Media Concentration and Systemic Failures in Greece

Nikos Leandros

Abstract


The Greek media landscape changed dramatically after the deregulation of broadcasting in the late 1980s. Despite a very significant rise in the number of media outlets, the level of ownership concentration is high in both the national newspaper and television markets, and has increased during the last decade. Moreover, a major problem of cross ownership has emerged. Strong anti-concentration rules were never enforced and legislation aiming to curb the economic power of media barons was blocked by the European Commission. The interdependence between political and media elites and the strong clientelistic relations that characterize the Greek political system are identified as the main factors behind the ineffective and contradictory nature of media regulatory policies.

Full Text:

PDF