Greece

[GR] Interruption of Reality Show of Private Television Station

IRIS 2005-1:1/26

Alexandros Economou

National Council for Radio and Television

On 2 November 2004, an administrative sanction of interruption of the program entitled "This is your chance" was imposed on the private television station "Alpha" by the Ethniko Symvoulio Radiotileorasis (National Council of Radio and Television, Independent Regulatory Authority ­ ESR), two weeks after its first appearance on TV. The concept of the program, which may be considered as a "reality show", was based on a sort of competition of two unemployed persons aiming at taking a job offered by an employee, present at the studio. After having answered several questions posed by the speaker, it was up to the public to vote for the winner. According to the decision of the ESR, the questions were not only irrelevant to the qualifications of the candidates to take the job, but they were also seriously insulting to the personality and the self-respect of the latter, since they were obliged to be exposed to the public. Even before its broadcast on TV, this program had created much reaction from the principal Association of Greek Workers. The decision of the ESR is going to be appealed on the grounds that the legal provision underlying the interruption of a program violates the right of freedom of expression.