On 11 June 2013, Greece’s right-wing governmnet controversially shut down ERT, Greece’s national boradcaster — the network that had helped Greece become one of Eurovision’s strongest competing nations. Since then many of the fired employees have been transmitting their own radio and television programs, ostensibly with the hope of returning to work at a reborn ERT. Their perseverance has paid off. Today ERT is back. And NERIT — the interim broadcaster that was accused of being a mouthpiece of the government — is no more.
Exaclty two years after the shock shutdown, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation resumed operations this morning. Most of the former employees have returned to the headquarters, and Greek media has been broadcasting the emotional scenes in the office. Democracy is back, plurarism is back, and Eurovision enthusiasm is also back!
For us Greeks, ERT has played a major role in our lives, most especially during our childhood. Music, tradition, culture and freedom of speech were all hallmarks of ERT. Many of these values — particularly the last one — seemed absent from NERIT.
In honour of ERT’s return, here are some of our favourite moments — and some of the saddest — from the broadcaster’s recent history.
The 2004 Olympics
Helena Paparizou wins Eurovision 2005
All of ERT’s children shows
Our reaction when ERT was shut down
There were protests…
The broadcasters’ in-house musicians were emotional during their last performance
A kid reading a letter to the prime minister. “Why did you close ERT?”
And the most epic moment ever. Greeks will get this.
Journalist: “There is a problem. I listen to bubbles.”
News bulletin host: **Tries not to laugh**
“ERT made Greece one of the strongest competing nations”.
Billy, seriously, how old are you and why are you still living in your little patriotic box?
Congratulations Greece! This time around, I hope ERT will be able to do all they can to give their Eurovision entrants proper promotion (NERIT sucked at it and left the work to MAD which is a private network). If ERT delivers well enough we might be in Athens by 2017
@mawnck well the journalist literally said that she was hearing bubbles. Her feed was obviously not working well and all she could hear was static, but she said that she was hearing bubbles, which makes no sense. It was viral in Greece 😛
@dimitrisesc NERIT was a mouthpiece of the right-wing government. ERT is a mouthpiece of the left-wing government. Big difference!
Yaaaayyyy!!!!
The standard of the Greek entries had dropped significantly since ERT closed down. So hopefully, with ERT back up and running again, we may see a return to the up-tempo lovable, and typically Greek songs that I haven’t heard since 2013. Hopefully Greece returns to the Top 10 again 🙂
They were missed.
NERIT CHANNEL DIDNT SUIT TO EUROVISION AT ALL.IT BROUGHT BAD LUCK TO GREECE.VIVA ERT!EUROVISION 2016
@ Michael
Yeah like the fact that we are broke & we don’t have money really stopped us from finding the financial sources to participate this or last year….
Give me a break..
We can easily take part next year in Sweden with having funds from the record labels & sponsors like we had done..
The amount of money that is required 4 us to give the present in Sweden is not really big so it can’t get covered by these investors..
Well actually i should inform our european friends,that ert was,is and it will be the most boring national broadcaster!!It has all this boring shows.The only good show are Eurovision,Euro,Basketball and the olympic games!!And i don’t think that ert will bring happiness and democrasy back to Greece.Those are long gone!!!
AND also we have no money,so probably no syrtaki in Sweden next year!!!
Oh yes,as if this new ERT is independent and not a mouthpiece of the new government.lol!
“Greeks will get this.”
Care to share with the rest of the class?
Congratulations Greeks! Over here in Valencia we have the same. Our public TV was also criminally closed by a right-wing government and now, with the left, we’re hoping to see our RTVV re-opened as ERT 🙂
Well my feeling are mixed about ERT’s re opening..
In ways i prefered NERIT as i liked this name more than the old fashioned ERT..
But in other ways i feel nostalgic about the old good ERT of our NFs like the ones of 2002 & 2003 especially.. <3
WELCOME back ERT! 🙂
praise be to the flying spaghetti monster