ERT Employees Hopeful As New TV Frequency Appears
ERT employees and supporters said on Monday (June 17) they were hoping for a meeting of the government and coalition partners later in the day to lead to the re-opening of the channel.
The government abruptly took the state broadcaster off air a week ago, saying it would open a new station that was more cost efficient and less corrupt. It says ERT's three domestic television channels and regional, national and external radio stations cost Greece 300 million euros a year.
Many Greeks have long viewed the broadcaster as a wasteful source of patronage jobs for political parties, but the abruptness with which ERT was taken off air took many by surprise. The move shocked the nation and thousands of supporters have flocked to the broadcaster in support, while the employees occupied the headquarters and continued to broadcast the news bulletins through the internet or on smaller TV stations which allowed them air time.
The supporters who have camped outside since the beginning said they feared ERT was a sign of things to come in Greece: more state entities abruptly shut down to save costs and employees
But Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras dismissed speculation of early elections on Sunday over the closure of ERT, saying the country would not be trapped into such a dilemma, and defended the move to shut down the frequency.
Samaras is to meet with his two coalition partners, the Democratic Left Party and the PASOK party, later on Monday after they expressed outrage over the sudden shutdown of ERT. He hopes to appease them with the fact that the government is moving swiftly to open a new state broadcaster.
In a sign that the government was moving fast to create a new state channel, a new frequency with the name "NERIT" appeared on Greek television packages on Monday, showing bars. "NERIT" is the name the government has chosen for the new channel, as stated in the newly prepared legislation.
Presented by Adam Justice