Germany: Victory for media pluralism as DW reversed decision to abolish Greek-language service
On 18 September, the management of Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international public service broadcaster, reversed its decision to discontinue the Greek-language service. The service will continue in a reduced form from 1 January 2027. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) praise the joint efforts of their affiliates that fought to save the Greek service: POESY and its member unions JUADN, ESIEMTH and PEPU-ESPIT, the Union of Cyprus Journalists, the Deutscher Journalisten-Verband (DJV) and the German Journalists’ Union (dju) in ver.di. The Federations welcome this major victory for Greek audiences and for media pluralism across Europe. It prevents job losses and reinforces the fundamental role of public service media in informing the public.
The EFJ-IFJ welcome the decision by the DW Broadcasting Council to continue the Greek-language service, after DW announced in February 2026 that it would be abolished in January 2027. The Greek editorial team will be integrated into the new ‘Connect Europe’ department. DW plans to allocate around €400,000 a year to the Greek editorial team in future, compared with €700,000 in 2026.
The decision came after a broad coalition of organisations, including EFJ-IFJ affiliates, led a public information campaign on the importance of preserving the Greek service in times of political tension. The campaign involved high-level government officials and European journalists’ organisations.
“On 13 April 1964, the signal of Deutsche Welle’s Greek-language service was heard on shortwave radio for the first time. From that day until today, DW’s Greek service has been deeply associated in the minds of Greeks with the struggle against the dictatorship. The news of plans to shut down the Greek-language service mobilised the entire Greek journalistic community and many others all over Europe. In the end, an important victory for press freedom was achieved. DW reminded us of something very important: no voice is too small when many voices come together. And press freedom is not given to us. It is won and defended every day,” said Antonis Repanas, board member of ESIEMTH and member of the EFJ Steering Committee.
Maria Antoniadou, JUADN President and member of the IFJ Executive Committee, said: “The decision by Deutsche Welle’s management is truly momentous, as it reverses an initially unjust and unilateral decision and represents an important development for the future of the Greek-language service. This is a historic moment, particularly when we consider that our colleagues working at DW had already received notices of termination of their contracts as far back as May […].”
At the EFJ Annual Meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, last June, EFJ members from Greece and Germany and the Union of Cyprus Journalists tabled a resolution calling on the EFJ to take action to suspend Deutsche Welle’s decision and to express its solidarity with the service’s employees.
Renate Gensch, member of the Federal Executive Committee of the dju in ver.di, said: “We are delighted that the Deutsche Welle Broadcasting Council has reversed its decision from February and that the Greek editorial team will remain in place, albeit in a reduced form. This is also the result of our joint trade union efforts by dju in ver.di and our Greek colleagues from JUADN at an international level, as well as our colleagues at DW on the ground. […] We are happy that the editorial team is to be retained and that most colleagues will keep their jobs. Greek democracy in ancient Athens was, historically speaking, the oldest foundation for today’s democratic states. And democracy is more important today than ever, including for press freedom!”
After the German federal government decided to cut DW’s funding by €10 million in 2026, the broadcaster’s management adopted a drastic €21 million cost-cutting plan in February 2026. This major restructuring, which will have devastating consequences for programming and staffing, comes two years after a previous wave of cuts that had already saved around €20 million.
“We congratulate our affiliates in Greece, Cyprus and Germany on this victory. The Greek-language service is part of DW’s history and of Greece’s democratic memory. Its rescue shows what journalists’ unions can achieve when they stand together across borders. We now urge DW to make sure the reduced budget does not weaken the quality or independence of the service,” said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez.
DW is Germany’s international public service broadcaster. It provides independent news and information in 32 languages to around 291 million people worldwide on television, radio and online.
