Academic to advise Greek government on media issues
Professor Petros Iosifidis will provide expertise on a broad range of subjects
Professor Petros Iosifidis has been appointed by the Greek government
to advise on media issues.
The academic, in the Department of Sociology at City, will
provide expertise to the Greek Committee of National Communications Policy
(SEEP).
During the next three years, Professor Iosifidis will advise
on a broad range of subjects, including national media strategy, digital media
launches, broadcasting licenses and journalistic freedom.
He said: “I’m thrilled to be appointed as advisor to the
Greek government on media and communication issues.
“As the Greek media landscape is going through unprecedented
technological, economic and social changes, policy makers and regulators need
to design and implement a suitable regulatory framework that would both allow
media companies to develop and meanwhile promote social goals such as media
pluralism, cultural diversity and freedom of expression.
“My new role will provide me with an opportunity to propose
appropriate policy actions to achieve the above objectives."
The role will require Professor Iosifidis to attend regular meetings
in Athens.
It comes after the academic, a Professor of Media and
Communication Policy, published a paper on the Greek media that concluded it
was facing an “acute crisis”.
According to his study, which involved in-depth interviews
with journalists, lawyers, academics, trade union representatives and other
Greek media experts, the “intertwining” of powerful politicians and the media
has severely damaged press freedom and independence in the country.
Professor Iosifidis wrote the
paper with Dr Dimitris Boucas, of the London School of Economics and
Political Science, for the Open Society Foundations’ Independent Journalism
programme.