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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Greece suspends state broadcaster ERT to save money | Greece suspends state broadcaster ERT to save money |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Greek government has announced that it will shut down the radio and TV services of the state broadcaster ERT. | The Greek government has announced that it will shut down the radio and TV services of the state broadcaster ERT. |
| A government spokesman said transmissions would cease early on Wednesday. | A government spokesman said transmissions would cease early on Wednesday. |
| All employees, numbering at least 2,500, will be suspended until the company reopens "as soon as possible." | |
| It is the latest move in successive rafts of spending cuts and tax rises that the government hope will lead the country out of recession. | It is the latest move in successive rafts of spending cuts and tax rises that the government hope will lead the country out of recession. |
| "ERT is a case of an exceptional lack of transparency and incredible extravagance. This ends now," government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said, according to the AFP news agency. | "ERT is a case of an exceptional lack of transparency and incredible extravagance. This ends now," government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said, according to the AFP news agency. |
| Unions voiced strong opposition to the move. | Unions voiced strong opposition to the move. |
| An engineer at the broadcaster's multimedia department who gave his name as Yannis said: "The government announced that channels will shut down at midnight - after that the screens will go black. | An engineer at the broadcaster's multimedia department who gave his name as Yannis said: "The government announced that channels will shut down at midnight - after that the screens will go black. |
| "According to the government, from tonight I will be unemployed. It is a complete shock. In four hours' time I will not have a job." | "According to the government, from tonight I will be unemployed. It is a complete shock. In four hours' time I will not have a job." |
| ERT is funded by a direct payment by of 4.30 euros (£3.80; $6) added monthly to electricity bills. | |
| The broadcaster runs three domestic TV channels, four national radio stations, as well regional radio stations and an external service, Voice of Greece. | |
| In April, parliament passed a bill which will see 15,000 state employees lose their jobs by the end of next year. | |
| The law was a condition for Greece to receive its next tranche of loans from international lenders worth 8.8bn euros (£7.4bn; $11.4bn). | |
| Since 2010, the European Union and the IMF have promised more than 200bn euros in lending for Greece, the first country to be hit by the eurozone crisis. | |
| The government has imposed tough austerity measures in return for aid, including cuts in pay and pensions leading to numerous general strikes. |