One of the most encouraging findings of the 2016 census was that Australia’s Greek community has the highest percentage of those who speak their parents' language, compared to the Australian-born children of other non-English backgrounds.
1.8% of Australia’s residents or approximately 421,000, answered during the census that they are of Greek origin. And the number of those members of the households who speak Greek is now 237,000.
And is potentially the number of the audience that the Greek Australian media outlets are aiming to get. In the meantime, new digital technology (smartphones, apps, tablets, high-speed internet, etc.) has dramatically changed the way the media operate.
The future of the Greek media will be at the centre of an online discussion in which representatives of some of the most well-established Greek Australian media outlets will participate.
The 45-year-long SBS Greek language program presence
Leon Bombotas, Elaine Kintis, Christopher Gogos, Bill Giannakouras, Themi Kallos, Alice Almeida. Source: Incites
"SBS started 45 years ago and today is one of Australia’s key pillars of multiculturalism. In the beginning, there were programs for only a few languages but today SBS broadcasts stories, news, and online content in approximately 70 languages. And the Greek Program has a continuous presence all this time", says the Head of SBS Greek, Themi Kallos
Mr. Kallos will be one of the participants in Wednesday’s webinar discussion representing the Greek Radio Program of SBS, a program that “meets the needs and expectations of the digital age”.
"Towards the end of 2019, SBS launched a new website for all our language services, which is mobile-first because over 90% of all visitors to our webpages come via mobile”, Mr. Kallos says.
At the same time, he points out the program’s efforts to keep pace with and utilize the new digital technology.
“We are committed to our main mission which is to demonstrate and celebrate the cultural diversity of Australia of which the Greek language and culture are an integral part of it."
SBS Radio. Source: SBS Radio
Topics for discussion
Some of the current challenges facing the Greek-Australian media that are expected to be discussed are the following:
- Print (Greek newspapers, magazines) are in decline while the electronic media is booming. Despite this rise, digital media have not been able to increase their revenue.
- While digital media readership has grown significantly, and many companies have been able to increase their sales advertising their products on digital media platforms, this has not translated into an increase in media advertising revenue due to policies pursued by Google and Facebook.
- Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people use live video online..
The data show that readers have an appetite for stories written by Greek-Australians as they give a special perspective to news from the local and international space.
The question is this: is the public willing to spend a certain amount of money through advertising, subscriptions, or other means of accessing online media content?
Radio microphone. Source: Pixabay
Details of the event
The event is organised by next-generation analytics platform Incites and will be held via ZOOM, on October 21st from 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm (AEST).
It will be hosted by Leon Bombotas, the founder of Incites, the panel discussion will feature co-publisher of The Greek Herald, Elaine Kintis, Publisher and MD of Neos Kosmos, Christopher Gogos, Editor of Greek City Times, Bill Giannakouras, Head of Greek Services at SBS, Ethymios Kallos, and founder of Almeida Insights, Alice Almeida.
If you would like to attend, there are only 100 places and registration is necessary via this link:
Press Play on the main photo and listen the podcast
