If you’re visiting Greece and want to see what’s happening in the world by turning on the TV in your hotel room or Airbnb or wherever you’re staying, to see and hear the news in English, you won’t.
At least not on the state ERT TV channel as the BBC has been replaced by ERT Cosmos, in a move designed to build a bridge to the Diaspora by broadcasting news, mostly of Greece, in Greek – with English subtitles.
It’s a noble goal to further promote Greek and help those in the Diaspora learn the language – many Greeks and people around the world learn English by watching American films.
The problem is those subtitles, which can lag behind what’s being spoken and make it dizzying to try to follow the news – and the international news presented is relatively sparse because the station features mostly what’s happening in Greece and Greek culture.
Perhaps turnabout is fair play because the BBC’s Greek Service, language programming on the radio, stopped in 2006 after decades of broadcasts to a country long admired by the British, especially Winston Churchill.
Trying to follow the news of the world through delayed subtitles is difficult and frustrating to an English-language audience of some 20,000-24,000 American expatriates and nearly as many from the United Kingdom.
The station said the move was designed to further extend its reach to Greeks around the world while using the subtitles for those who are not Greek speakers and provide some international news service for them.
ERT said its plan was part of a “digital sovereignty initiative,” and comes after Germany’s state broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) closed its 62-year-old Greek department over budget restrictions.
Such are the times but we are not in good times with the planet on edge over the U.S. war with Iran and the ramifications economically and politically around the globe and China’s suddenly accelerating ascendancy threatening a new world order.
International news is now more important than ever and fortunately in the digital age there are still plenty of outlets for travelers and non-Greek speaking residents in Greece to find it. Just not on state TV.
BBC News and DW are still accessible on the free ERTFlix streaming app or through satellite or paid cable providers, leaving French TV5 Monde and Cyprus’ RIK Sat the last foreign-based services on the terrestrial multiplex.
But English language content is now only largely available through pay-TV providers such as Cosmote TV or Nova, smart TV apps, and streaming platforms, with technology allowing access through phones, computers and devices.
A video – in Greek – announcing the launch of ERT Cosmos – in English subtitles – said, “The world is changing and with it, we are changing too.” ERT added it “continues to broadcast wherever Greeks are found, the mission being expressed by saying: “With Greek culture taking center stage,” not emphasizing world news.
ERT Cosmos replaces ERT WORLD, which had been the link to the Diaspora for news in and about Greece, and targeted expatriates and Greek heritage residents, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Germany.
But ERT Cosmos is not the BBC and the difference is glaring for those in Greece used to watching the British station that featured news from around the world, its replacement focusing on Greece and Greek culture.
ERT’s strategy was designed to provide news, culture, and entertainment mainly to Greek expats and Greek speakers worldwide – many of whom will listen to the audio without needing the subtitles – and the move let ERT reclaim valuable digital space.
ERT Cosmos is indeed a valuable tool for the Diaspora and those who want to learn Greek, and the programming includes news and current affairs programs, news bulletins, cultural and entertainment content, as well as productions from ERT TV.
The programming is Greece-oriented although ERT said the move means its the channel will also be available via terrestrial broadcasting in Greece and reach global audiences through satellite transmission and the ERTFLIX digital platform.
It wasn’t said why the station didn’t opt to have the news and programs in English without subtitles, or if it would be prohibitively expensive to do so, and some programming, such as sports, is only in Greek without subtitles.
Journalists with international coverage are often used on ERT too, including those who worked for private stations, although the reports are in Greek and without English subtitles, which is now left to ERT Cosmos.
There is some English language news on SKAI TV’s international segment, but those are infrequent and usually short and not daily full newscasts while ERT Cosmos, besides focusing on Greece, leans toward European news.
Some private stations have some international coverage through satellite and digital content on the Internet instead of TV, but that doesn’t fill the gap for travelers and residents who want to watch it on TV instead of a phone or computer.
There are also documentaries that highlight modern Greek life. It is part of what the station said, that it “aims to strengthen ERT’s international presence, reinforce bonds with Greeks abroad, and make contemporary Greek culture and information more accessible worldwide.”
That it will do, so this is probably a lament for days gone by and tourists probably don’t care about watching the news when Greece awaits them.
