WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

GREECE
Research
Readership is measured by: Nielsen Hellas using a sample of 7,200
individuals from mainland Greece. The sample represents 80%
of the Greek population.
Methodology: Multistage stratified cluster sampling.
Taxes
VAT on: sales 4% advertising 18%
newsprint 18% plant 18%
composition 4% (standard VAT rate 18%)
There is a 20% tax on print advertising. Profits are taxed at
35%.
There are tax concessions for newspaper companies for
reinvesting profits under the following conditions:
· The investment has to be accomplished within a 3 year
period
· The company has to invest (during the same period) 30%
more than the profit reinvested.
Subsidies
Are there subsidies for purchasing newsprint No
Are loans granted at low interest rates for re-equipping or improving
existing equipment Since 1999, subsidies to newspaper
businesses in central urban regions of Greece have been stopped.
(Law 2601/98)
There are no direct subsidies for the press apart from cash grants
to small local newspapers. The Ministry of Press and Media
decides these grants in camera.
Discounts
on: telegraph 50% telex 50%
These reductions apply on post for newspapers and magazines:
Reduction (%)
Max. weight/copy (grams) National newspapers Regional newspapers
up to 20 80 90
up to 100 78.8 89.4
up to 250 71.7 85.8
up to 500 61 80.5
up to 1,000 53.3 76.7
up to 2,000 25 62.5
Each newspaper is allowed a discount for monthly telephone
charges based on its circulation as follows:
Average monthly circulation
Charge units deducted
110,000-500,000 17,500
500,001-1,200,000 35,000
1,200,001-4,200,000 52,000
4,200,001+ 105,000
Ownership
Does any law exist governing publishing-house ownership, or the
registration of shares in newspaper-publishing companies Shares
may only be registered by individuals. Article 40 of Law 1806/
88 allows the court to scrutinise the finances of press and
broadcast companies. Ownership details must be submitted
annually under pain of imprisonment. Article 24 of Law 1746/
88 strictly compels registration except for foreign or domestic
investment trusts holding 2.5% or less, state-owned concerns,
and official political-party organs.
Is there any law prohibiting or restricting foreign companies or
individuals from owning shares, and in particular, the majority of
shares, of domestic daily newspapers No
Is there any law prohibiting daily newspaper or periodical publishers
from operating radio or television stations in the same locality Law
1866/89 covers privately owned television stations and provides
that:
· Permits may be granted only to joint-stock
companies and local government authorities
(municipalities and communes)
· Joint-stock companies may own no more than one
television permit
· Individual private stakes may not exceed 25%,
including blood relatives to fourth degree of
kinship
· Non-EU foreign ownership may not exceed 25%
of the total share capital
· It is not permitted for the use or operation of the
television station to be ceded to individuals or
companies except in the case of municipal or intermunicipal
enterprises run by local government
authorities
· Owners of television stations may also own either
a radio station or a national newspaper. No
individual or other legal entity may participate in
more than two of the three media: newspapers,
television and radio.
So as to guarantee disclosure and transparency in the capital structure
and to avert silent partnerships, is there a law or rule making it possible
to determine who actually owns a publishing company This is
compulsory under Law 1746/88 (‘Transparency in the Press’),
Article 24, with exceptions enumerated above.
Is there an antitrust law limiting concentration in the daily press
Law 2328/95 (‘Concentration’) Article 13 and other regulation
allows common ownership of:
· Up to two daily political newspapers, one a
morning and one an evening, published in Athens,
Piraeus, or Thessaloniki and distributed by a Press
Distribution Agency, or by mail, or by its own
means, plus up to two provincial dailies in two
different prefectures
· plus either (a) a single Sunday title covering one
of the political titles, or two political titles in one
Sunday edition, or (b) a Saturday or Sunday edition
of an independent newspaper distributed by a
Press Distribution Agency.
Are there plans to legislate on media concentration A law enacted
in June 2002 prevents media companies from undertaking public
works and public procurement contracts. This extends to
partners, ‘basic shareholders’, members of the board or senior
management of such undertakings. ‘Basic shareholders’ are
companies or individuals with more than 5% of capital or voting
shares in a media company, those with a larger stake than any
other shareholder, those with voting control in the board, those
exercising majority rights in the latest general assembly, or those
who have entered into a contract with the company with a value
of more than 20% of that company’s annual turnover.
Moreover, owners, partners, basic shareholders, members of
the board or senior management of media companies cannot
assume the same series of functions in companies undertaking
public works or public procurement contracts. The prohibition
also covers family members (unless they can prove financial
independence) or any persons serving as intermediaries. The
definition of the public sector that falls under the prohibition is
a wide one.
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003 131