After more than sixty years of uninterrupted service, Deutsche Welle (DW) is set to discontinue its Greek-language programming. According to an announcement from the German international broadcaster, Greek will be fully removed from its lineup on 1 January 2027. Notably, this is the only one of DW’s 32 language services facing termination.

The decision is part of a broader cost-cutting package totaling €21 million that DW must implement in 2026. The reduction stems from a €10 million cut in the federal grant, combined with an additional €11 million budget shortfall.

“It was a brutal, surprising, completely wrong decision,” commented staff upon hearing the news. Reactions were immediate and intense, not only within DW but also across journalistic, political, and expatriate communities. For employees of the Greek service—many of whom have immigrant backgrounds—the decision cannot be justified by economics alone. They argue that it carries “serious journalistic, political, and symbolic implications,” potentially weakening one of the most important channels of dialogue between Greece and Germany.

DW Management Statement

A DW spokesperson explained: “The Greek-language service of DW will be interrupted. This service provided independent information to the public in Greece, even during the military dictatorship. It was a key channel for dialogue during the euro crisis, conveying German perspectives to the Greek public. Greece is a stable democracy and a long-standing EU member, which is why DW must make cuts here.”

Barbara Massing, DW’s Director General, described the cuts as “extremely painful” and stressed that reductions in state funding undermine DW’s competitiveness. She said:

“The savings necessitated by state cuts, combined with a lack of compensation for agreed collective wage increases, are extremely painful. They weaken our competitiveness at a time when a strong German and European presence is increasingly important geopolitically. At the same time, we will continue to advance DW’s quality and digital transformation initiatives, albeit more slowly. DW is widely regarded as a trusted and independent source of information, both in censored markets and in countries where Germany is building strategic partnerships. Sustainable funding is vital for fulfilling our journalistic mandate in a highly competitive global information space.”

Limited Economic Impact

The financial savings from ending the Greek program are relatively small. Spyros Moskovos, who led DW’s Greek editorial team for nearly 25 years and is now senior editor of DW’s European editorial team, notes that the closure would save only about €700,000 annually—negligible in DW’s €400 million budget. “It’s a question of will, not economics,” he said. Greek editorial staff echoed this view, emphasizing that the savings represent only 0.2% of DW’s total budget.

Shock and Reactions Among Staff

The announcement came as a surprise to the Greek editorial team. “They simply told us on a Wednesday that the program was closing. How can one of the most important European languages be cut when Greece is on the EU’s external border?” asked one staff member. Colleagues from other language services have shown solidarity—“especially from the Turkish service”—but also fear they could be next.

Long-serving journalist Irini Anastasopoulou, with 40 years in the Greek program, criticized the decision as based purely on economic factors, ignoring the program’s historical and geopolitical significance. She remarked:

“DW is not just a media product; it’s a tool of Germany’s public diplomacy. At a time when Europe faces multiple crises, the presence of a credible international medium is critical. Greece and Cyprus, as EU and NATO members, play vital roles in migration and energy issues. Southeastern Europe cannot be treated as low-priority.”

Staff also noted that the Greek program’s reports have historically been independent, objective, and free from local political or economic influence.

Impact on Staff

Fourteen employees and six correspondents are directly affected, though protections and compensation vary due to different contracts. Overall, around 160 full-time positions across DW are expected to feel the impact.

Reactions from Greece and Germany have been immediate. Letters of protest are piling up, petitions are circulating, and citizen mobilization could potentially prompt parliamentary review if 30,000 signatures are collected.

Digital Growth of the Greek Program

Ironically, the Greek program is not declining; it has experienced significant growth, particularly online. Web traffic increased 400% in the past year, and the program has successfully engaged younger audiences via platforms like TikTok. All videos are subtitled for accessibility, making the Greek program a model for DW’s other services.

A Six-Decade Legacy

Founded in 1953, DW is Germany’s international broadcaster, headquartered in Bonn and Berlin. Broadcasting in 32 languages, it reaches a global audience via television, radio, and digital platforms, employing approximately 1,668 staff and over 4,000 contributors from 140 nationalities. Its mission is to convey German and European perspectives while promoting independent journalism and democratic values.

DW’s Greek program has been historically significant. During the 1960s and 1970s, when Greek media was censored, it provided an alternative source of information. Moskovos emphasizes:

“DW’s Greek broadcast is a self-contained chapter of 20th-century radio history. During the dictatorship, it fulfilled the role that silenced Greek media could not. For many Greeks, DW symbolized Germany’s first positive investment in Greece since the war.”

Impact on Greek-German Dialogue

The closure risks undermining decades of Greek-German journalistic and cultural dialogue. Anastasopoulou warns:

“DW has always been a bridge—conveying German perspectives to Greece and Greek realities to Germany. Losing this channel creates a dangerous vacuum. In today’s era of fake news and attacks on the press, professional journalists are indispensable.”

Moskovos adds that maintaining the program is crucial for bilateral relations, historical memory, and the symbolic value of Germany’s engagement with Greece.

Looking Ahead

Despite the official announcement, staff remain hopeful. Moskovos believes the situation could be reviewed in the coming months and expresses cautious optimism: “By April, we may know whether there is a chance to reverse the decision.”

The debate over DW’s Greek program transcends journalism, touching on public media’s role, international information dissemination, and the importance of language in global communication. As employees note, “Closing a medium with 60 years of history is like killing a living organization. The Greek DW program is more than a language service—it is part of European journalistic history.”

The link to the petition for collecting signatures is HERE