Opinion
By Michalis Sofokleous
Dear journalist friends, the occasion for this piece is the deeply unfortunate interview conducted by the otherwise highly accomplished Yiannakis Karekles with Fidias Panayiotou.
It was an attempt to undermine and mock the interviewee through shallow accusations, one that quite clearly boomeranged. Of course, a single failure does not negate a journalist’s long career. But this interview is symptomatic of the profound crisis journalism in Cyprus is currently experiencing. A crisis we must finally begin to discuss, just as we do politics and institutions.
In Cyprus, a young man, Fidias, with no clear positions or vision, found the right timing and capitalized on two things in the last European elections: a widespread aversion to anything old, and a sense among young people that no one represents them today. Two years have passed since then. Mr. Panayiotou informs the public about what happens in the European Parliament, a purely journalistic function rather than a political one, and one in which the media are failing miserably. At the same time, he presents himself as a politician and has even founded a political party that is running a full slate in parliamentary elections.
Mr. Panayiotou claims to have no positions on almost any issue and says he will simply seek the public’s opinion, disregarding basic principles of leadership. In true direct democracy, in the ancient Athenian agora, Themistocles and Aristides clashed with strong, well-defined positions to persuade citizens on how to confront the Persians. They did not merely present data. Likewise, Pericles and Cimon debated the identity of Athens, and Cleon and Nicias debated the Peloponnesian War.
The international organization Reporters Without Borders ranked Cyprus second to last in Europe in press freedom, 77th in the world.
Fidias Panayiotou claims he still has no view on the Cyprus issue, yet he holds firm positions on the war in Ukraine, which he treats as analogous, consistently voting in favor of Russia and those seeking to destabilize Europe. Across Europe, he is widely regarded as a “puppet” of Putin, a perception that recently forced him to take down a video calling for European assistance following the drone attack in Akrotiri. This triggered thousands of comments noting that, by his own logic, Cyprus should capitulate to the far stronger Iran, just as he proposes for Ukraine. Even Antigoni, our Eurovision representative, was compelled to hastily remove a video in which she danced with Fidias after intense backlash across Europe. Yet none of these developments were highlighted by any media outlet in Cyprus. It seems more important whether his fiancée will have cosmetic surgery or how he spent time in Dubai.
As a result, Mr. Panayiotou and the idea of “Direct Democracy” are not confronted in political terms, even though they are thoroughly political actors. The so-called serious journalists simply try to belittle a political leader whom, in reality, they themselves are helping to build. The same applies, for example, to ELAM, a party that will likely come third in the elections and shifts its positions like a weather vane. Even so, it has never been subjected to meaningful journalistic scrutiny regarding the policies it advocates, the proposals it lacks, or the fact that it mainly reacts without offering solutions.
The argument about Golden Dawn has run its course and no longer holds weight. Yet many journalists and programs still refuse to host and challenge ELAM under the normal political terms of a democracy, allowing it to grow unchecked. Substantive programs in prime time have all but disappeared, except when they revolve around polls or gossip. The public turns to podcasts to stay informed and to understand what each person actually stands for. Journalists sit in their offices waiting for news to come to them instead of seeking it out. They engage guests without preparation or research and rely instead on shallow talking points. Headlines are built from casual, offhand remarks, without investigation or verification.
Strong reactions become front-page news without any effort to examine whether they have substance. Reporters Without Borders ranked Cyprus second to last in Europe for press freedom, 77th globally.
This assessment may be subjective, but it highlights serious dysfunction within our media. Chief among these is their dependence on large, interconnected political and economic interests, which leads to the most troubling journalistic practice, self-censorship. This is especially evident in how traditional power figures are treated, including the President of the Republic and leaders of major parties. Consider the now forgotten “videogate.” Consider the fact that no journalist calls out a President who says one thing in the morning and another in the evening. Or the way politicians are treated completely differently for the same actions, depending on where they come from or which interests support them…
