Issues and Challenges Facing the Greek Regional Press: Fight for Survival

Abstract

Over the past decade in Greece, over 130 regional newspapers are no longer being printed and therefore have ceased their publication. As a consequence, publishers/owners, journalists, and editors have expressed their concerns about the future of local newspapers and have become increasingly pessimistic regarding the business future of the Greek regional press. This study strongly focuses on the various challenges and complex difficulties they have to face and overcome in order to retain their validity and credibility, seeing that the viability of their business is declining significantly. Along with its scientifically substantiated research, which are conducted through a questionnaire, a sample of 176 employees (publishers/owners, journalists, and editors) is examined out of the total of 199 local newspapers that are being legally printed today in the country (111 daily and 88 weekly releases). The main point of emphasis is to showcase and highlight the personal experiences and opinions of the people that are working in the industry, justifying and analyzing the dangers and risks that are threatening the future of local print media. The presentation and the evaluation of its results show negative and frustrating insights that can potentially lead to an uncertain future in the coming years. By combining both the negative responses of the participants and their low level of satisfaction regarding the government’s efforts and support measures, a clear conclusion is drawn that the Greek regional press is fighting for its survival. It seems probable that, in the upcoming future, even more regional newspapers will suspend their circulation.

1. Introduction

This study aims to provide a clear and comprehensive presentation of the current business model in the Greek regional press and to analyze of the continuous and major problems that have been systematically reducing the number of local newspapers in Greece. The regional press has always been vital and played a crucial role across the general media landscape, providing relevant information and localized news to provincial and specific regions and communities around the globe. Local media outlets such as regional newspapers focus on certain topics that are usually overlooked by the national media. Furthermore, local newspapers have traditionally been seen as a valuable source of information, particularly for those who are not interested in international or national news. This type of briefing helped to maintain a diachronic and timeless connection between local communities and their respective environments, creating a sense of regional engagement and identity. As indicated by Brown and Berry (2021, pp. 153–172), local and regional newspapers “offer a space for community dialogue, encouraging civic participation and providing a platform for local voices.”

Although provincial print media outlets mostly tend to cover community-based topics, stories, and often smaller headlines, this local reporting has been significantly influencing public opinion by highlighting issues that are directly impacting the daily lives of citizens. These elements have contributed to the regional press becoming one of the most essential pillars of today’s democratic system, especially when its political core was heavily polarized. In addition, one of the most distinctive characteristics of the regional press is its ability to prioritize and focus on hyper-local topics. For instance, local newspapers usually present reports and updates on educational foundations, cultural events, local businesses, and even minor subjects that are not so relevant and important on a national scale. This particular style of coverage and type of reporting is very vital for promoting a feeling of local connection and fostering a sense of community pride. According to Smith and Thompson (2020, pp. 102–116), this localized pattern of the regional press “helps communities engage with issues that directly impact their lives, rather than feeling alienated from distant, more generalized news coverage”.

On the contrary, despite its importance and significance, the regional press has been dealing with several challenging difficulties and complications while facing significant challenges in recent times. The advent and rapid rise of digital media and online platforms have drastically and dramatically changed the consumption of news and information. Consequently, more and more readers have been turning to online and digital sources of information and updates on regional and provincial happenings rather than relying on the traditional local newspapers. This shift has led to a significant decline in their print circulation and overall revenues and earnings. Research by Harris (2019) suggested that the abovementioned decline in the industry of local newspapers has been exacerbated by “the increasing dominance of digital platforms that are able to deliver news in real-time, often free of charge”. This particular situation has put even more pressure on regional publishers, who have been forced either to reduce staff or to cut down on local reporting. These factors resulted in a further loss of quality and resources. Furthermore, the financial viability of these local print outlets has become a major concern. Nowadays, they are struggling to compete with the commercial and marketing incomes formed and generated by the larger international and national platforms that have consistently been providing expanded and broader coverage to much larger audiences. In numerous instances, regional newspapers have been forced to rely on digital subscriptions, but even that has not proven enough to counter their overall earnings decline and financial losses. A study by Johnston (2020, pp. 78–93) demonstrates how “local newspapers are at risk of becoming irrelevant unless they adapt their business models to the changing media landscape, which often means shifting to a more digital-centric approach”.

Despite these challenges, there is still hope for the future of the regional press, as many local newspapers have been adopting a digital profile by offering their online subscribers and readers new and innovative ways to keep them engaged and informed. In the view of Gabbie (2022), “local press outlets that have successfully pivoted to digital platforms are seeing increased engagement and are expanding their reach beyond traditional geographical limits”. This flexibility has allowed regional press outlets to retain their relevance by reaching and engaging younger audiences, while continuing to meet the needs of their communities and serve the citizens. As regional newspapers face these complex and growing challenges, it is necessary that citizens, journalists, and governments should work as one to ensure the survival of regional journalism. As stated by Davis (2018), the overall decline of the regional press industry presents “serious threats to democratic participation, as it diminishes the ability of local communities to hold power to account”. The three most common and useful purposes of research are to expand, describe, and interpret (Babbie, 2007).

This article aims to explore the business landscape of Greek regional newspapers, identify and analyze the challenges they encounter, and evaluate their potential for long-term sustainability. This study examines perspectives and aspects of the Greek regional press that have not been adequately evaluated in recent years. All its data and information were gathered throughout the entire country, across every provincial city, presenting valuable findings and results in reference to the overall image of the daily and weekly local press in Greece. In addition, it reminds the reader how much of an impact these historically significant local newspapers have in order to maintain their identity and social profile in each regional unit.

Furthermore, the article presents the various ways that their owners and publishers have adapted during this period in order to confront and overcome financial crises, business obstacles, and any other difficulties within the industry. Additionally, one of the main goals and purposes of its research was to present certain findings that adequately justify the perspective that the regional press of Greece is indeed at risk while also highlighting some proposed solutions and methods that can help the industry rise above this crisis. The methodology of the research establishes clear directions and objectives while showcasing the small amount of help and measures that the Greek government has taken so far in order to drastically and meaningfully support the industry of the local newspapers in Greece. Publishers have been asking strongly for more supportive actions from the government in order to create and ensure a more high-quality, financially viable, and economically secure future.

Based on its publication frequency, the Greek regional press is classified into three major categories: daily, weekly, and monthly. This research focuses on and analyzes the two most important editions, the daily and the weekly. The importance of the regional and local press is highlighted by its role in creating (Panagiotopoulou, 2004) a local public sphere that concerns all members of the respective society. This characteristic allows us to use the term “community communication” (Panagiotopoulou, 2004), as it refers to the shaping of communication and the creation of a common framework within a community. Specifically, the concept of a newspaper refers to any printed publication that is issued daily or at least once a month and includes material of political and social interest such as news, current affairs commentary, announcements, and advertisements (Karakostas, 2012).

Regional media are the agents that transmit information to the most geographically, politically, and socially remote areas, functioning as essential axes for recording the cultural traditions and languages of the societies they cover in a manner that is more substantive and direct than that of central communication agents (Demertzis & Skamnakis, 2000). Just like any other local news, Greek print media closely examine, reflect, and monitor the various topics and perspectives of each region they follow, showcasing and informing the people of the most important happenings and stories of the locality (municipality). They keep a responsible stance, and therefore, they comment and criticize current local news, making them known across the country. Also, the readership, trust, and support of the public all are earned due to the fact that they prioritize emphasizing regional happenings.

As Karyotis (2018) states, these print media outlets played a pivotal role in shaping democratic participation and local identity, and these newspapers were central to local identity and democratic participation, presenting and providing an alternative to the centralized media system. According to Xenos (2016), these types of outlets of the regional press contributed majorly to the local social movements and political campaigns. The free press constitutes the most important precondition of the democratic system (Antonopoulos, 1965). As a result, its importance, significance, and weight all shape democratic societies to a large extent. The press aims to facilitate the circulation of ideas among society members and to inform them on issues of broader public interest (Krippas, 1972).

Local newspapers in Greece continue to serve and fulfill their essential function and primary role of educating and informing local communities and their populations. This tactic and approach has helped them distinguish themselves from other, larger-scale media outlets and platforms that prioritize national-level concerns, topics, and issues (Koutsou, 2017). Their clear focus and mission must be to critically examine all without bias or distinction. Until now, the Greek regional press has been one of the most powerful and impactful tools for scrutinizing any form of authority, while at the same time preventing its abuse. Several international studies have shown that the local media can have a crucial role in holding authorities accountable and empowering communities while also promoting transparency (Benson & Neveu, 2005). The same applies for the local press in Greece, due to the fact that the country’s regional newspapers contribute to the democratic process in various and different ways: they disseminate information about local events and government decisions while also influencing the public opinion (Chadwick, 2017).

2. Materials and Methods

To analyze and access the impact of contemporary challenges on the regional press in Greece, a quantitative method was structured, which involved the collection and statistical analysis of numerical data (Apuke, 2017).

It should also be noted and highlighted that some of the research data presented and identified below are related to statistical quality control. The research tool that was used for the implementation of this study, and therefore its data analysis and collection, was the questionnaire, through the Google Drive platform. The questionnaire is a fundamental tool for collecting quantitative data. It allows for the systematic collection of data in a standardized manner, making their analysis easier (Roopa & Rani, 2012).

Regarding this particular research and its supplementary materials, the questionnaire that was created and structured consists of a total of twenty-five questions (all of which were formed by the author, based on the current state of the Greek regional press) categorized into two distinct and separate sections (general, individual, and professional information; regional journalism and local newspapers). It was implemented with (1) short-answer types (“Yes/No”), (2) scale measurement questions (“Very dissatisfied”, “Dissatisfied”, “Neutral”, Satisfied”, “Very satisfied” and “Very low impact”, “Low impact”, “Moderate impact”, “High impact”, “Very high impact”), and (3) closed-ended items. Regarding the scale measurement questions, three different factors were used: quantitative measurement, frequency of occurrence, and satisfaction level. The first part of the study’s questionnaire consists of eight (introductory) fields, asking mainly demographic questions (gender, age, educational history, type of employment), whether the regional newspaper that they are working for has also a digital edition (website), its print outlet circulation, work experience, and their basic position held in the media they work for. These supplementary materials offer additional insights and specific details about the structure of the questionnaire.

The second part of the study’s questionnaire counts a total of seventeen questions that are focused more specifically on the regional newspaper’s business and working environment. This section asks such things as whether the participants are members of various and different unions of the regional press in Greece across the whole country and, if so, how often they attend their conferences. The next two questions emphasize the participants’ satisfaction levels in relation to the state support by the Greek government for the local press sector and business in general, and whether these measures are sufficient enough for the financial viability and business sustainability of the industry in the foreseeable future. Adding on, the following three questions are directly related to the content and structure of the Greek local newspapers, evaluating the participants’ views and perspectives on their quality appearance, print content looks, and frequency of circulation.

Furthermore, five increasingly significant factors that have been impacting Greek regional journalism throughout the past two decades are analyzed and examined (financial crisis, crisis in the profession of journalism, crisis in the publishing industry, other credibility issues, and the overall decline in readership habits). The last section of the research begins with the participants’ views on the degree to which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Greek regional press sector in general. It concludes with two additional questions concerning the sustainability of the local press and its future, dealing with the number of newspapers that the participants expect would still continue to be published and circulated in the next decade in the country.

All the relevant and related data were initially compiled and accordingly organized in a database in Microsoft Excel. Then, all the details and data were appropriately coded and converted into a new multivariate statistical database in the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, IBM SPSS Statistics 25) software program. SPSS was chosen to model, examine, evaluate, analyze, and therefore present this study’s key findings, being one of the most widely used and scientifically distributed software in modern statistics for data simplification and analysis.

A thorough analysis of the data was carried out by documenting and clarifying the business industry of the Greek regional press during the specific time period. Primarily, descriptive statistical analyses were performed that involved the distribution of relevant frequencies and the use of cross-tabulation methodology, which were both aimed to statistically correlate and link variables.

3. Results

3.1. Description of the Sample and Population

The sample consisted of 176 employees in the regional press sector in Greece (owners, publishers, editors, and journalists) from a total of 199 local editions (111 daily and 88 weekly) that are legally published and circulated in various regions of the country. In terms of demographic data, the following factors were examined: gender, age, educational background, job position, corresponding website, circulation frequency, work experience, and finally, job employment. As shown schematically below (

Table 1. Sex.

Sex	Valid Percent %
Male	65.9
Female	34.1
Total	100.0

), out of the 176 participants, 116 were men (65.9%) and the remaining 60 were women (34.1%).

Furthermore, regarding their age (

Table 2. Age.

Age	Valid Percent %
20–40	19.9
40–60	65.3
Over 60	14.8
Total	100.0

), 35 of the participants were between the ages of 20 and 40 (19.9%), 115 were between 40 and 60 (65.3%), and the remaining 26 were over 60 years old (14.8%).

In regards to their educational history (

Table 3. Education.

Education	Valid Percent %
University degree	42.0
Master’s degree	19.9
Doctoral dissertation	1.1
None of the above	36.9
Total	100.0

), the distribution of the highest educational qualifications was as follows: 74 had only a university degree (42%), 35 also had a master’s degree (19.9%), and only 2 participants held a doctoral dissertation (1.1%).

In terms of their job positions (

Table 4. Job position.

Job Position	Valid Percent %
Journalist	40.5
Editor	9.2
Owner/publisher	28.3
Combination of the above	18.5
Other	3.5
Total	100.0

) through which they represented the Greek local newspapers, the responses were categorized as shown below: 70 described themselves as journalists (40.5%), 16 as editors (9.2%), 49 were owners/publishers (28.3%), and the remaining 32 participants had a combined role (18.5%).

Concerning the existence of corresponding websites (

Table 5. Corresponding website.

Corresponding Website	Valid Percent %
Yes	84.7
No	15.3
Total	100.0

) for the local print outlets, 149 responses indicated that the newspapers had an online presence (84.7%), while the remaining 27 operated solely as print media (15.3%).

In reference to the frequency of publication (

Table 6. Frequency of publication.

Frequency of Publication	Valid Percent %
Daily	48.3
Weekly	43.8
Daily and weekly	5.7
Other	2.3
Total	100.0

), daily editions distinguished among the number of total responses with 85 (48.3%), followed by the weekly outlets with 77 (43.8%). Only 10 newspapers (5.7%) were published both daily and weekly.

Furthermore, pertaining to their work span of experience in the industry (

Table 7. Job experience.

Work of Experience	Valid Percent %
Less than 1 year	1.1
1–4 years	7.4
5–10 years	8.5
10–20 years	29.0
Over 20 years	54.0
Total	100.0

), the responses of the study’s participants are summarized in detail below: the highest percentages had been in the industry (95) for more than 20 years (54%), followed by those (51) with 10 to 20 years of experience (29%), 15 of the younger colleagues with 5 to 10 years of experience (8.5%), and last but not least, they were followed by those who had minimal and extremely limited experience in the industry (1 to 4 years, 7.4% and less than 1 year, 1.1%).

Concluding the first section with the demographic questions, the type of employment (

Table 8. Type of employment.

	Valid Percent %
Permanent	88.0
Part-time	10.8
Other	1.2
Total	100.0

) of the participants with the media organization they work for was examined. It was observed that the vast majority (147) were part of the permanent staff of local newspapers (88%), while the corresponding percentage of external collaborators (18) was much smaller (10.8%).

3.2. Data Evaluation and Analysis

After establishing the key points and introductory elements of the study’s database based on the participants’ primary demographic, personal, and professional data, the study continues with a statistical presentation about the main challenges that the Greek regional press is facing in the current era. Initially, the results that were derived and presented from the questionnaires’ analysis were followed by a statistical correlation and structural connection of the data. Out of the total 176 responses that were given by the local press representatives who completed the questionnaire, 97.2% were members of a regional union/association (

Table 9. Regional press associations in Greece.

Regional Press Associations	Valid Percent %
Union of owners of regional press (Ε.Ι.Ε.Τ.)	23.4
Union of owners of daily regional newspapers (E.I.H.E.E.)	8.8
Association of daily regional newspapers (S.H.P.E.)	11.7
Union of the regional press of Greece (E.P.T.E.)	14.0
Union of journalists of Macedonia-Thrace (E.S.I.E.M.-Th.)	4.7
Union of journalists of Thessaly, Central Greece, and Evia (E.S.I.E.T.H.S.-E.)	4.1
Union of journalists of daily newspapers of Peloponnese, Epirus, and the Islands (E.S.I.E.P.I.N.)	16.4
Union of journalists of periodical and electronic press (E.S.P.I.T.)	3.5
Other	13.5
Total	100.0

), with 77.6% of them actively following their actions and participating in their organized conferences and meetings (

Table 10. Participating in activities.

Participating in Activities	Valid Percent %
Yes	77.6
No	22.4
Total	100.0

).

A meaningful point of this section was to assess respondents’ views on the Greek government’s support for and recognition of the local press (

Table 11. Crediting the value of the local press.

Crediting the Value of the Local Press	Valid Percent %
Yes	25.1
No	74.9
Total	100.0

). The greater part of participants was negatively inclined toward the state (74.9%). As for the sufficiency of the current measures, 44.6% of the respondents found them insufficient, while 34.9% noted minimal impact, 16% expressed moderate sufficiency, and just 4.5% outlined high levels of approval. The full and comprehensive date are displayed in Table 11 and

Table 12. Level of adequacy for regional press sustainability.

Level of Satisfaction for Regional Press Sustainability	Valid Percent %
Very dissatisfied	44.6
Dissatisfied	34.9
Neutral	16.0
Satisfied	1.1
Very satisfied	3.4
Total	100.0

.

Three topics were grouped for the next phase of the study, in relation to the degree of satisfaction the representatives working in the Greek local print media had for

• The value of information provided by the newspapers in their area;
• Their print quality and overall appearance;
• Their circulation frequency.

The extensive and detailed results of their correlation and connection are illustrated in the table below (

Table 13. Level of satisfaction for value of information, overall appearance, and frequency of circulation.

Level of Satisfaction for:
Valid Percent %	Information	Appearance	Circulation
Very dissatisfied	2.3	4.5	2.9
Dissatisfied	10.2	12.5	9.1
Neutral	26.7	32.4	19.4
Satisfied	35.2	34.1	28.6
Very satisfied	25.6	16.5	40.0
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

):

In addition, participants were required to choose at least three of their preferred topics in terms of their printed content and publications, among the following six available:

• Job listings;
• Political content;
• Social content;
• Advertisements;
• Cultural content;
• Sports content.

The overall data of their opinions, as recorded, are shown in detail and are categorized below (

Table 14. Preferred content for publication.

Preferred Content for Publication	Valid Percent %
Lob listings	17.0
Political content	16.5
Social content	68.8
Advertisements	85.8
Cultural content	30.7
Sports content	60.2

):

Further, the representatives of the local print media in Greece had to give their personal views and takes on the degree of impact that some of the most challenging and complex modern-day issues had on the business industry of the press (

Table 15. Degree of impact from complex modern-day challenges.

	Degree of Impact from:
Valid Percent %	Financial Crisis	Crisis in Journalism	Crisis in the Industry	Reputation Issues	Decline in Readership
Very low impact	1.7	4.1	1.2	9.0	2.3
Low impact	2.9	7.6	8.4	17.4	3.5
Moderate impact	7.5	17.6	23.5	22.8	17.0
High impact	24.1	37.1	33.1	26.3	26.9
Very high impact	63.8	33.5	33.7	24.6	50.3
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

). More specifically, they were asked to consider obstacles such as the financial crisis that has been troubling the whole country for the past fifteen years, the crisis in the journalism profession and in the publishing industry, general trustworthiness and integrity issues, and at last, the overall decline in readership that has been increasing significantly in recent years. Their responses are sorted and segmented below.

Similarly, another major and contemporary challenge that the local print industry in Greece had to overcome was the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the fact that the pandemic impacted the Greek regional press considerably and extensively, this research determined that it should be included in its analysis (

Table 16. COVID-19’s level of impact.

COVID-19’s Level of Impact	Valid Percent %
Very low impact	8.0
Low impact	9.7
Moderate impact	26.3
High impact	22.9
Very high impact	33.1
Total	100.0

). The majority of the responses confirmed the substantial effect.

One of the most important topics that this research aimed to analyze, examine, and highlight was the personal opinion of the respondents regarding the future of the regional press in Greece in the next decade (

Table 17. The future of the Greek regional press in the next decade.

The Future Is Considered to Be:	Valid Percent %
Negative and discouraging	92.6
Promising and bright	7.4
Total	100.0

). More precisely, they were asked to submit and express their honest thoughts on how they envision the coming years within the industry. The overwhelming majority and dominant portion of the participants were revealed to be frustratingly pessimistic. Over 90% consider the future of the regional press industry in Greece to be at a great risk, while only a very small number stay hopeful and positive.

Another key point, which was the final topic issued by the research questionnaire and is also very relevant to the future of the industry, was to review the overall opinions of the respondents regarding the potential decrease in publication over a twenty-year span across the country (

Table 18. Estimation regarding a potential decrease in circulation in the next twenty years.

In the Next Twenty Years the Number of Local Newspapers in Greece Will Be:	Valid Percent %
Noticeably fewer	61.4
Fewer	33.5
Equivalent to today	4.0
Increased	1.1
Total	100.0

). Similar to the previous analysis, the local press representatives in Greece expressed a really frustrating and worrying aspect of their personal thoughts, highlighting the gravity and scale of challenges faced by the regional press in the modern era. In particular, their answers indicated that over 90% of their workforce strongly believes that in the coming years, the number of local newspapers will be reduced.

3.3. Test of Independence

In order to better examine and analyze the results of this research, it was necessary to interpret its data with the use of a statistical method based on the dependence of the variables that were previewed and evaluated. Therefore, a Chi-square (χ²) test of independence was selected to be conducted in order to correlate even further the qualitative data that were displayed. This widely known and extensively used statistical test examines whether two different, categorical variables are associated with or independent of each other, comparing the overall observed frequencies by grouping them into a contingency table of statistical significance (Field, 2013). It calculates the squared differences of the examined variables by summing both their observed and expected frequencies, divided by the latter (Agresti, 2018).

To conclude, if the computed data of statistics exceed a critical value given from the Chi-square (χ²) table of distribution, then the null hypothesis of independence between the variables is rejected, implying a notable statistical dependency among them (Moore et al., 2017). This particular method is very useful and is commonly adopted in relative areas of research, such as marketing, medical studies, and social sciences, where writers are usually interested in apprehending the level of association among categorical variables (Bishop et al., 1975). In the test’s first phase of data examination, the statistical correlation between the participants’ opinion about the future of the Greek regional press over the next decade and whether its significance and role are validated and appreciated by the government was tested (

Table 19. Correlation between the future of regional press and its value recognition by the government.

Frequencies	The Future Appears to Be:
Is Its Overall Contribution Appreciated?	Promising	Worrying	Total
Yes	6	38	44
No	6	125	131
Total	12	163	175

).

Overall, from the 176 responses given by the participants, only 38 of them express satisfaction pertaining the industry’s recognition by the government, although they consider the future of the regional press to be ominous over the next decade. Further, 125 participants, regarding the sector’s foreseeable future, did not recognize any major acceptance and acknowledgement of their work by the state. At the same time, those who appear to be optimistic are split in half, while some are wavering on whether their personal efforts are appreciated by the Greek polity.

Comparing these two variables and correlating them even more through the Chi-square test of independence, results show that there is no statistical difference because the corresponding coefficient (the p-value) is greater than 50% (0.40 > 0.05). In conclusion, this means that whether or not the Greek government is validating the role and importance of the local press in the modern era does not statistically differ from the respondents’ takes on what will happen within the industry over the coming years.

In conclusion, for the last topic of this section, it was determined to compare the viability of the overall regional press industry and its future in the coming years in relation to the level of support provided by the various state and government programs and schemes, according to the participants. Like in the previous analysis, these two variables were linked and compared under the same statistical correlation model and method. The results that were collected from the responses were grouped and categorized as follows (

Table 20. Correlation between the future of the regional press and the level of sufficiency of government support programs.

Frequencies	The Future Appears to Be:
Sufficiency of Support	Promising	Worrying	Total
Very Low	4	74	78
Low	3	58	61
Medium	2	26	28
High	0	2	2
Very high	3	3	6
Total	12	163	175

).

As is clearly displayed and highlighted from the majority of the responses, the most negative and pessimistic views dominated this section. Of the respondents, 74 reported minimal state support while being worried about the future of the industry. These concerns were especially highlighted and particularly evident in responses and comments about the absence of financial stability and government involvement. Of the respondents who were not optimistic about the coming years, 58 cited a low level of state support as a key factor contributing to their pessimism. An additional 26 participants working in the Greek local press that did not express certainty over a brighter future reported neutral levels of satisfaction, suggesting and indicating some ambivalence and uncertainty about the support received. In summary, as the corresponding coefficient is less than 50% (coefficient < 50% 0.01 < 0.05), these two variables are statistically dependent, and therefore, the level of optimism that the workers of the regional press in Greece have shown regarding the future of the industry is influenced by the different levels of sufficiency from the overall state support that is provided.

4. Discussion

This study highlights and reveals the importance the severe struggles and various difficulties encountered by Greek regional newspapers, primarily driven by their financial decline, the shift to digital, and the lack of adequate state support. A key finding of this research is the significant decline in print circulation, as many local print media outlets in Greece focus on digital-only formats. This aligns with the findings of Harris (2019), who suggests that the regional newspapers, both in Europe and the U.S., have been experiencing major financial challenges due to the rapid and uncontrollable growth of the free digital news. Nonetheless, the current situation in the Greek regional press appears to be more critical and dire, as many newspapers are either decreasing their publication frequency or closing down altogether, in contrast to the relatively better outcomes seen in other European markets such as Germany (Gabbie, 2022).

Additionally, another major concern raised in the study is the limited support and recognition that the business area has been receiving from the Greek government. An alarming 75% of the participants reported that their contributions and efforts are insufficiently validated by the public sector. This supports Johnston’s (2020) research that outlines the difficulties that local newspapers have been facing in securing additional state aid in many other European countries. However, while Johnston addresses the wider European concern, this study emphasizes the particular underfunding and vulnerability of the provincial press in Greece, especially when compared with other nations, where public sources and government support have been more substantial (e.g., Scandinavian countries or the U.K.).

Moreover, the transition to digital media platforms, while offering and providing some opportunities for engagement, has been proven insufficient to offset the financial losses faced by the Greek local newspapers. This mirrors the assertion that the provincial papers are struggling to remain relevant in the digital era (Brown & Berry, 2021). While the study acknowledges Gabbie’s (2022) optimism regarding digital transition, it emphasizes the complex barriers faced by the Greek outlets, such as lower digital subscription rates, especially among older and rural populations, as also pointed out by Koutsou (2017).

Ultimately, the findings of this research stress the urgent need for state intervention and a revaluation of the current business model for the Greek regional press. As Davis (2018) observes, the decline of local journalism threatens democratic participation, and the data analysis presented in this study reflect this threat to regional political and civic engagement. Xenos (2016) further underscores the importance of regional media outlets in creating and shaping a local identity, a role that is now endangered due to the ongoing crisis.

5. Conclusions

To begin with, it should be noted and reminded that the total number of the participants representing the Greek regional newspapers who shared their thoughts and views through the questionnaire is very satisfactory (almost 90%) in relation to the overall count of the print local media outlets that are currently being published in Greece. As a result, the findings and conclusions highlighted and displayed after the completion of the related questionnaire demonstrate in a scientifically sufficient way the ongoing and contemporary state of the Greek regional press. The main focus and aim of this article were to outline and showcase in depth the current challenges and dangers that are threatening the industry, while synchronously emphasizing the potential consequences and effects for the years to come.

As evidently shown and indicated by the responses of the research participants, the future of the local press in Greece is in great danger. Back in 2007, the General Secretariat for Information in Greece conducted a similar survey in order to list the overall number of legal regional newspapers that were in circulation. It was more than double than what it is today. This means that more than 100 local print media outlets have ceased publication or suspended their publication, while a significant number of others have been reduced to weekly publication, and even more have maintained an online presence only (website). At the same time, there are also high risks involved in any new publishing attempt within the industry in Greece.

Moreover, another major element is the significant reduction in the regional newspapers’ revenues. These funding channels and sources can be categorized into four main sections: newspaper sales (via subscribers and sales points), advertising revenues (either from private or public sources), earnings from mandatory state publications, and private publications (social events and announcements, among others). Over the recent years, there has been a considerable profit and income decrease in all of these different categories. The key points discussed thus far can also be associated and linked to many results and findings from the questionnaire. To begin with, for the respondents’ views and opinions on whether they think and believe that the overall value and worth of the regional press in Greece are actually recognized and validated by the government, their responses were notably negative. An overwhelming 75% indicated that the overall contribution within the industry is not acknowledged by the Greek state.

Furthermore, they particularly criticized measures and actions taken by the government to support their working sector, implying that they are practically insufficient and therefore cannot prevent the various threats from impacting the future of the industry. Less than 5% of the total workforce that took part in the questionnaire showed neutral satisfaction. Adding on, the existing unions and associations of the different areas in the country that were presented in detail in a previous section of this article have been consistently seeking and asking for differentiated, enhanced, and improved general support and working conditions. However, they have yet to see these demands and requests granted, or even their proposals and conditions to be met. More specifically, they have been pursuing and asking for the permanent establishment of mandatory state publications (in both weekly and daily newspapers) in order to boost their financial and economic status, but with no result.

At the same time, the skyrocketing increase in expenses of their main services and products (printing costs, paper prices, distribution, and energy), along with the significant collapse of their income sources, have put the Greek local press at its worst point of the recent years. The complex challenges and risks that have been impacting the industry in the modern era (financial crisis) have been around for many years, while newer ones that emerged more recently (the COVID-19 pandemic and readership crisis) made things even worse for the newspapers. Based on the opinions expressed by the respondents, the prevailing opinion among the representatives of the Greek regional press is that the government operates with a complete lack of attention and concern, creating a regime of utter indifference. Despite the fact that the publishers and owners have been consistently and urgently asking for measures to ensure their businesses’ viability, a solution has yet to be found in order to address their debts and settle their financial obligations. It is also worth noting that the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in the reduction in the newspapers’ incomes and revenues, as implied by the responses of the participants.

Moreover, their responses regarding the future of the industry over the next ten years are extremely frustrating and worrying, confirming that the Greek regional press is at a critical juncture, as it is literally fighting for its survival. A staggering 95% of the participants think that the number of local newspapers in the foreseeable future will certainly decrease, while the overwhelming majority (over 90%) insists that the future looks ominous and grim. Lastly, in relation to the statistical correlation and connection between the sufficiency of the state measures and the future of the industry, this research drew an interesting conclusion: as examined and outlined in the previous section of the results, there is indeed a statistical dependence among these two variables. Consequently, the future of the regional press in Greece is heavily impacted by and directly dependent on the level of the state and government help provided to it. As long as the Greek state continues to overlook and disregard the proposals and problems faced by the industry, the future of the sector will continue to remain under significant threats.

Overall, this research made clear that the influence of the Greek local press over the many provincial communities is diminishing year after year. Its findings reflect widespread frustration, despair, and an overall sense of protest within the sector. To address this critical situation, targeted and immediate interventions are needed. Recommended actions include the introduction of financial support programs provided by the state, the encouragement and promotion of digital transformation tactics suited to regional needs, and the establishment of public–private partnerships in order to ensure the viability of local print media outlets and their business models. Ultimately, local newspapers remain a crucial voice for citizens across the nation, and preserving their role in democracy is vital for the future of local communities.