Media System of Cyprus Study on Co-Regulation Measures in The
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Media System of Cyprus report by our correspondent Dr Christophoros Christophorou for the Study on Co-Regulation Measures in the Media Sector Study commissioned by the European Commission, Directorate Information Society Unit A1 Audiovisual and Media Policies, Digital Rights, Task Force on Coordination of Media Affairs DG EAC 03/04 This report is part of the research which has been done for the study on “Co-Regulation Meas- ures in the Media Sector”. The Study is commissioned by the European Commission, Direc- torate Information Society, Unit A1 Audiovisual and Media Policies, Digital Rights, Task Force on Coordination of Media Affairs (Tender No. DG EAC 03/04). The above study aims at providing a complete picture of co-regulatory measures taken to date in the media sector in all 25 Member States and in three non-EU-countries, as well as of the research already done. The study will especially indicate the areas in which these measures mainly apply, their effects and their consistency with public interest objectives. In this con- text, the study will examine how best to ensure that the development of national co- and self- regulatory models does not disturb the functioning of the single market by re-fragmenting the markets. This study started at the end of December 2004, the final report will be compiled by the end of December 2005. More information on the study can be found at http://co-reg.hans-bredow-institut.de All rights reserved. The European Commission or its contracting entity, the HBI or the EMR are not liable for the contents of the report. In doubt viewpoints expressed in the report are purely personal and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating as an official position of the European Commission, HBI, EMR or the organisation the correspondent works for. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact the contractor of the study Hans-Bredow-Institute for media research (HBI) Heimhuder Str. 21 D- 20148 Hamburg [email protected] / http://www.hans-bredow-institut.de or the sub-contractor, who is responsible for coordinating and organizing the research in the EU Member States: Institute of European Media Law (EMR) Nell-Breuning-Allee 6 D-66115 Saarbrücken [email protected] / http://www.emr-sb.de Hamburg, 13 May 2005 Cyprus Introduction Overview of media system Cyprus joined the European Union in May 2004 as a divided country; the media institutions and regulatory frameworks described in the present report are those operating in the areas under the effective control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus. The media landscape The print media The written press has gone through many changes in the last two decades; today’s major features are the decline or disappearance of many dailies and weekly newspapers, the multiplication of specialized publications and concentration of ownership. In 2004, seven dailies were published, six in Greek and one in English language. There were also one English language and two Greek weeklies, as well as four sport and one financial weeklies. Only five weekly magazines are published; three of them are free supplements to newspapers. In recent years we witness the growth of special interests and lifestyle publications, mainly bi-monthly and monthly. The largest in circulation newspaper Φιλελεύθερος (Phileleftheros - Liberal) belongs to the Philelerftheros Group, which is also the owner or is associated with the publishers of 11 special interests magazines. The group is also linked to a radio station. Σηµερινή (Simerini – Today’s) also belongs to a publishing group, Dias Publishing House Ltd, a company that owns or is associated with eight specialized magazines and extends its activities to broadcasting. Exact circulation figures are not available; no circulation audit bureau exists in Cyprus. A readership survey revealed that 69% of the readers read Phileleftheros in weekdays and about 50% on Sunday1. The estimated overall advertising expenditure2 for 2004 is 38,300,000 Cyprus pounds (65,500,000 euro). The share of the print media is 7,000,000 CP (18.3%). The broadcast media The broadcasting sector underwent profound changes following the liberalisation of the sector. Liberalisation was forced by municipal authorities and public pressure; it eventually led to the hasty introduction of the law on radio stations (1990)3 and of the law on television stations (19924), replaced in 1998 by the law on radio and television stations.. The public 1 Survey by Synovate, published in Phileleftheros, 23 May 2004. 2 Estimates by the Association of Advertisers 3 Official gazette, 9.7.1990 4 Official gazette, 23.4.1992. 1 service broadcaster led from the first days of commercial radio and television a direct competition policy with the new entrants. The public service Cyprus broadcasting corporation (CYBC) has two television channels, RIK1 and RIK2. The first channel focuses on general interest programmes and broadcasts an important part of the programmes of the Greek channel Alpha. RIK1 had in 2004 12.5% share5 of the market compared to 9.7% in 2003. The second channel (RIK2), created in 1992, is more entertainment oriented, with extensive coverage of sports. It also broadcasts Euronews in the early morning hours. Its share RIK2 in 2004 was 6.9%, which is slightly lower than in 2003 (7.1%). There are today five commercial TV stations operating island wide; two of them are subscription broadcasters. There are also six local television channels. The first commercial television broadcast went on air in 1992, two days after the enactment of the law allowing the licensing of private television stations. Ο Λόγος TV (Logos – The Verb) and Logos Radio are owned by the Church of Cyprus. The Greek Mega TV is participating in the channel’s capital. The channel’s audience share6 in 2004 was 15.9%, (17.0% in 2003). Sigma TV started operation in 1995 and owned by DIAS Publishing House has a share of 25.4% of the audience. ANT1 television belongs to the owners of ANT1 FM radio and has no links with the print media sector. Its share was 20.3% in 2004 (21.5% in 2003). LTV (Lumiere TV) and Alpha TV are subscription channels (54,000 subscribers in March 20037). Local television stations operate in the capital Nicosia (one), in Larnaca (one), in Limassol (two) and in Paphos (two). The programme of the public service television NET is relayed to Cyprus. The public service CYBC operates four radio channels. Radio channel 1 broadcast in Greek (21%8), channel 2 addresses mostly a non-Greek-speaking listenership; to trito (Channel 3), created in 1991 has established its leadership with 36%. The fourth channel relays the programme of the Athens-based music station Radio LOVE. In the field of commercial radio, nine channels have an island wide license, 34 are local broadcasters and four are small local stations. Super FM and Ράδιο Πρώτο (Proto - First) rank second, behind CYBC’s to trito, with 32%. They are both closely linked to Dias Publishing House Ltd, which also owns Sigma TV9. Ράδιο Σφαίρα (Sfera – Globe), linked to Phileleftheros Group has a share of about 20%, one 5 AGB-Cyprus. 6 Figures from AGB-Cyprus. 7 http://www.multichoice.biz/index1.php. 8 Survey by Synovate, in daily Politis, 30.01.2005. 9 Dias Publishing House, Radio Proto and of Sigma TV appear to belong to different shareholders. On the company’s web site, though, it is stated “DIAS Publishing House, is Cyprus's largest and fastest growing print and electronic media company” (www.dias.com.cy). 2 point more than Ράδιο Άστρα (Astra – Stars), a general interest channel having close relations with AKEL, the left-wing political party. The estimated advertising expenditure on broadcasting media was 24,250,000 CP for television and 3,100,000 CP for radio. The nominal investment for television advertising in 200410 was 101,854,539 CP, spent for the screening of 308,091 spots. There was an increase of about 20% compared to 85,051,015 CP and 259,033 spots in 2003. The real investment, though, is estimated to 22,100,000 CP in 2003 and to 24,250,000 in 2004. Sigma TV screened 39.5% of the spots in 2004, ANT1 24,6%, MEGA 23,9% and the two channels of the public broadcaster totalled 11.9% of the spots. Satellite and digital broadcasting services are doing their first steps; they operate in legal vacuum. In July 2004, Multichoice launched NOVA Cyprus for the distribution of digital television through satellite. The public service Cyprus telecommunications authority (CYTA), launched in the course of 2004 its own service MiVision distributed by Cytanet, its internet platform. The public service electricity authority of Cyprus (EAC) and Athena Satellite TV announced also plans for starting their services in 2005. In the field of online services, the first to go online (1995) was Logosnet, owned also by the church of Cyprus. Other main operators are Cytanet, of the public service Cyprus telecommunications authority (CYTA), Spidernet, Thunderworx, Avacomnet and Netway. No regulatory framework exists other than the telecommunications and postal services law, focusing on technical, financial and quality of service issues. There are only isolated cases of film production in Cyprus and one can not speak about a film industry on the island. Media regulation Media regulation is a very recent practice in Cyprus. The press law of 1989 was the first attempt to introduce a regulatory system inspired by contemporary democratic practices; it eventually replaced the respective law introduced during British rule, serving the needs of the colonial power to control the press11. In the same spirit, the law regulating public screening of cinematographic works provided for the establishment of a “board of censors”.