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Greece / Voice of America: Budget Proposal Cuts Greek Language Program
Voice of America: Budget Proposal Cuts Greek Language Program
New York.- A priority shifting by Bush administration and a short mind Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), led by Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, puts Voice of America’s (VOA) Greek Language Program – along with other European languages including Turkish – into jeopardy. If the proposal is going to be approved by EU Congress, in October VOA’s Greek Language program will shut down.
“It is awkward that while the proposed fiscal year 2007 budget for U.S. international broadcasting calls for an overall increase of 4.3% from fiscal year 2006, Bush administration is cutting all Balkan programming of VOA”, a prominent Greek American lobbyist told the Greek News.
Many members of Congress have been informed from Greek American organizations on the proposed cut and it is expected that they will raise serious questions, on the new priorities of VOA. A complete file on the proposal was sent to the Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair person, Carolyn Maloney and other members.
“They act like the Balkan is a peaceful corner of the planet and as if public opinion in Turkey is pro-American. There is a great need for a continuation of the programs. What they will finally succeed is to unite for the first time ever, Greek and Turkish Lobby in Washington”, the Greek American lobbyist said.
Other proposed reductions include the elimination of VOA broadcasts in Croatian, Turkish, Thai, Greek and Georgian. VOA radio broadcasts in Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Serbian, Russian and Hindi would end while television programming in these languages would continue. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty will continue radio programming in Russian and Georgian while eliminating radio programming in Slavomacedonian dialect.
According to the BBG, the new policy planning is targeted to the war on terror and new technology. While proposed increases go primarily to Middle East Broadcasting Networks and Voice of America (VOA), non-war on terror related language services would see reductions and/or eliminations.
The Board of Governors’ proposed $671.9 million budget includes a number of new initiatives, enhancements and a continuation of initiatives begun in ’06. They include:
• Expanding service to Iran with a daily four-hour prime time VOA Persian television lineup and enhancing the Radio Farda website.
• Increasing Middle East television news coverage (Alhurra) from 16 to 24 hours a day and adding customized local news content and coverage for Radio Sawa.
• Adding a one-hour television program for Afghanistan in both Dari and Pashto, and enhancing transmission for VOA Pashto programming to the people of Afghanistan along the border region while adding additional FM and medium wave capability.
Faced with the increased costs of expanding critically needed television and radio programming to the Arab and non-Arab Muslim world, the Board has had to make some painful choices. As a result, the budget proposes reductions in English language programming, by eliminating VOA News Now radio while maintaining VOA English to Africa, Special English and VOA’s English website.
The U.S. government set up Voice of America in 1942. On its first day, news was beamed into Nazi-controlled lands, christened with these words:
“Our voices are coming to you from New York, across the Atlantic Ocean to London — from where they are relayed to you in Germany.”
Since then, the VOA has continued to cover the news, warts and all — including the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the impeachment of President Clinton — for listeners across the globe.
Greek Program, headed by George Bistis, employees four Journalists, and serves many Greek radio stations and Alpha Tv, covering approximately 720.000 people in Greece, according to Nielsen
REACTIONS IN GREEK MEDIA
The proposed closing of the Greek Service in fiscal year 2007 has caused concern to its affiliates and generated unprecedented interest among the media in Greece and in the Greek American community.
Radio SKY, of Athens, called the proposal “sad,” while another VOA affiliate, Radio City International of Thessaloniki, expressed the view that the action is ill advised.
All television networks and regional stations, which carry the weekly VOA Greek TV byline program “Reportaz apo Washington,” anchored by Service Chief George Bistis, also expressed concern and sadness. Among them are two major networks, Alpha in Greece and CYBC in Cyprus.
Athens News Agency and MPA News, the two official press agencies of Greece, placed the story of the proposed closing of VOA Greek in prominent positions of both their Greek- and English-language bulletins. Both suggested that “supporters of VOA Greek” might ask U.S. lawmakers to look into the case.
To Vima, in an article entitled “Silencing the Greek Voice of America,” notes that the proposal has “caused a great deal of skepticism among the Greeks in America” who could “mobilize in an attempt to change the course of action and prevent the closing of VOA Greek.”
Elefterotypia, in an article entitled “End of an era for VOA Greek,” notes that Greek-American organizations like AHEPA and the Hellenic-American Institute could decide to use their influence “to convince Congress and the State Department of the need to find a compromise solution that would stop the total elimination of VOA programs in Greek.”
Naftemporiki, noted that “Greek-Americans are puzzled by the Bush administration’s decision to close the Greek Service of the Voice of America following the pattern set a few months earlier by Britain, with the closing of BBC Greek.” Naftemporiki also suggested that the issue is not yet over.
Popular radio talk show hosts Yorgos Pantelakis and Xenia Thanou, discussed the plans to close VOA Greek during a 20-minute program segment produced by their station, NET (Nea Elliniki Teleorasi) during a prime morning slot. In their view, “this is no time to think of placing a permanent lock on broadcasting services like VOA Greek,” and expressed the desire that the decision be reversed.
A popular host at Alpha Radio, Costas Arvanitis, who started his career at the “Voice of Greece” hailed VOA Greek, calling its programs “balanced journalism that has nothing to do with propaganda,” and noted that he has been listening to VOA Greek for years and reading its webpage daily. Mr. Arvanitis devoted a 30-minute segment to the VOA Greek issue.
Apostolis Zoupaniotis, who heads the Washington and New York bureaus of Alpha Radio and TV of Greece, in a live interactive from New York with his network in Athens, noted, “it does not make sense to eliminate a successful operation like VOA Greek, which on our station alone, draws 420,000 viewers.” By comparison, many successful newspapers in Greece have less than half of this following and, in order to attract readers, they offer a free magazine and 2 music CDs. He added, “It is the wrong decision,” and predicted that the community will rally to reverse it.
A former BBC Greek journalist, who participated in the Alpha Radio special on the VOA closing as an analyst, noted that although geopolitical priorities have shifted, “our mothers, fathers and new generations listen to programs like those of the VOA and the BBC, because they are different from their local station’s fare and that’s why they should remain on the air, because they present a different and unique perspective.”
News.In.gr, one of the most frequently visited web sites for Greek news, published an original report attributed to ANA and other Washington sources titled “(Greek ethnic) Community Reacts to Plans for Closing the Voice of America Greek Service.” Below the headline there is an oversized picture of an historic VOA microphone with the words “Voice of America” running across it. The mike image, occupying the center of the page, acts as a strong magnet, attracting readers to the story.
Ethnikos Kirikas (National Herald), which is published in New York presented a lengthy portrait of the VOA Greek Service, beginning on the front page, based on interviews with 3 of the 4 VOA Greek staff members and material available through its web site. The article highlights the positive contributions VOA Greek has made to Greek-American relations over the years, starting from the days of WWII, when it relayed messages from the Greek government in exile to the people of Greece, who were then under German occupation and waiting for America’s allies to liberate them. It also underscores that, with the closing of VOA Greek, a valuable link between the Greek-American community and Greece will be lost.
Lambros Papantoniou, Washington correspondent of the highly regarded Athenian daily Eleftheros Typos and Greek News also expressed interest in the proposal to cut VOA Greek and Turkish programs. During a State Department briefing, Mr. Papantoniou called the affected services “very helpful and very informative” and asked why they are being closed down. Spokesman Sean McCormack advised him to address all inquiries on this issue to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees VOA.
