European elections: Europe as a put-off for viewers

The daily Die Presse complains that over the past few weeks "TV-Pressestunden", an Austrian television programme, has attracted few viewers with its questioning of leading Austrian candidates to the EU Parliament: "Only the enemies of the EU were able to show any true passion. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is even calling June 7 the 'day of reckoning'. Reckoning for what? For the fact that we live in peace and prosperity? … There used to be enthusiastic game shows on television in which countries competed against each other: 'Games without frontiers', which is also a Peter Gabriel song. In 'EWG' ('One wins') with 'Kuli' [TV presenter Joachim Kulenkampff] we viewers used to get as excited as the competitors every Saturday night, and that did more for Europe than many an EU campaign. Perhaps this TV format should be revived so that the things we have in common become more visible and every now and then the European anthem really is an 'Ode to Joy'."

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