Public Service Broadcasting in the digital media age : How streaming services reshape the role of Greek public network ERT from state to public service broadcaster?

Abstract: Media are created to disseminate information and foster dialogue to support democratic societies. As society evolved and liberalism and marketization gained ground, Public Service Broadcasting was established to produce and distribute content that benefits society without aiming for profit. The notion has faced several challenges with technology development, leading to a transition to Public Service Media being the current one, where media content is consumed through different online platforms. Public Service Broadcasters transition on different phases to Public Service Media based on the country they operate in and the sociopolitical conditions. This research explores the history and origins of PSB and the challenges they face, focusing on the Greek media landscape and the Greek PSB ERT, which since 2020 has been following an online media-focused strategy. By conducting a survey of Greek audience members, quantitative data are generated on the public perception of ERT, the media habits of the Greek audience, and their view on the new strategy of ERT and its streaming platform ERTFLIX. Results indicate that Greek PSB is a state broadcaster due to its lack of editorial autonomy, while the low viewership and survey responses show a lack of trust of the Greek audience in ERT. Participants are in favor of the new ERT strategy, and the majority have used ERTFLIX even once. On the other hand, the news programming of ERT is still not trusted by the audience, indicating that further actions need to be taken to change the state broadcaster identity of ERT.