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http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jun/12/greek-journalists-close-state-broadcaster-ert
Greek journalists defy government order to close state broadcaster
ERT, Hellenic Broadcasting Corp, was ordered to shut down as part of public spending cuts, but remained on air via the internet
• Click here to see ERT's Ustream broadcast
• Click here to see ERT's Ustream broadcast
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ERT journalists at the state broadcaster’s headquarters continue to work, despite a government order to close down. Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images
Journalists from Greece's state broadcaster ERT have defied a government order to close it down as part of the latest public spending cuts imposed to meet the terms of the country's bailout deal.
ERT, or Hellenic Broadcasting Corp, ceased broadcasting in some locations overnight on Tuesday as the government imposed shutdown took effect, with screens going blank and 2,500 staff fired with immediate effect. It is believed to be the first time a state broadcaster in Europe has been closed down by its government in the post-war era, with the move attracting widespread condemnation from inside Greece and also overseas.
ERT employees managed to keep the service going through the night and have continued broadcasting on the internet via Ustream, while thousands of protesters remained outside its headquarters north of Athens.
Greece's Conservative-led coalition government said the move was required to cut "incredible waste" and that it planned to reopen a smaller state broadcasting operation at a later date.
However, opposition to the ERT shutdown snowballed overnight, threatening to blow up into a major political crisis for the Greek government nearly a year after it took office.
The European Broadcasting Union, the body which represents all public service broadcasters in Europe, expressed dismay at the decision to close ERT, which became a founding member of the EBU in 1950. The EBU is on standby to step in and try and help ERT fully reopen.
Jean Paul Philippot, EBU president, and its director general Ingrid Deltenre wrote to the Greek prime minister urging him to "use all his powers to immediately reverse this decision".
In the letter, they said: "While we recognise the need to make budgetary savings, national broadcasters are more important than ever at times of national difficulty."
The European Federation of Journalists said the shutdown of Greece's state broadcaster was "absurd".
EFJ president Mogens Blicher-Bjerregård said: "These plans are simply absurd. It will be a major blow to democracy, to media pluralism and to journalism as a public good in Greece, thus depriving citizens from their right to honest, level-headed and unbiased information. But it will also mean the loss of many journalists' jobs across the country."
Greek journalist unions called a 24-hour strike, halting TV news on rival commercial channels, while Conservative prime minister Antonis Samaras is facing demands from his coalition partners, the socialist Pasok and Democratic Left party, to reverse the decision to close ERT.
The executive order to close ERT must be ratified by parliament within three months but cannot be approved without backing from Samaras's minority coalition partners.
Leftwing opposition leader Alexis Tsipras criticised the closure as "illegal" during an interview on ERT's online broadcast. "Many times the word 'coup' is used as an exaggeration," he said. "In this case, it is not an exaggeration."
Tsipras said he would meet the country's president, Karolos Papoulias, on Wednesday and ask him to cancel an executive order he signed allowing the government to close ERT.
The decision to close ERT was announced during an inspection in Athens by officials from Greece's bailout creditors. The so-called "troika" of the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund has been pressing the government to start a long-delayed programme to lay off civil servants.
Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou promised on Tuesday to reopen ERT at an unspecified later date.
Despite tensions over a number of issues, notably related to the austerity measures demanded by Greece's international creditors, the coalition government has surprised many by surviving thus far. It has also been credited with stabilising the bailed out Greek economy and easing the threat of an exit from the Euro.
Five days ago, the IMF admitted it made mistakes in handling Greece's first €110bn (£93bn) bailout in 2010 by framing the repayment programme on a model with growth assumptions that were too high. A second €130bn rescue package was approved in February 2012.
The IMF's original Greek unemployment projection was 15%, whereas it is now running at 25%. By comparison, unemployment in Ireland, which was also bailed out in 2010 but has not had the structural problems of Greece, has remained stubbornly high, hovering at just under 15% – twice that of the UK – for the past three years.
Crisis And Chaos Return To Greece Following National TV Shutdown
A week ago we joked that Greece was rapidly sliding into the "fourth world" (and had the photos to prove it). Well, today Equity Index provider MSCI took our joke and made it into something way too serious when overnight it made Greece the first developed nation ever to be downgraded into "emerging market" status. Not quite fourth world, but that too will come. However, what's worse for Greece is that as we reported yesterday, the majority of Greeks have no way of learning about this following the governmental "temporary" shutdown of its one national TV prodier, ERT. Kathimerini followedup with news that ERT would be renamed to NERIT, the New Hellenic Radio Internet and Television - a state company owned by the public sector and regulated by the state, and relaunched by the end of August, however what matters to the public is that the vast majority of employees would likely be let go permanently.
However, the biggest news out of Greece is that the events in the 24 hours have pushed the depressed country right back into crisis mode, with political bickering front and center (the opposition leader called the uncoordinated move "a coup" even as coalition partners blasted the broadcaster shutdown while Europe washed it hands), while the economic contraction is set to accelerate once more following what is certain to be another escalation in daily protests and riots. And who can blame them - with that last civilizational "premium" - free TV for all - gone, what else is there to do?
From Reuters:
Greece's fragile government faced an internal revolt and fierce public protest on Wednesday over the sudden closure of state broadcaster ERT, hours after the humiliation of seeing its bourse downgraded to emerging market status. The twin setbacks, coupled with the derailing of a troubled privatization program, blew a hole in rising investor confidence that had prompted Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to declare the risk of a "Grexit" from the euro was dead and a "Greekovery" was under way.Yields on Greece's 10-year benchmark bond crept back above 10 percent after Athens failed to sell state gas firm DEPA on Monday, leaving it short of cash to meet its international bailout targets.The stock market traded at two-month lows after Greece became the first developed nation ever to be lowered to emerging market by equity index provider MSCI.Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's government declined comment on the market reclassification as it tried to fend off a growing media backlash against ERT's dramatic closure. The public broadcaster was yanked off air just hours after the shutdown was announced in what the government said was a temporary measure to staunch an "incredible waste" of taxpayers' money prior to relaunching a slimmed-down station.Labor unions called a 24-hour national work stoppage for Thursday and journalists went on an open-ended strike, forcing a news blackout on privately owned television and newspapers. "The strike will only end when the government takes back this coup d'etat which gags information," the journalists' union said.Some ERT journalists were occupying the broadcaster's building in defiance of police orders and broadcasting over the Internet. Hundreds of employees and protesters gathered outside.
Ah, the smell of Greek chaos in the morning - it smells like normalcy. In retrospect, it appears only the Greeks did not see this coming. When the country handed over its sovereignty to the European Commission, all of the subsequent events were perfectly clear for all to see.
Perhaps the biggest irony is that the state broadcaster was one of the more fervent supporters of the regime, gladly ignoring the flaws in the administration and focusing on what little positives there was. It will no longer have this chance:
Many Greeks have little love for ERT journalists and the state broadcaster is often cited as an example of inefficiency, overspending and jobs given in return for political favors.But the speed and suddenness of the shutdown - ERT screens abruptly went black just before midnight - stunned Greeks long used to the slow pace of public sector restructuring."This government's ways are dictatorial: they decide and they order," said 45-year old Panagiotis, who declined to give his full name for fear of losing his own public sector job."It was a wrong move. Yes, the public sector needs to be downsized and we all knew that ERT was being used for political favors but they did not need to fire them all."
Coming back full circle, once more the biggest threat to Greece, to Europe and the Euro, is coming from Greece, where the events in the 24 hours may have destabilized the government enough to hand over power to the anti-bailout party, Syriza:
Many Greeks have little love for ERT journalists and the state broadcaster is often cited as an example of inefficiency, overspending and jobs given in return for political favors.But the speed and suddenness of the shutdown - ERT screens abruptly went black just before midnight - stunned Greeks long used to the slow pace of public sector restructuring."This government's ways are dictatorial: they decide and they order," said 45-year old Panagiotis, who declined to give his full name for fear of losing his own public sector job."It was a wrong move. Yes, the public sector needs to be downsized and we all knew that ERT was being used for political favors but they did not need to fire them all."The closure opened cracks in Samaras's fragile three-party coalition. Samaras's two junior partners, the Socialist PASOK and the Democratic Left said they would oppose the decision.Both parties said they had not been consulted but stopped short of saying the row could bring the government down.
So-called experts are appalled by the possibility of early elections:
"It's anyone's guess what would happen in elections now and what impact it would have on the economy at a time when a so-called Greekovery is visible on the distant horizon." The decision was taken by ministerial decree, meaning that it can be implemented without immediate reference to parliament. But the communist opposition said it would put a legislative amendment to parliament on Wednesday to annul the decision. Opposition leader Alexis Tsipras was to meet State President Karolos Papoulias to protest against the decision. On Tuesday, he called the closure "a coup, not only against ERT workers but against the Greek people", and accused the government of the "historic responsibility of gagging state TV".
Wait, Greekovery? That's a new (if idiotic) one. Is that abbreviated to "reek"? And in what nation is your GDP crashing to Year 2000 levels indicative of even the faintest "recovery"?
Oh yes, Greece.
http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/greek-ert-shutdown-there-was-no-good-reason-to-do-this-and-six-damning-reasons-suggesting-it-had-nothing-to-do-with-money/
GREEK ERT SHUTDOWN: There was no good reason to do this, and six damning reasons suggesting it had nothing to do with money.
Mainstream news blackout blacked out
Mick McManus throttles Greek shutdown news
There are three observations I have to make this morning about the switch-off of Greek State television:
1. In the United Kingdom, it’s as if it never happened. The BBCNews channel isn’t carrying the story at all, it isn’t even at the Telegraph under “News – eurozone’, and at the UK’s Balanced News site covering all UK papers, there isn’t a single mention of it.
2. Where the story has been covered by international media and news sites, there is a hook, line and sinker swallow of ‘to save cash’ as the motive behind the move.
3. Brussels hasn’t reacted to the news at all. One of its eurozone members shuts down the main TV and internet reception (plus radio) without warning, and yet the EU sees no problem posed for free speech at all. They will, of course, have known about the shut-down in advance – and ERT isn’t exactly the most independent State telly on the planet.
I am left to ask the questions that the MSM doesn’t seem interested in, viz:
1. If the stations have been such a money-pit shambles for years, why did drug, hospital and teaching staff cuts come first?
2. If the shutdown was purely to save money, why didn’t New Democracy tell any of its Coalition partners – both of whom have condemned the move?
3. Why does all the feedback I’ve had from Athenian and expat contacts thus far suggest the move is political – given they come from a broad spectrum of political views:
“The ERT building on Mesogion is now totally surrounded by MAT police. FYI these are the worst, most violent branch of the police, the anti-terrorist police….PASOK & DIMAR refused to sign [the decree which] gives the government the power to shut down public entities – it seems WITHOUT a vote in parliament.”
The hurdles facing the Greek government when cutting down the State to size are indeed formidable; and the Troika is back in town dishing out it’s usual mix of the illegal and the impossibly silly. But the argument that New Democracy shut down the station purely to save money simply doesn’t hold water. Quite apart from the factors enumerated above, it seems that PASOK supporters exist in higher numbers in TV and radio, and if the ‘coalition’ (now revealed as a sham) wanted to purge the public sector of 2,500 employees, it could fire the New Dawners who have so perniciously infiltrated the police force there. The employees at ERT represent under 1% of State sector jobs, and a much lower percentage than that of the overhead.
The two most disturbing trends here are not consulting PASOK, and not including Parliament in the process. Effectively, this makes the decree one of ‘Special Powers’ emergency importance. The closure of ERT looks like Greece’s Reichstag Fire moment to me. But not, it seems, to the mainstream media or the EU. When the British press think that the funeral of ancient, washed-up wrestler Mick McManus is more newsworthy than the closure of a national European broadcaster, we might as well write them off entirely to a diet of yelling through letter boxes at celebs, and setting up two-bit political Yeomanry whom the proprietors dislike.
Greek "Recovery" May No Longer Be Televised Following "Transitory" Shut Down Of National Broadcaster
The Greek recovery (whose GDP recently plunged to year 2000 levels) is progressing as expected, however following the latest news out of the Fourth world country that its national broadcaster ERT, with 2800 employees, will be shut down, it may no longer be televised. There is hope though: following its shutdown, it will be reopened... eventually... following a substantial downsizing. It is not clear why ERT had to be shutdown just to fire a few hundred people, although union rules are likely implicated. It is also not clear how long until the process is completed. What is clear is that the local workers are unhappy and have already resorted to that favorite Greek pastime: protesting. But at least they have the Euro.
From Kathimerini:
Greek government is set to close down the country’s public broadcaster and re-open it with fewer employees, Kathimerini understands.
Sources said that Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has already taken the decision to pull the plug on the broadcaster in its current form and the government has started drawing up the relevant legislation.ERT currently employees 2,800 people. It is not clear how many employees will remain but sources indicated it would be a fraction of those in work at the moment.Greece has to fire 2,000 civil servants by the end of the year and 15,000 by the end of 2014.Those leaving will do so either via voluntary redundancy, early retirement or dismissal.It is not clear how this will affect ERT’s various services, including TV and radio stations. It is also not clear how quickly the process could be carried out.A legislative decree was published in the Government Gazette that allows for public enterprises to be restructured in this way.Junior coalition partner Democratic Left said in a statement on Tuesday that it would be “inconceivable” for Greece not to have a national broadcaster.
"You keep using that word... I don't think it means what you think it means."
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_11/06/2013_503960
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http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_12/06/2013_503983
Journalist unions call media strike to protest ERT closure as employees continue broadcasting
The Athens Journalists’ Union (ESIEA) called a 48-hour strike from 6 a.m. on Wednesday on TV and radio stations to protest the closure of state broadcaster ERT.
ESIEA said newspaper journalists would strike on Thursday for 24 hours.
There was also a six-hour stoppage on TV and radio on Tuesday after the government announced it would closing ERT and later opening a new broadcaster with fewer employees.
Despite the signal to ERT’s TV channels being lost shortly after 11 p.m. on Tuesday, employees at the broadcasters headquarters in Athens and Thessaloniki refused to leave the buildings and managed to resume broadcasts via digital TV and the Internet.
The Communist Party (KKE) also offered the frequency of its TV station, 902, to rebroadcast ERT’s programs.
Thousands of people protesting the broadcaster’s closure had gathered outside ERT’s headquarters in northeastern Athens.
A number of political leaders, including SYRIZA’s Alexis Tsipras and Independent Greeks’ Panos Kammenos, visited the building to express their solidarity with the protestors.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_12/06/2013_503982
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