Greece launches new state-run broadcaster

Greece has launched a new public television channel, EDT, more than two months after the abrupt closure of the state broadcaster ERT.

Some of the 2,700 fired staff have been continuing to produce programmes from their old offices. Europe’s association of public broadcasters pulled the plug on Wednesday on transmissions by the sacked workers.

The Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said it will stop relaying their programmes to viewers, leaving ERT only available online.

Greece’s conservative-led government cited the need to cut costs due to the country’s severe financial crisis for its decision to abruptly close ERT on June 11.

The ensuing international outcry led to a severe political crisis that saw a small left-wing party withdrawing from the country’s fragile three-party governing coalition, leaving the government with a tiny majority in Parliament.

The fired workers have been producing round-the-clock programming for more than two months from ERT’s headquarters, which they have taken over, in defiance of the government shutdown.

{aljazeera}