EBU Distributing ERT News Signal to Greece

GENEVA: Greek satellite subscribers can now watch pubcaster ERT’s news channel NET on their television sets, courtesy of the European Broadcasting Union.

Earlier this week, the Greek government ordered the closure of ERT, but its reporters have continued to produce news out of its Thessaloniki studios. ERT had been live streaming the news output on its website. As of yesterday, EBU engineers had implemented a workaround to allow for ERT’s signal to be distributed via EBU’s Athens earth station. The signal is also being carried globally on Hotbird, APSTAR and Optus satellites.

The EBU said it is "merely providing technical support for the transmission of the Greek signal and assumes no editorial responsibility for the content."

Yesterday, the EBU issued a petition signed by 50 public-service broadcaster leaders in 39 markets protesting Greece’s decision to shutter its public broadcaster.