DV
EBU upping the ante further, now re-broadcasting ERT direct by Satellite into Greece. Details to follow according to EBU on Twitter.
WW
Regardless of ERT's distribution, who will pay for it once its current funds run out? Aren't its days limited just because of this? Even if the employees forego their salaries, running a TV station is very expensive, and I suppose advertisers are likely to avoid an unstable broadcaster with an uncertain future and constantly changing, improvised means of distribution.
JA
james
There's a petition now online to get ERT back on the air. Link to said petition is found at the EBU website:
http://www.ebu.ch
http://www.ebu.ch
NY
EBU will find a way to keep ERT going, as they have now. Plus since EBU also has other channels, they can easily tap into those resources.
Regardless of ERT's distribution, who will pay for it once its current funds run out? Aren't its days limited just because of this? Even if the employees forego their salaries, running a TV station is very expensive, and I suppose advertisers are likely to avoid an unstable broadcaster with an uncertain future and constantly changing, improvised means of distribution.
EBU will find a way to keep ERT going, as they have now. Plus since EBU also has other channels, they can easily tap into those resources.
AQ
Yeah, the EBU will spend the Euros it needs to.
ERT are getting bolder now. Whilst watching NET earlier, they were repaying parliament (I think), had reporters doing voxpops in the crowd outside (with ERT mics), and we doing live inserts from somewhere else in Greece.
The coverage reminds me a lot of Al Jazeera English in Tahrir Square during the Egyptian demonstrations.
Interesting to see where this will go now. The coalition government in Greece is split, with the 2 junior partners wanting ERT to stay open (although slimmed down). Even the ERT journos still on air agreed that ERT needed slimming down, but I have the feeling the Greek government may be in trouble. The EBU have asked the EU president to get involved now - although I have yet to find out how.
Interesting times.
ERT are getting bolder now. Whilst watching NET earlier, they were repaying parliament (I think), had reporters doing voxpops in the crowd outside (with ERT mics), and we doing live inserts from somewhere else in Greece.
The coverage reminds me a lot of Al Jazeera English in Tahrir Square during the Egyptian demonstrations.
Interesting to see where this will go now. The coalition government in Greece is split, with the 2 junior partners wanting ERT to stay open (although slimmed down). Even the ERT journos still on air agreed that ERT needed slimming down, but I have the feeling the Greek government may be in trouble. The EBU have asked the EU president to get involved now - although I have yet to find out how.
Interesting times.
TH
There were some reports that ERT employees hadn't been paid even before the broadcaster was closed down, so it is likely that they will stay in the building as long they can broadcast. The ERT doesn't formally exist any more so it doesn't have any funds and its employees probably don't worry about adverts at the moment.
It is quite common in Greece today for people to keep going to work even after they have been sacked an the company closed down. I have heard several reports of radio stations and newspapers that have been maintained this way.
If the ERT isn't stormed by SWAT teams, I could see it carrying on for some time, as long they have electricity etc.
Regardless of ERT's distribution, who will pay for it once its current funds run out? Aren't its days limited just because of this? Even if the employees forego their salaries, running a TV station is very expensive, and I suppose advertisers are likely to avoid an unstable broadcaster with an uncertain future and constantly changing, improvised means of distribution.
There were some reports that ERT employees hadn't been paid even before the broadcaster was closed down, so it is likely that they will stay in the building as long they can broadcast. The ERT doesn't formally exist any more so it doesn't have any funds and its employees probably don't worry about adverts at the moment.
It is quite common in Greece today for people to keep going to work even after they have been sacked an the company closed down. I have heard several reports of radio stations and newspapers that have been maintained this way.
If the ERT isn't stormed by SWAT teams, I could see it carrying on for some time, as long they have electricity etc.
DO
Bear in mind that there's a national strike happening across Greece today by most of the unions there, it might be a brave decision for an electricity company to actively disconnect them.
In a way it quite heartening to see how strongly people have reacted to the forcible closing of a public service broadcaster in Europe, especially the solidarity between the commercial broadcasters in their defence of ERT. Can't quite see Sky being so willing to shut down in the event of the BBC being taken off air.
But won't the bills go unpaid, resulting in the electric getting cut off? I'm surprised this hasn't happened already, as it sounds like they don't have the means to pay for what they've already consumed!
Bear in mind that there's a national strike happening across Greece today by most of the unions there, it might be a brave decision for an electricity company to actively disconnect them.
In a way it quite heartening to see how strongly people have reacted to the forcible closing of a public service broadcaster in Europe, especially the solidarity between the commercial broadcasters in their defence of ERT. Can't quite see Sky being so willing to shut down in the event of the BBC being taken off air.
JA
james
But won't the bills go unpaid, resulting in the electric getting cut off? I'm surprised this hasn't happened already, as it sounds like they don't have the means to pay for what they've already consumed!
Bear in mind that there's a national strike happening across Greece today by most of the unions there, it might be a brave decision for an electricity company to actively disconnect them.
More reports are surfacing that most of the reporters haven't been paid since November so in terms of the cost of the 'employees', there are none. In terms of the electricity, as dosxuk has said if a company flicked the switch, they'd most certainly get boycotted by the public. Why would a company actively seek to get involved with this mess? It's easier to leave them connected (at least for now).
Last edited by james on 13 June 2013 7:19pm
JA
james
The BBC director Tony Hall has called for the government to re-open ERT. He's one of 50 European TV and radio broadcasters signing the EBU petition online.
More here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jun/13/ert-shutdown-bbc-government-reopen
More here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/jun/13/ert-shutdown-bbc-government-reopen