Type | Public broadcasting network (Television, Radio & Online) |
---|---|
Country | Greece |
Founded | 1938 (as EIR) |
Headquarters |
Zappeion (1938–1970) House of Radio, Athens (1975–) |
Broadcast area
|
Nationwide and internationally |
Area | Nationwide |
Owner | State–Owned |
Key people
|
Dionysis Tsaknis (chairman) |
Launch date
|
1938 (radio) 23 February 1966 (television) |
Former names
|
EIR (National Radio Foundation) (1938–1970) EIRT (National Radio Television Foundation) (1970–1975), ERT (Hellenic Radio Television) (1975–2013 & 2015–) |
Picture format
|
576i 16:9 (SDTV) 1080i 16:9 (HDTV) |
Affiliation | Greek State |
Official website
|
ert.gr |
The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (Greek: Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία Τηλεόραση, Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi, [eliˈnici raˈði.ofoɲa tileˈorasi] or ERT, literally "Hellenic Radio-Television") is the state-owned public radio and television broadcaster for Greece.
Following a government decision, the original company was abolished on 11 June 2013, with its 2,656 employees protesting against the closure and continuing broadcasting via a satellite transmission using European Broadcasting Union equipment. The EBU also began providing Internet streaming of the ERT broadcast.
On 12 June 2013, the Greek government proposed a successor organization, New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television (Νέα Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία, Ίντερνετ και Τηλεόραση), shortened to NERIT (ΝΕΡΙΤ), which launched in August 2013 as "Public Television" (Δημόσια Τηλεόραση). As protests against the decision of the government (Coalition of New Democracy, PASOK, DIMAR) continued, on 15 June Prime Minister Samaras proposed returning ERT to service immediately, by having an emergency committee rehire selected employees. This offer was rejected by the ERT employees and Samaras' coalition partners.
On 17 June 2013, following an appeal by ERT's employees to the Council of State (Greece's highest administrative court), the Council suspended the government's decision to interrupt broadcasting and shut down ERT's frequencies and ordered the Finance Minister and the minister responsible for media, signing the decision, to take "all necessary organisational measures for the continuation of transmission of broadcasting services and operation of internet websites by a public broadcaster for the period until the establishment and operation of a new operator that will serve the public's interest". In his ruling, the Council's President found that the government's decision violated Law 1730/1987 which requires "the contribution by a public broadcaster to informing, educating and entertaining the Greek people and the diaspora". The Council's appellate division upheld the original Temporary Injunction three days later.