Public broadcasters kicked out of studio, read news with riot police behind them. Demotix/epoca_libera. All rights reservedIt is two years since the screens went blank.
On June 11th 2013 the Greek government led by Antonis Samaras announced the immediate closure of Greece’s state broadcaster ERT and the sacking of all 2600 employees.
Hearing this for the first time from their own news coverage many ERT staff were left in a state of shock. ERT’s final news broadcast signed off with a message of thanks to the government. “Congratulations for delivering a blow to democracy.” Many employees still refuse to refer to it as a closure. It is ‘the shutdown, ‘the pause’ or ‘blackout’. In Greece the moment is known collectively as mavros, ‘the black’.
