Summer has come: we have just celebrated the summer solstice
and a full moon which was closer and more impressive than usual.
We’ve done our annual pool clean-up but this year had an
unexpected difficulty in filling it : Leon was determined to drink as much of
this deliciously ice-cold water as he possibly could.
Temperatures have risen both meteorologically and
politically.
Turkey
Prime Minister Recep T. Erdogan first gained political power when he
became Mayor of Istanbul in 1994, but his background as an Islamic preacher is
now increasingly in evidence. His recent
decision to construct in Gezi Park initially met with resistance from
environmentalists, but the protest front broadened as police roughed up
demonstrators. What is really disturbing to the average Turk is the fear that,
consolidating his power base, he may impose an Islamist regime, for Erdogan has
already restricted the sale of alcohol and denounced public displays of
affection.
This strikes at the very core of
the secular regime established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, regarded as the
founder of the Republic of Turkey, and of whom Turks are immensely proud. Ataturk, meaning ‘Father of the Turks’, is actually an honorary title conferred
on him by parliament in 1934. Thanks to his great program of political economic
and social reforms, Turkey moved from being a remnant of the Ottoman Empire to
becoming a modern, democratic secular nation.
Clearly not a man of such vision,
Erdogan has described democracy as a ‘tram ride as far as you want to go and
then get off.’ The current climate of
unrest will not be encouraging for the tourism on which the Turkish economy
largely relies.
Greece
Turkey’s prisons are claimed to
incarcerate more journalists than any other country does. Here some journalists
have not been imprisoned but simply ‘unplugged’ as it were. By ministerial
decree, rather than parliamentary approval, ERT, the national broadcaster, on
June 11th was suddenly shut down amid widespread outcry. That flick
of a switch left over 2,900 people unemployed overnight.
Large unions have mobilized their
members in sit-ins, camp-outs, etc. and many ordinary citizens have joined
their ranks to express their disapproval.
There have been calls for democratic and
constitutional behavior from the government – agreed! But that does not just
apply to switching off ERT but rather to what we want it to be like when the
power goes back on. As has been the case
with most state organizations, ERT was overstaffed, positions were often
acquired through ‘contacts’ and for decades were constitutionally guaranteed
for life. Certainly ERT was the sole broadcaster to many of the outlying
regions of Greece where private broadcasters never reached or were not given
permission to reach.
Arguments that ERT was a
profit-making enterprise and should have been left well alone simply do not
stand. Each household in Greece makes an
average monthly contribution to ERT through a levy in the electricity bill. But
here’s the anomaly: the three state channels combined managed to drum up only
13% of the national audience share- which amounts to less than half of the
share of only one moderately-sized private broadcaster.
This would tell us that the
outcry is an emotional rather than a rational one: We want to have ERT switched
back on right now ……..even though we don’t really use it!! This in turn
probably says a good deal about the general quality of the services offered.
Despite costing 300 million euros to run, ERT is being beaten hollow by the
more competitive private operators.
The public sector has long been riding on the
back of a now severely depleted private sector. Things have to change so that
there is more parity between the two both in terms of production quality and
efficiency. This has to be seen as part of the austerity and reform drive
launched three years ago with the overall aim to axe 15,000 civil servants by
2015. Why should ERT employees be exempt from that?
It is mooted that the new organization will be
called NERIT: New Hellenic Radio Internet TV Broadcasting with around 1,200
employees. Being an inveterate crossword puzzler, I couldn’t help but note this
is an anagram for inter : to bury ……
oops - does that bode well?!
So, our national broadcaster
remains off the air and when it will go back on …. is still up in the air.
Let’s hope that what does get
buried along with ERT is the system of patronage, the party politics and political perks.
Let’s push for a streamlined, efficiently-run, exemplary broadcaster, staffed
by professionals who have earned their posts.
That is what the Greek audience deserves and Greek journalists are well capable of.
Now that is something worth
demanding and demonstrating for.
Summer Time
…'and the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high…'
….so hush, little pussy cat!
Here in the Cottonfields Pushkin is
trying to get a bit of kip, but no - too hot - these paving stones are baking
….
...got it : in the shade of the kitchen window right next to the cool pane of glass, ZZZzzzzzzz
While below, the kitten brothers snooze on a
balcony armchair, enjoying a wee breeze.
That’s Paraic, of Celtic name, seated
while Mr Mischief is suspended above him,
then fully reclining on his own
patch!
Fish may be jumpin’ but even if flying
fish were to make a magical appearance, I don’t think there would be much
movement here.
Stay
well and have a wonderfully relaxing summer!
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