Yesterday I contacted DT, the Greek interim broadcaster which replaced ERT after the government shut it down over the summer. They kindly replied, albeit with a very limited response.
“The permanent broadcaster, NERIT, will start transmitting on March, as Mr. Kapsis, the official responsible for state TV, has declared. As for Eurovision, nothing has changed since we filed the participation request. In addition, the negotiations for Greece’s participation in Eurovision Young Musicians are going well. Formal announcements will be made on the condition there is something to be announced regarding the implementation of the competition.”
We can read between the lines: the EBU still has to decide whether it will give DT permission to participate in the contest.
There is a strong belief that NERIT will not start broadcasting in March, but rather in June. This suspicion comes after DT was named the Host Broadcaster of the Greek Presidency of the EU, which lasts for 6 months. It looks like DT will be given a “life-extension”.
Billy Xifaras contributed this report from Greece. Follow him on Twitter at @bill_xifaras. You can also keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and liking our Facebook page.
