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If Greece’s centre-right government has its way, vacationers heading to Greece could soon notice a change in the atmosphere on local radio, hotel lobbies and airport lounges.
Politicians in the Mediterranean country, which welcomed 32.7 million tourists in 2023, have drafted a bill that would impose a minimum quota for Greek music to be played in certain settings if required by law.
The measure requires that at least 45% of the music played on local radio stations and in public spaces such as hotel lobbies, casinos and shopping centers be in Greek.
In exchange for the Greek music acquisition, local radio stations will be given more time to air commercials.
Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni defended the bill, saying: “English music is almost imposed in a globalized environment.”
He added: “There are limits to the spread of Greek music.According to statistics, 30% of the music listened to is Greek music and 70% is foreign music.Based on our constitution, we have the right to protect the arts.” “I have an obligation to do so,” he added.
The bill, which has already been submitted for public consultation, also aims to ensure the “proliferation of the Greek language” and would require state-funded films and audiovisual content to include at least 70 percent Greek music. ing.
The bill being pushed by the Ministry of Culture may be a boon for Greek-language singers, songwriters and composers, but it has already caused anger in several industries.
The Panhellenic Hoteliers Federation warned that “companies would prefer to completely exclude music from common areas rather than comply with similar laws,” the Observer reported.
Kyriaki Marama, the shadow culture minister and former film and theater director, said the government had drafted the bill “very sloppily” and that young Greeks writing mainly in English to appeal to a wider audience They criticized the move as risking harm to some people in the industry, including artists. Audience, mainly composers of orchestral works.
Still, the bill has its supporters, who say it could have a positive impact in an era of thriving digital music streaming services and vast music copyrights.
And Luca Cazzeri, executive director of Edem, which protects the musical rights of authors and composers, advocates for the bill, which is already happening in other countries, including France.
She told the Observer: “The bottom line is that if we don’t protect the Grecophone repertoire and national music creators, they are at risk of extinction.” The expert, who is a former economy minister, added that this music may not exist in 10 years due to globalization and the fact that international platforms tend to push up the English repertoire.
Nevertheless, aware that the bill has attracted criticism, Mendoni said comments on the bill will be taken into account when developing a “final plan.”
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