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| Greece suspends state broadcaster ERT to save money | Greece suspends state broadcaster ERT to save money |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The Greek government has shut down the public broadcaster ERT, calling it a "haven of waste". | The Greek government has shut down the public broadcaster ERT, calling it a "haven of waste". |
| Viewers watching the news on the main TV channel saw the screens go to black late on Tuesday evening. | Viewers watching the news on the main TV channel saw the screens go to black late on Tuesday evening. |
| All employees have been suspended pending a re-organisation. Thousands of people held a protest against the decision outside ERT headquarters. | All employees have been suspended pending a re-organisation. Thousands of people held a protest against the decision outside ERT headquarters. |
| It is the latest move in rafts of spending cuts and tax rises aimed at leading the country out of recession. | It is the latest move in rafts of spending cuts and tax rises aimed at leading 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 earlier. | "ERT is a case of an exceptional lack of transparency and incredible extravagance. This ends now," government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said earlier. |
| While all 2,500 employees would be sacked, he added they would be paid compensation and would be able to apply for work when the corporation relaunches as a smaller, independent public broadcaster. | While all 2,500 employees would be sacked, he added they would be paid compensation and would be able to apply for work when the corporation relaunches as a smaller, independent public broadcaster. |
| The head of ERT's foreign desk, Odin Linardatou, said the announcement had taken journalists by surprise. | |
| "We are very shocked, we are angry," she told the BBC's Newshour programme. "What I cannot accept in a democracy is that Greece will not have a public broadcaster." | "We are very shocked, we are angry," she told the BBC's Newshour programme. "What I cannot accept in a democracy is that Greece will not have a public broadcaster." |
| Riot police have been deployed in Athens as thousands of people have gathered outside ERT's headquarters to protest against the decision. | Riot police have been deployed in Athens as thousands of people have gathered outside ERT's headquarters to protest against the decision. |
| Journalists strike | Journalists strike |
| Authorities confirmed that the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) had been formally disbanded, as some transmissions stopped on Tuesday night. | |
| However, shortwave and internet broadcasts from ERT remain on air. | |
| "This is a blow to democracy," said ERT newsreader Antonis Alafogiorgos at the end of the main TV station's final broadcast. | "This is a blow to democracy," said ERT newsreader Antonis Alafogiorgos at the end of the main TV station's final broadcast. |
| The Athens Journalists' Union has called a 48-hour strike to protest against the closure. | The Athens Journalists' Union has called a 48-hour strike to protest against the closure. |
| ERT employee Vayia Valavaki said the government was trying to "scare" people. | ERT employee Vayia Valavaki said the government was trying to "scare" people. |
| "I am now a laid-off single mother with a young child," she said. "How exactly is this country protecting me? Why are they leaving me without work?" | "I am now a laid-off single mother with a young child," she said. "How exactly is this country protecting me? Why are they leaving me without work?" |
| ERT, which began broadcasting in 1938, is funded by a direct payment of 4.30 euros (£3.80; $6) added monthly to electricity bills. | ERT, which began broadcasting in 1938, is funded by a direct payment of 4.30 euros (£3.80; $6) added monthly to electricity bills. |
| It ran three domestic TV channels, four national radio stations, as well regional radio stations and an external service, Voice of Greece. | It ran 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 would see 15,000 state employees lose their jobs by the end of next year. | In April, parliament passed a bill which would 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 international loans worth 8.8bn euros (£7.4bn; $11.4bn). | The law was a condition for Greece to receive its next tranche of international loans 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. | 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. | The government has imposed tough austerity measures in return for aid, including cuts in pay and pensions leading to numerous general strikes. |