This thesis analyses the discursive struggle in the New Caledonian media over the question of independence during the period of most acute conflict during the 1980s. It seeks to demonstrate that the discursive struggle was central to the political struggle, particularly in its emphasis on the development of discourses on identity which authorised particular forms of political engagement. Colonial discourses in New Caledonia provided a well tested armory of identifications of the territory’s indigenous people which were mobilised in the anti-independence media, particularly the territory’s monopoly daily newspaper Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes. The thesis attempts to demonstrate how these identifications connoted, in effect, the non-existence of Kanaks through a denial of a ‘Kanak’ identity: Melanesians who identified themselves as Kanaks and took a pro-independence stance were not recognised within the colonial identity constructions of ‘Caledonian’ and ‘Melanesian’, and their claims to constitute a ‘people’ were vociferously denied. They existed within colonial discourses as a human absence, and were therefore considered to have no rightful claim on Caledonian political life. In the face of such identifications, the pro-independence movement articulated in its media notions of ‘Kanakness’ and the ‘Kanak people’ which sought to hyper-valorise their identity as human and rightful.¶ It is argued that an analysis of media discourses requires consideration of the type of institutional constraints operating within the media institutions from within which these discourses emerge. The thesis therefore analyses the major constraints operating within Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes and the two major pro-independence media organisations, ‘Kanaky’s first newspaper’ Bwenando and ‘Kanaky’s first radio station’ Radio Djiido.¶ As an overarching concern, the thesis attempts to work through and apply different theoretical approaches relevant to the analysis of media reporting in situations of heightened political contestation, negotiating through aspects of neo-Marxist and post-structuralist approaches. It assesses the relevance of the notion of ‘ideological effect’ as an analytical tool in assessing the effects of power produced by particular discourse, concluding that some theoretical notion concerned with elucidating the differential effects of power is required.¶

Media are created to disseminate information and foster dialogue to support democratic societies. As society evolved and liberalism and marketization gained ground, Public Service Broadcasting was established to produce and distribute content that benefits society without aiming for profit. The notion has faced several challenges with technology development, leading to a transition to Public Service Media being the current one, where media content is consumed through different online platforms. Public Service Broadcasters transition on different phases to Public Service Media based on the country they operate in and the sociopolitical conditions. This research explores the history and origins of PSB and the challenges they face, focusing on the Greek media landscape and the Greek PSB ERT, which since 2020 has been following an online media-focused strategy. By conducting a survey of Greek audience members, quantitative data are generated on the public perception of ERT, the media habits of the Greek audience, and their view on the new strategy of ERT and its streaming platform ERTFLIX. Results indicate that Greek PSB is a state broadcaster due to its lack of editorial autonomy, while the low viewership and survey responses show a lack of trust of the Greek audience in ERT. Participants are in favor of the new ERT strategy, and the majority have used ERTFLIX even once. On the other hand, the news programming of ERT is still not trusted by the audience, indicating that further actions need to be taken to change the state broadcaster identity of ERT. / Medierna skapas för att sprida information och främja dialog för att stödja demokratiska samhällen. I takt med att samhället utvecklades och liberalismen och marknadsföringen vann terräng inrättades public service-bolag för att producera och distribuera innehåll som gynnar samhället utan att sträva efter vinst. Begreppet har stått inför flera utmaningar i samband med den tekniska utvecklingen, vilket har lett till en övergång till Public Service Media, där medieinnehållet konsumeras via olika onlineplattformar. Public service-bolagen övergår i olika faser till public service-medier beroende på vilket land de är verksamma i och de sociopolitiska förhållandena. Denna forskning utforskar de offentliga radio- och tv-bolagens historia och ursprung och de utmaningar de står inför, med fokus på det grekiska medielandskapet och det grekiska offentliga radio- och tv-bolaget ERT, som sedan 2020 har följt en strategi inriktad på onlinemedier. Genom att genomföra en undersökning bland grekiska tittare genereras kvantitativa uppgifter om allmänhetens uppfattning om ERT, den grekiska publikens medievanor och deras syn på ERT:s nya strategi och dess streamingplattform ERTFLIX. Resultaten visar att den grekiska public service-bolaget är ett statligt radio- och tv-bolag på grund av bristen på redaktionell självständighet, medan det låga tittarantalet och enkätsvaren visar att den grekiska publiken saknar förtroende för ERT. Deltagarna är positiva till ERT:s nya strategi och majoriteten har använt ERTFLIX en enda gång. Å andra sidan har publiken fortfarande inget förtroende för ERT:s nyhetsprogram, vilket tyder på att ytterligare åtgärder måste vidtas för att ändra ERT:s identitet som statligt programföretag.