The initiative of the Greek Government to shut down ERT in order to restructure the national television and radio broadcaster whilst saving money is already threatening the stability of the tripartite government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
The official shut down of ERT, a mismanaged and therefore a vulnerable for closure, state-owned and state-run company, is a highly symbolic move of the major government partner, namely New Democracy. It is a move aiming to test the resolve of its opponents and of its partners in relation to the wider privatisation program of public utilities in Greece.
It is not an exaggeration to claim that the shutdown of ERT is a test case, with historical references that go as far back as the smashing of the miners’ unions in the United Kingdom by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s.
However, the closure of the national Greek broadcaster comes at a time when it is most needed. In the middle of an economic, cultural, political, social crisis, you need to have an independent, national non-commercial authoritative public voice that informs people and explains to them the complexities of the issues they have to face.
You need to have a national broadcaster that acts as a link with the Greek diaspora and the rest of the world.
You need to have a publicly owned broadcaster that takes care of your history, that is, that takes care of your most precious national sound and film archives.
The reaction against the closure of ERT by political parties, by journalists, and by trade unions and community organisations is huge.
Regardless of the governments intentions, including possibly a willingness by the Greek Prime Minister to force an early election, the outcome of this struggle is yet to be determined.