Greek state-broadcaster Nerit reverts to its previous ERT moniker at 6 a.m. on Friday, on the two-year anniversary of the closure of ERT and its affiliates by the then Samaras government.
ERT’s closing in June 2013 generated a firestorm of criticism by the political opposition at the time, and heated responses by press unions, in the country and abroad.
Nerit, a much smaller broadcaster was opened months later as a replacement format with a fraction of the previous workforce. Nevertheless, a large portion of the laid-off workforce remained in a state of industrial action and even opened an “ErtOpen” portal on the Internet.
Ruling SYRIZA party made the reopening of ERT in its expanded form one of its campaign pledges.