Skip to content
1981
Radio in and around Greece, 1937–61: Cultural politics and literary cultures
  • ISSN: 2052-3971
  • E-ISSN: 2052-398X

Abstract

This article explores the presence of Greek modernism and the emergence of mediated innovations towards the communication and reception of literature in the literary broadcasts of Ethnikon Idryma Radiofonias (EIR) (the ‘Hellenic National Radio Foundation’) during the golden age of Greek broadcasting (1945–65). The article attempts a cross-disciplinary study of ‘radio’ and ‘modernism’ by exploring how consumerism, technological progress, mass culture and media radically transformed the production and communication of literature and culture, and by highlighting the importance of materiality and medium-specificity in cultural and historical approaches. Through the emergence of new radiogenic programmes, media experimentations and technical innovations, new cultures of listening, as well as the updating of the criteria pertaining to poetry’s canonization, the article argues for an expansive conception of Greek modernism in the post-war Greek cultural sphere, which includes also cultural, social and technological markers of innovative experimentation in the production, transmission and reception of literature, culture and lived experiences.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jgmc_00097_1
2024-12-26
2026-04-12

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Allen, Edward (2020), Modernist Invention: Media Technology and American Poetry, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Anon. (1953), ‘Apaggelia stichon. I poiisi apo to radiofono’ (‘Reading verses: Literature through the radio’), Radioprogramma, 12–18 April.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Anon. (1961), ‘To vivlio pernaei krisi! Apantoun ekdotes, syggrafeis, metafrastes, typografoi, vivliodetes, plasie, anagnostiko koino’ (‘The book is in crisis! Replies from publishers, writers, translators, printers, sellers, readers’), Epitheorisi Technis, 73–74, January–February, pp. 86101; and 75, March, pp. 235–47.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Antonelaki, Fiona (2016), ‘Poiisi sto radiofono, 1945–1960: Politistiki politiki kai oi poiites tis genias tou trianta’ (‘Poetry on the radio, 1945–1960: Cultural politics and poets of the thirties generation’), MIET, pp. 148, https://www.miet.gr/userfiles/b43b6205-bc09-4b97-8795-a6b100f44a81/poihsi sto radiofwno.pdf. Accessed 20 March 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Antonelaki, Fiona (2019), ‘Literary evenings at the Greek National Theatre, 1945–6: Popular education and the literary canon’, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 43:2, pp. 287313.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Apostolopoulos, Dimis (1955), ‘Prologos’ (‘Introduction’), in G. N. Karter (ed.), To radiofono kai i aisthitiki tou (‘Radio and its aesthetics’), Athens: Mavridis, pp. 710.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Apostolopoulos, Dimis (1957), Lefkoma Radiofonikon Ekpompon (‘Collection of radio programmes’), Athens: Vasileiou.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Apostolopoulos, Dimis (1960), To ergo tou stin Elliniki Radiofonia (‘His work at the Greek radio’), Athens: (n.p.).
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Avery, Todd (2006), Radio Modernism: Literature, Ethics, and the BBC, 1922–1938, Aldershot: Ashgate.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. B. E. N. (1928), ‘Feature programmes’, Radio Times, 31 August, p. 367.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Berman, Marshall (1983), All That Is Solid Melts Into Air: The Experience of Modernity, London and New York: Verso Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Bolter, Jay D. and Grusin, Richard (1999), Remediation: Understanding New Media, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Chairetakis, Manolis (2014), I radiofonia stin Ellada, 1930–1950 (‘Radio in Greece: 1930–1950’), Athens: Publication of the Radio Station 105.5 FM Sto Kokkino.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Chatzidakis, Giorgos (2001), ‘I radiofoniki politistiki epanastasi’ (‘The radio cultural revolution’), in C. Barboutis and M. Klontzas (eds), To fragma tou ichou: I dynamiki tou radiofonou stin Ellada (‘The sound barrier: The power of radio in Greece’), Athens: Papazisi, pp. 10932.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Chatzidakis, Giorgos (2015), O Agie Aithera: Istoria tis Ellinikis Radiofonias (O Saint Ether: History of the Greek Broadcasting), Athens: Polaris.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Cohen, Debra R., Coyle, Michael and Lewty, Jane (eds) (2009), Broadcasting Modernism, Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Dimaras, K. (1949), Istoria tis Neoellinikis Logotechnias: Apo tis protes rizes os tis meres mas (History of Modern Greek Literature), Athens: Ikaros.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Dinsman, Melissa (2015), Modernism at the Microphone: Radio, Propaganda, and Literary Aesthetics during World War II, London: Bloomsbury.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Feldman, Matthew, Tonning, Erik and Mead, Henry (eds) (2014), Broadcasting in the Modernist Era, London: Bloomsbury.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Forster, Chris (2021), Modernism and Its Media, London: Bloomsbury.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Gaitsis, Pantelis and Barboutis, Christos (2001), ‘Ta prota radiofonika vimata’ (‘The first radio steps’), in C. Barboutis and M. Klontzas (eds), To fragma tou ichou: I dynamiki tou radiofonou stin Ellada (‘The sound barrier: The power of radio in Greece’), Athens: Papazisi, pp. 5775.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Gilliam, Laurence (ed.) (1950), ‘Introduction’, BBC Features, London: Evans Brothers, pp. 914.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Gitelman, Lisa (2006), Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Halliday, Sam (2013), Sonic Modernity. Representing Sound in Literature, Culture and the Arts, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Hammond, Adam (ed.) (2024), Technology and Literature, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Hatz (1957), ‘Enas apologismos’ (‘A report’), Nea Estia, 714:1, p. 497.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Hendy, David (2018), ‘Afterword: Radio modernisms’, Media History, 24:2, pp. 28387.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Huyssen, Andreas (1986), After the Great Divide: Modernism, Mass Culture and Postmodernism, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Kayialis, Takis (2007), I epithymia gia to monterno: Desmeuseis kai axioseis tis logotechnikis dianoisis stin Ellada tou 1930 (The Desire for the Modern: Commitments and Claims of Literary Intellectuals in Greece of 1930s), Athens: Vivliorama.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Kayialis, Takis (2012), ‘Poiites axioi tou ethnous: Stratigikes gia tin ethnikopoiisi tis monternas poiisis stin metapolemiki Ellada’ (‘Poets worthy of the nation: Strategies towards the nationalisation of modernist poetry in post-war Greece’), in A. Kastrinaki, A. Politis and D. Tziovas (eds), Gia mia Istoria tis Ellinikis logotechnias tou eikostou aiona: protaseis anasygkrotisis, themata kai revmata. Praktika synedriou sti mnimi tou Alexandrou Argyriou (‘Towards a history of modern Greek literature of the 20th century: Restructuring proposals, themes and trends: Proceedings of a conference in memory of Alexandrou Argyriou’), Herakleio: Panepistimiakes Ekdoseis Kritis, Benaki Museum, pp. 281303.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Karantonis, Andreas (1955), ‘Oi logotechnikes ekpompes’ (‘The literary broadcastings’), Radioprogramma, 276, p. 5.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Karantonis, Andreas (1956), ‘I Alvaniada tou Elyti’ (‘Elytis’ Alvaniada’), Radioprogramma, 335, p. 9.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Karantonis, Andreas (1957), ‘O kosmos tou Pnevmatos kai tis Technis’ (‘The world of Spirit and Art’), in D. Apostolopoulos (ed.), To ergo tou stin Elliniki Radiofonia (‘His work at the Greek radio’), Athens: (n.p.).
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Karter, Giorgos N. (1955), To radiofono kai i aisthitiki tou (‘Radio and its aesthetics’), Athens: Mavridis.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Kittler, Friedrich ([1986] 1999), Gramophone, Film, Typewriter, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Lacey, Kate (2013), Listening Publics: The Politics and Experience of Listening in the Public Age, Cambridge: Polity.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Lavagnini, Bruno (1960), ‘Epistoli’ (‘Letter’), in D. Apostolopoulos (ed.), To ergo tou stin Elliniki Radiofonia (‘His work at the Greek radio’), Athens: (n.p.), p. 53.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Lenthall, Bruce (2007), Radio’s America: The Great Depression and the Rise of Modern Mass Culture, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Lodhi, Aasiya and Wrigley, Amanda (2018), ‘Introduction: Radio modernisms, features, cultures and the BBC’, Media History, 24:2, pp. 15965.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Morrisson, Mark S. (2017), Modernism, Science, and Technology, London: Bloomsbury.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Ong, Walter J. (1982), Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word, London: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Porter, Jeff (2016), Lost Sound: The Forgotten Art of Radio Storytelling, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Rainey, Lawrence and Hallberg, Robert von (1994), ‘Editorial/introduction’, Modernism/Modernity, 1:1, pp. 13.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Savvidis, Geōrgios P. (1956), ‘Giati menoun azitita kai akrita ta poiimata tou Seferi gia tin Kypro’ (‘Why Seferis’ poems about Cyprus still remain hidden and unstudied?’), Ta Nea, 2 May.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Savvidis, Geōrgios P. (1960), ‘Axion Esti, to poiima tou Elyti!’ (‘Axion Esti, Elytis’ poem!’), O Tachydromos, 10 December, pp. 1415.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Savvidis, Geōrgios P. (1961), ‘Mia peridiavasi: Scholia sto…“Kypron ou m’ethespisen…” ‘(‘A passage: Comments on Kypron ou m’ethespisen…’), in G. P. Savvidis and L. Zenakos (eds), Gia ton Giorgo Seferi, timitiko afieroma sta trianta chronia tis ‘Strofis’ (‘For George Seferis, honorary tribute on the thirty years since “Strofis”’), Athens: printed privately, pp. 304408.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Savvidis, Geōrgios P. (1963), ‘“O Kavafis EINAI ethnikos poiitis!” Mia radiofoniki synenteyxi tou G.P. Savvidi ston G.N. Karter’ (‘“Cavafy IS a national poet!” A radio interview of G.P. Savvidis with G.N. Karter’), O Tachydromos, 496, 12 October, p. 9.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Schafer, R. Murray (1977), The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World, Rochester, VT: Destiny Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Seferis, Giorgos (1977 [1942]), ‘Diary entry: 2 December 1942’, Meres D’, 1 January 1941–31 December 1944 (Days D’, 1 January 1941–31 December 1944), Athens: Ikaros, p. 267.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Sterne, Jonathan (ed.) (2012), The Sound Studies Reader, New York: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Szendy, Peter (2008), Listen: A History of Our Ears (trans. C. Mandell), New York: Fordham University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Tziovas, Dimitris (ed.) (1997), Greek Modernism and Beyond, Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Tziovas, Dimitris (2011), O mythos tis genias tou Trianta. Neoterikotita, Ellinikotita, kai politismiki ideologia (The Myth around the Generation of the 1930s: Modernity, Greekness, and Cultural Ideology), Athens: Polis.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Vagenas, Nasos, Kayalis, Takis and Pieris, Michalis (1997), Monternismos kai Ellinikotita (Modernism and Greekness), Herakleio: Panepistimiakes Ekdoseis Kritis, Institouto Mesogeiakon Spoudon.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Varikas, Vasos (1957), ‘To chroniko tou vivliou – Radiofono kai Logotechnia’ (‘Book’s chronicle – radio and literature’), To Vima, 27 March, p. 7.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Venezis, Ilias (1964), ‘Ena Evgeniko plasma pou zitouse katafygio sta metafysika: O Dimis Apostolopoulos kai i Elliniki Logotechnia sto Radiofono’ (‘A kind creature who sought refuge in the metaphysical: Dimis Apostolopoulos and modern Greek literature on radio’), Nea Estia, 883, 15 April, pp. 49496.
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Vitti, Mario (2000), I genia tou trianta: Ideologia kai morfi (The Generation of the 1930s: Ideology and Form), Athens: Ermis.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jgmc_00097_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jgmc_00097_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test