Media Survival Not Just In The Numbers

Michael Hedges May 14, 2012 Follow on Twitter

Broadcasters regularly complain about audience surveys, unless the numbers are really good. Economic stress has all managers on edge. Survival is success, say some. And now the “blades” are out, too.

Athens station Vima FM 99.5 was missing from the audience surveys after the first quarter. Station manager Vassilis Hiotis, a former political reporter with the newspaper Vima, complained quite bitterly about the current research methodology in a letter to media portal e-tetradio.gr (March 8). The current survey is flawed, he said, because subjects “now refuse to answer a tedious and outdated interview that takes a long time and relies heavily on memory.” The telephone survey is conducted “only during working hours and only to landlines,” biasing the survey toward “students, pensioners, housewives and foreigners.” Through the joint industry committee AEMAR, he said, broadcasters have agreed to change measurement specifications, “which we doubt if it will be because of the crisis and its effects.”

“The radio stations trying to maintain a more moderate and serious profile, and the stations that emphasize information, risk financial ruin, although employing the majority of workers in radio stations,” he continued. Vima FM is owned by Lambrakis Press, a major Greek media house, and employs about 100. The current audience measurement system, he said, “creates unfair competition now at a time when businesses are fighting for their survival.” There also seems to be a little dispute between station management and the research company over €4,500 for services dating back to 2010.

In the Attica (greater Athens) radio market Real FM 97.8 has overtaken Skai FM 100.3 in the last year as the top rated commercial radio station. And new stations Derti 98.6 and Nitro 102.5 have made something of a splash. The Focus Bari/AEMAP audience survey currently ranks 31 greater Athens stations, not including public radio channels. The surveys are monthly with quarterly composites. (See major Greece radio broadcasters here) Real FM is primarily a news-talk station, emphasis on talk shows. Skai FM is also a news-talk station that makes generous use of content from international broadcasters.

Vima FM created something of a stir when it produced and broadcast a series of short features before the May 6th elections, ostensibly to promote the stations election coverage; one to “familiarize” listeners with the candidates, another to “satirize” political party positions and the third to “parody” party supporters. The promos mixed real quotes from politicians with lines from famous Greek films.

This gained the fury of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, which party leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos gained a seat in the Greek Parliament. At a press conference (May 7) a party member – or “blade” as he was referred – demanded that journalists “stand at attention” out of respect for Mr. Mihaloliakos. Those who refused were removed. “It is high time that people, especially journalists, should learn to behave in an orderly fashion,” said a party spokesperson, quoted by GR Reporter (May 8). Golden Dawn has attacked, verbally so far, daily newspaper Kathimerini, Vima FM and public broadcaster ERT. Kathimerini, Skai FM and Skai TV are owned by Alafouzos Publishing.

“Acting like bouncers, they showed their true colors,” said the Athens Union of Journalists in a statement. “We are not afraid of you. We will reveal your role.”

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