Adapting to the streaming era: Evaluating ERTflix through the lens of public service principles in Greece

This study evaluates ERTflix, Greece’s Public Service Media (ERT) streaming platform, through the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) six core values – universality, independence, excellence, diversity, accountability and innovation. The analysis draws on content observation, platform data, institutional documents and external audience and regulatory sources to ensure validity. Using the EBU framework as a point of departure, the study develops an analytical framework grounded in academic literature and applies tailored indicators to assess how public service principles adapt within OTT platforms like ERTflix. As a distinct digital service, ERTflix shows strong alignment with universality, excellence and accountability: it offers free, high-quality content across devices, adheres to General Data Protection Regulation and provides parental controls. Innovation is advanced through scalable cloud infrastructure and algorithm-driven personalization; yet the platform lags in features such as 4K or immersive formats. Diversity is moderately addressed through genre variety and regional programming, with Greek and European content comprising 55 per cent of the catalogue compared to 32–35 per cent on major platforms, though limited multilingual subtitles restrict inclusivity. Independence remains the most critical concern, with political oversight enabled by a 2019 Presidential Decree undermining autonomy. The analysis affirms the relevance of EBU principles while exposing challenges that Public Service Broadcaster platforms face in digital environments.