New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television

New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television (Greek: Νέα Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία, Ίντερνετ και Τηλεόραση, abbrev. ΝΕΡΙΤ, NERIT) was the state-owned public broadcaster for Greece from 4 May 2014 to 11 June 2015. Antonis Samaras's coalition government established NERIT to replace the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) in 2013: NERIT began broadcasting under their identity on 4 May 2014, replacing the transitional service Dimosia Tileorasi.

In 2015, the government (by then under Alexis Tsipras as Prime Minister) restored ERT as Greece’s public broadcaster, and NERIT ceased broadcasting on 11 June 2015 (at 6:00 EEST).

History

Background

On 11 June 2013, the Greek government announced its intention to close ERT with immediate effect and to open a new organization entitled NERIT (Νέα Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία, Ίντερνετ, Τηλεόραση - Nea Elliniki Radiofonia, Internet, Tileorasi - New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television). That night, the government started to shut down every transmitter of ERT in Greece. Many employees refused to leave ERT's headquarters at the House of Radio in Agia Paraskevi and continued to broadcast an internet TV channel on Greek, Cypriot and other European media sites. A few days later, ERT's signal was restored on some analogue frequencies in Greece, broadcasting a strike programme from Agia Paraskevi.