'They raped our values': Independence of Greek public broadcaster questioned

This week staff from Greece's temporary public broadcaster, DT, will move into a building that used to headquarter ERT, the nation's public broadcaster for 70 years. The government says the new, permanent broadcaster will be up and running in two month's time, but its independence is under question.

Former ERT employees outside the broadcaster's offices. (Getty)

The government shut ERT down almost six months ago, but had to hastily create DT in order to remain a member of the European Union.

The government announcement was immediate and abrupt.

"All this stops today. It definitely stops. The government has decided to close down ERT."

It accused ERT of being wasteful, inefficient and unpopular. But the move was also designed to show Greece's lenders, known as the Trioka, that the government was reforming the public sector.

LISTEN: SBS Dateline reporter Amos Roberts talks to SBS Radio's Ron Sutton about covering the story.

Greece lost three TV channels, more than two dozen radio stations, a choir and two orchestras.

Vasso Morali worked at ERT for almost 30 years and now runs the Greek radio program at SBS.

She says there was waste and cronyism at the national broadcaster, but the closure was more extreme than necessary.

"Troika had demanded the sacrifice - and the government considered ERT as the perfect victim," Vasso Morali told SBS.

 

Riding a wave of public support, former ERT staff continued to occupy the building, producing daily radio and TV programs.

Sound engineers and musicians became security guards and boom gate operators, with the volunteers expecting, at any moment, to be evicted.

Especially when the government - under orders from a Greek court - set up DT, a new interim public broadcaster just down the road.

Many former ERT employees went to work at DT and some condemned the occupation of ERT headquarters.

"The building and the infrastructure of ERT belongs to the Greek people," DT news presenter Prokopis Dukas said. "They do not belong to the employees."

It sparked a political divide too as government politicians boycotted ERT programs and the Opposition refused to appear on DT.

Finally, five months after ERT closed, Greek riot police stormed the building, evicting those who were left.

Scuffles broke out, teargas was fired - but no one was arrested.

ERT TV presenter Marilena Katsimi says there is a lot of anger over the turn of events.

"They raped our values, they raped our personalities, they raped our rights, everything."

The government says a new, permanent broadcaster will be up and running early next year.

But even its supporters have doubts it will be independent.

For more on that story tune into Dateline tonight at 9.30 on SBS One.