Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation

The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (Greek: Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία Τηλεόραση, Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi or ERT (ΕΡΤ)) is the state-owned public radio and television broadcaster for Greece.

TypePublic broadcasting network
Country
Greece
Founded1938 (as YRE)
SloganEvery day, our best
TV stationsERT1, ERT2, ERT3, ERT Sports, ERT World
€−59.9 million (2018)
HeadquartersZappeion (1938–1968)
Mourouzi Studio (1968–1974)
Broadcasting House (1974–)
Broadcast area
Nationwide and internationally
AreaNationwide
OwnerState-owned
Launch date
December 3, 1975 (1975-12-03)
Former names
ΕΙΡΤ (1970–1975)
Picture format
576i 16:9 (SDTV)
1080i 16:9 (HDTV)
Affiliation(s)Greek State
Official website
el: www.ert.gr
en: int.ert.gr

History

Overview

ERT began broadcasting in 1938 as the Radio Broadcasting Service or YRE (Υπηρεσία Ραδιοφωνικής Εκπομπής, ΥΡΕ).

Following a government decision, the original company was abolished on 11 June 2013,[1] with its 2,656 employees protesting against the closure[2] and continuing broadcasting via a satellite transmission using European Broadcasting Union equipment.[3] The EBU also began providing Internet streaming of the ERT broadcast.[4]

On 12 June 2013, the Greek government proposed a successor organization, New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television (Greek: Νέα Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία, Ίντερνετ και Τηλεόραση), shortened to NERIT (ΝΕΡΙΤ),[5] which launched in August 2013 as "Public Television" (Δημόσια Τηλεόραση).[6] 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.[7]

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".[8] The Council's appellate division upheld the original Temporary Injunction three days later.[9]

Until 24 October 2013, ERT's employees were able to offer the television programmes of NET (also simulcast in HD as ERT-HD) and ET3, and the radio programmes of ERA Athens-Thessaloniki and Third Programme through conventional means (analogue and digital TV, FM, medium and shortwave radio broadcasts) as well as over the Internet. At approximately 18:11 EEST, ERT lost their satellite capacity on the Astra 23.5°E satellite after successful lobbying by the Greek government to the capacity provider SES S.A. That halted most conventional TV and radio broadcasts that received the feed from the satellite, but did not affect the regional ERA affiliates that produced their programming locally, nor a large part of Athens which is served by a DVB-T transmitter located within the ERT HQ in Ayia Paraskevi. Web streaming wasn't affected at all.[10]

As of 24 March 2014, more than nine months after the decision to close down ERT, the striking workers still ran 17 radio stations (15 regional, two national) and a single TV channel (ET3), from the regional radio studios, and the ET3 Television Building in Thessaloniki. FM and AM transmissions continued throughout Greece with some interruptions and shortwave transmissions continued with a weaker transmission power. All radio stations were also available as webstreams. The TV channel was sporadically transmitted in conventional means (analogue transmitters in Thessaloniki), and was always available as a webstream.

In April 2015, the Hellenic Parliament approved the draft of re-opening ERT S.A. and also voted and approved the draft of re-opening this broadcaster.

As of 11 June 2015, ERT started broadcasting again.[11]

1938–2013

ERT began broadcasting in 1938 as the Radio Broadcasting Service or YRE (Υπηρεσία Ραδιοφωνικής Εκπομπής, ΥΡΕ), initially limited to radio services from Athens, with the Athens Radio Station based in the Zappeion. During the Axis occupation of Greece, the service was renamed as the Limited Hellenic Radio Company or AERE (Ανώνυμη Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνική Εταιρεία, ΑΕΡΕ). After Liberation, in 1945 the service was reorganized as the National Radio Foundation or EIR (Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ραδιοφωνίας, ΕΙΡ), still based at Zappeion. The radio services were expanded to three national radio services as well as international radio services for emigrant Greeks. EIR was one of 23 founding broadcasting organisations of the European Broadcasting Union in 1950.

Test television broadcasts began in 1965 and full TV service began in 1966. In 1970, the company was renamed National Radio and Television Foundation or EIRT (Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ραδιοφωνίας-Τηλεόρασης, ΕΙΡΤ). In 1966, the Hellenic Armed Forces began their own TV station, the Armed Forces Television or TED (Τηλεόρασις Ἐνόπλων Δυνάμεων, ΤΕΔ), renamed in 1970 as the Armed Forces Information Service or YENED (Ὑπηρεσία Ἐνημερώσεως Ἐνόπλων Δυνάμεων, ΥΕΝΕΔ). Television was prominently used as a propaganda medium by the Greek junta. YENED its name and military orientation until the early 1980s, when it was renamed ERT2 by the then PASOK government. On 1 September 1987, a third station was added – ET3, based in Thessaloniki, with mostly regional programming focused on Macedonia and the rest of Northern Greece.

During the first 20 years of TV services in Greece, ERT broadcasting was limited, starting at around 5 pm to between midnight and 2 am. Since 1997 the three ERT TV channels are known as ET1, NET and ET3, and broadcast round the clock. ET1 is an entertainment channel whereas NET is focused on news services. ET3 is still focused on Northern Greece issues, although it broadcasts nationwide.

ERT was a major national sponsor and the official broadcaster of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. It has been broadcasting the Olympic Games in Greece since the Mexico City Games of 1968. It also broadcasts IAAF games while it is shown on privately owned channels mainly in the United States. Today it broadcasts documentaries, some from the private sector, and a few animated shows. With the introduction of independent privately owned channels in Greece in the late 1980s, programme quality changed to a more commercial variety, in order to survive the fierce competition for ratings. This was a major shift in the network's principles that was dominated by wider variety, alleged "higher quality" programmes including documentaries and World Cinema.

On 19 August 2011 the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation announced a planned restructuring of the company; ERT's main channels became NET and ET3, while ET1 was incorporated into the program of NET and ET3. Additionally the digital channels Cine+ and Sport+ ceased broadcasting, and their programming were again incorporated into that of the company's two major domestic channels. ERT World also saw changes in its programming to reflect the needs of the Greek diaspora as identified by a survey conducted by ERT. The Minister of State also said that the company would become public but no longer state-owned.[12]

Closure

At 17:45 EEST (UTC+3) on 11 June 2013, the Greek spokesperson, Simos Kedikoglou, announced ERT would close by the end of the day. ERT shutdown caused the loss of 2,500 employees.[13]

ERT was dissolved by a Common Ministerial Decision that was enacted by virtue of Article 14B of Law 3429/2005 (regarding the dissolution, merger and restructuring of public companies) as amended by an urgent government Legislative Ordinace (FEK 139/11.06.2013, Issue A').[14] Despite running a budget surplus on income from a license fee outside the state budget, in a televised statement, Simos Kedikoglou, the minister responsible for media and the government's spokesperson, said that the ERT was a "haven of waste" that cost more and had fewer viewers than private stations.[15]

Later in the evening, some of ERT workers managed to continue the broadcasting via Ustream.[16] Police forced their way into at least one of the transmitting stations, and all ERT transmitters were closed down around Greece, as was eventually the worldwide ERT World feed. Using satellite offices and other spaces that had not been closed down, ERT journalists continued to broadcast to the Internet.[17] The nearest ERT Transmitters to Athens closed at approximately 23:17 local time. 20 seconds later, channel 902TV (the communist party channel) retransmits the ERT signal, although a few minutes later, the Greek government called Digea, the digital television service, to close the signal [902's] due to rebroadcasting the signal without permission, and so 902 was closed for a period of time. This action was deemed unacceptable by the citizens of Greece due to the Government not consulting the National Council of Radio and Television, the official body of Radio and Television in Greece.

On 12 June at noon local time, the AS and IP range of ERT, the official domain names "ert.gr", "ert3.gr", and "voiceofgreece.gr" were cancelled in the Greek Internet registry, meaning that live broadcasts on the Internet (ERT LIVE) have stopped, as well as the publication of all news articles. Emails sent to the broadcasters are no longer delivered. Other Internet assets registered by ERT are at risk of being closed (because their owner and contact address are no longer valid), notably the official Facebook page and Twitter account. ERT LIVE is relayed by other sites, such as the University of Greece.[18][19]

The European Broadcasting Union was quick to criticise the closure, issuing a statement the same evening where they expressed "profound dismay on behalf of Europe’s entire public service media" and urged the prime minister to reverse the decision.[20] The EBU made the ERT stream available on satellite to its members, declaring as well that "to be in the EBU, you must be a broadcaster, and so we will continue keeping ERT on the EBU council" as said by the director, Ingrid Delterne.

Alexis Tsipras, the leftwing opposition leader, expressed dismay in regards of ERT shutdown and described it as "illegal".[21]

NERIT
Main article: New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television

On 12 June 2013 a Greek government spokesperson, Simos Kedikoglou, announced the formation of a new public service broadcaster, New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television. The company's services were expected to launch on 29 August 2013.[22] The service provider employed between 1,000 and 1,200 and was funded by advertising and tax contributions.

Reinstating ERT

In 2015, the government (by then under Alexis Tsipras as Prime Minister) restored ERT as Greece's public broadcaster and NERIT ceased broadcasting on 11 June 2015 (at 6:00 EEST).

Services

Radio

ERT broadcast radio programmes under the name of Hellenic Radio, since 1988. Under this name, ERT broadcasts four national radio services:

  • First Programme (Πρώτο Πρόγραμμα), is primarily a news-oriented station, with some current affairs and talk programming.
  • Second Programme (Δεύτερο Πρόγραμμα) is primarily a Greek music station.
  • Third Programme (Τρίτο Πρόγραμμα) is more of a classical music/arts & culture station (with some drama thrown in).
  • ERA Sport a sports-oriented station, with regular news every hour and sports news every half-hour. During the late night hours most ERA programmes aired a common night program. For regional audiences, ERT has 19 regional stations with relays. The regional station in Macedonia was the only one with two separate programme streams and a shortwave service. The interval signal for all ERA programmes are several opening bars of the folk song "Tsopanakos Imouna" (Once I Was A Shepherd Boy).
  • Kosmos 93.6 is primarily a world music (ethnic, soul, jazz, etc.) station.
  • Voice of Greece (ERA 5) is an international audience shortwave radio station. Under the name of the ERA International Network, Voice of Greece and some ERA domestic programmes were rebroadcast on AM and FM stations throughout the globe.
  • 102 FM is the news station for the city of Thessaloniki.
  • 95.8 FM is the music and cultural station for Thessaloniki.

Former, discontinued channels:

Current channels
Logo Name Type Launched Description
 ERT1 Free-to-air
Satellite		 23 February 1966
11 June 2015 (relaunch)		 generalist
 ERT2 Free-to-air
Satellite		 27 February 1966
11 June 2015 (relaunch)		 generalist
 ERT3 Free-to-air
Satellite		 14 December 1988 (ET3)
29 June 2015 (ERT3)		 generalist and regional programming
 ERT World Free-to-air
Satellite		 1996
3 May 2016 (relaunch)		 generalist
 ERT Sports Free-to-air
Satellite		 27 April 2011 (as ERT HD)
9 February 2019 (as ERT Sports)		 Sports
  • ERT1 is the main news and current affairs channel. ERT1 broadcasts the news at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, 21:00 and 00:00. ERT1 transmits a series of live news and current affairs programmes round the clock. Also, ERT1 broadcasts old Greek movies, a television gameshow before the news of 21:00 at 20:00, different mystery series daily after the news of 21:00 at 22:00 and two late night talk shows. In weekends, the channel broadcasts different documentaries and social shows in the afternoons. On Saturdays after the news of 21:00, ERT1 broadcasts a Music show at 22:00 and on Sunday at the same time, the channel broadcasts a Sports show that reviews the entire sports action of the past week.
  • ERT2 (as a continuation of the former ET1) is the entertainment channel of ERT. It transmits a range of disappeared shows from ERT archives, documentary, artistic shows, cartoons and dramatic series.
  • ERT3 is ERT's only channel, which does not broadcast from Athens, but from Thessaloniki. The channel's programme contains short news bulletins every hour and two main longer editions at 13:00 and 19:00.
  • ERT Sports is ERT's channels that broadcast 24-hour sport programme via ERTFLIX platform.
  • ERT World – compendium of all ERT programming via satellite, mainly intended for the Greek diaspora.

Former, discontinued channels:

Internet
  • www.ert.gr is the ERT's site
  • ERT Play is the internet channel of ERT which start to broadcast in 28 January 2017. Is not 24-hour channel, but it is broadcasting live a lot of competitions when the 4 main channels can't broadcast any event (especially Olympic Games). The first programme that broadcast is the presentation of Demy for Eurovision 2017.

Programming

For a list of programmes, see list of programmes broadcast by ERT.

Logos
7.6.2008-28.9.2020 28.9.2020-Today

Funding

ERT is mainly funded by a license fee, paid with the electricity bill (along with other applicable taxes) which represents the vast majority of the resources of the public group. The fee was 4.74 euros per month in 2013, but was reduced to 3 euros per month upon the launch of ERT. It is not connected with actual ownership of a TV set.

There are modest grants from the government for contributing to educational public missions. And since 2008, some commercial resources from advertisers (even though the channels have lost significant parts of audiences) and the economical crisis in Greece has severely impacted the profitability of advertising and of commercial cooperation for the joint production of programs, as well as the collection of license fees on electricity bills.

Corporate identity

The opening bars of Tsopanakos Imouna (Greek: Τσοπανάκος ήμουνα) is ERT’s corporate theme music, as well as their interval signal on radio.[23]

ERT is the holder of the biggest audiovisual archive in Greece, which includes also significant moments of modern Greek history.

See also

References
  1. Government Gazette (11 June 2013).
  2. "Greek public broadcaster ERT to be shut down, reopened with fewer employees". ekathimerini.com. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  3. O'Carroll, Lisa (12 June 2013). "ERT shutdown: European Broadcasting Union sets up makeshift studio". The Guardian. London.
  4. "Monitor ERT online". European Broadcasting Union. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  5. "Νέα Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία, Ίντερνετ και Τηλεόραση" [New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television] (PDF). www.minpress.gr. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  6. "Fallout in Athens and Brussels over Greek TV shutdown". Euronews.
  7. Smith, Helena (15 June 2013). "Greek prime minister backtracks on decision to close public broadcaster". The Guardian. London.
  8. "Temporary Injunction of 17.6.2013 by the President of the Council of State (in Greek)". www.ste.gr. 5 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  9. "Decision of 20.6.2013 by the appellate division of the Council of State (in Greek)". www.ste.gr. 5 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  10. "Η κυβέρνηση κατέβασε το δορυφορικό σήμα της ΕΡΤ" [The Government pulled ERT's satellite signal]. ertopen.com. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  11. Ξεκίνησε τη λειτουργία της η ΕΡΤ
  12. "Δημόσια και ανεξάρτητη ΕΡΤ" [A public and independent ERT]. www.ert.gr. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  13. O'Carroll, Lisa (12 June 2013). "ERT shutdown: European Broadcasting Union sets up makeshift studio". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  14. Article 44 of the Greek Constitution allows the President following a Cabinet proposal "under extraordinary circumstances of an urgent and unforeseeable need" to issue legislative ordinances which have immediate effect but must be submitted to Parliament within 40 days and ratified within three months following their submission.
  15. "Greece shuts down state broadcaster in search for new savings". London: Guardian. 12 June 2013.
  16. O'Carroll, Lisa (12 June 2013). "Greek journalists defy government order to close state broadcaster". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  17. The shutdown of ERT - Live blog 12 June 2013
  18. ERT LIVE relayed by the University of Greece, on Blogspot. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  19. ERT LIVE relayed on the Internet by SevenArt.gr. Also ERT LIVE on ThePressProject.gr providing the feed. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  20. "EBU urges Greek government to reverse decision on ERT". EBU. 11 June 2013.
  21. O'Carroll, Lisa (12 June 2013). "Greek journalists defy government order to close state broadcaster". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  22. ERT: the day after
  23. Kernick, David. "Greece". Interval Signals Online. Retrieved 14 June 2015.

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.