Indicator history

Migrant communities have no access to the media for the purpose of making their voices heard. This phenomenon has more to do with the lack of a diversity culture amongst media outlets than restrictions imposed.

There are a few and scattered examples of media in minority languages but there is little funding in order to turn these examples into good practice projects. There are no daily newspapers in any minority language. Two Armenian periodicals are produced monthly, but without any financial assistance by the state. The Committee of Experts on the Application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Cyprus encouraged the authorities to allocate funds to promote Armenian language and culture in public and private life, including the media, through a more satisfactory arrangement in co-operation with the Armenian community.[1] According to the Second Periodical Report of Cyprus on the Application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (paragraph 28.1), the Council of Ministers has approved the allocation of an annual total subsidy of ⁄ 51 260 for the production costs of the print media of the three minority groups (Armenians, Maronites and Latins), which the Armenian community welcomed but did not consider to be sufficient. Print media in Russian is also available, serving the needs of the large Russian (middle class to affluent) community of Limassol, which is entirely funded and organised by private entrepreneurs. The state television channel CyBC broadcasts daily news in Turkish (not on prime time) as well as a bi-communal programme in both Greek and Turkish (‘Biz’, a Turkish word which means ‘Us’).