Corporate Culture - Greek Public Broadcasting Under Attack

The news yesterday that the Greek Goverment has ordered the immediate closure of Greece's national broadcaster ERT (Hellenic Radio Television), and surrounded its buildings with troops, is a monumental blow against freedom of speech and media diversity, not only for the Greek people but democrats throughout the world. The loss of 2000 jobs - many being the best in this field - compounds this tragedy, in a country already bleeding with unprecedented unemployment of almost 30%.

This vicious attack against the Greek equivalent to the ABC is dictated by the privatisation zealots of neo-liberalism, to stifle dissent and independent media voices and concentrate media power in even fewer hands.

The Greek national broadcaster has been providing SBS television with free daily programs for Greek Australians. This will go too, most likely to be replaced at a price by a second-rate Greek commercial TV station, a prospect overwhelmingly rejected by SBS's Greek viewers.

Popular resistance is mounting in Greece, led by the ERT workers, who decided to stay put. The Greek government is under pressure, even from its own coalition government partners, to abandon such a reckless mission. Messages and actions of solidarity are obviously needed.

The decision to close it was announced during an inspection in Athens by officials from Greece's bailout creditors. The so-called "troika" of the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund has been pressing the government to start a long-delayed program to fire civil servants.

The European Commission said it had not sought the closure of ERT but "nor does the Commission question the Greek government's mandate to manage the public sector."

Christopher Warren, federal secretary of the Media Alliance, said: “Silencing the state-run broadcaster deprives the community of vital information. At the very least this is a short-sighted move that savages a crucial public service. And it is a ham-fisted attack on 2500 experienced and dedicated media professionals who have worked hard for years to keep the community informed about the immense upheavals taking place in Greece. But this is also a very sinister assault on democracy and the public’s right to know, aimed at shrouding the activities of the powerful from legitimate scrutiny.”

Sign Avaaz Petition below

Let us help Greek journalists inform Greek people all over the world!
Let us help Greek people remain properly informed!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_the_shutdown_of_Public_Television_in_Greece/