Greece Reopens Public Channel Closed Two Years Ago

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On the exact day that fulfilled two years of the fulminating closure of Radio Television of Greece (ERT) by the then Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the leftist Government of Syriza today restored to the airwaves Greek State television.

The channel reopened with much of the same old staff of workers, a new organizational chart, a more democratic and participatory perspective, and renewed programming for both their television channels and radio programming

On June 11, 2013, the Samaras Government decreed in a matter of hours the closure of ERT and the dismissal of its 2600 employees, forced by international creditors,and leaving Greece for months as the only European country without a public information channel.

During this time many of the workers continued resisting informatively via the internet, through the ERT Open Platform, while fighting for the reopening of the channel and the re hiring of its workers.  

Syriza won the elections with the promise to restore the broadcaster, stating that today held a “great victory for democracy, social struggles and culture” after “the decision of an authoritarian Government that provoked the international outrage” of people and institutions, including the European Broadcasting Union.

The programming began at 06:00 local, and tonight there are plans for a festival where documentary about the closure of ERT and a concert involving singers, bands and Orchestra and the choir of the censored public channel will be screened. (PL)

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