ERT employees react in anger to bill for new broadcaster
Employees of the defunct state broadcaster ERT, which was shut down last month in a unilateral move by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, on Friday issued an angry statement in reaction to the submission in Parliament by the government of a bill paving the way for the creation of a new organization to be known as the New Hellenic Radio Internet and Television (NERIT).
“At a time that the deputy minister for state radio and television declares that a dialogue is under way with ERT employees, the government submits in Parliament, with the signatures of seven ministers, a draft bill for the creation of the New Hellenic Radio Internet and Television,” the employees said in a statement, referring to ongoing talks between their representatives and Deputy Culture Minister Pantelis Kapsis whose name, they noted, is not among the signatures on the bill.
In their statement the employees also drew attention to the fact that ERT’s old frequencies are still broadcasting black screens to viewers, adding that the closure of ERT would burden the state budget by 300 million euros.
