More Sports than Politics

Daily sales of sports morning newspapers for Friday 14.1.2005 where 139.000, while political newspapers on that day sold only 35.940 copies. Can we deduce from that, that sport (mainly football) is much bigger in Greece than politics? Sports newspapers carry 95% football, maybe 4% basket, everything else in 1% of coverage (these are my own guesses).

The newspaper circulation numbers I got out of the Athens Voice for January 27. When I read those numbers, I was surprised by the high proportion with which the sports press topps the political press. It made me think about the reasons. Sports is just so much safer an occupation. But then, looking at my own note about newspaper language in this weblog, I might guess that there is another small reason in the language used. The sports press definitely uses an easier language. What slang they will use is well understood by their clientele.

Another thought that comes up: I don't remember the statistics for - say - Switzerland. But I seem to remember that "Tages Anzeiger" (the biggest newspaper) has a circulation of somewhere around 200.000. Greece is just so much more a TV nation.