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Religions and the media

Religious presence in the media

Constitutionally the Republic of Cyprus is a secular state. This does not prevent public television channels and radio stations to present daily statements and opinions of representatives of the Church of Cyprus.

Apart from the presence of the Church in Cyprus’ public broadcaster [Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)], the Church of Cyprus was the first institution to establish a private broadcasting station in 1991, under the name "O Logos" (The Word). Since 1999, "Logos TV" transmits under the heading of "MEGA", following successive collaboration with Greece’s MEGA Channel. Even though the Church of Cyprus is one of the major shareholders of MEGA, the channel does not broadcast religious television programs. To date, the Church of Cyprus continues to monitor the radio station "Logos"; the program includes a wide range of topics but these are not necessarily religious. The radio station also transmits its program online via MEGA TV Cyprus’ website.

In print form, the Church of Cyprus, with the provision of the Archbishop Chrysostomos II and the Holy Synod, publishes the journal ‘Apostolos Varnavas’. Recent issues of the journal can be accessed online via the Church’s official website.

The State’s Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) is regulated by laws that prevent racism, xenophobia and discrimination, “ensuring the provision of public service broadcasting with impartial attention and respect to the interests and sensitivities of religious groups” (Article 19 .1 of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation Law). Based on this, religious associations of the Republic’s religious minorities do not own a radio or TV station, but the state’s CyBC regularly broadcasts TV & radio programs with special reference to them. With respect to the three officially recognized religious groups, since 2001 the Maronite community has been publishing a printed monthly newspaper, under the name ‘Maronite Press’. The newspaper can also be accessed online. There is no information available about the other two religious groups publishing their own newspaper.

D 11 December 2014    AEleonora Kyriakou

CNRS Unistra Dres Gsrl

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