Greek broadcaster’s website ERT.gr now run by employees while the new organization’s domain is taken

As reported yesterday, the Greek National TV and Radio Organization (ERT) was shut down in just a few hours after the Greek government’s decision to cease operating under its present model. ERT, Elliniki Radiofonia Tileorasi, is/was the state broadcaster and was run by the Greek government. ERT began broadcasting in 1938.

On June 11, 2013 it was decided that ERT will cease operating under its present model, under guidance from the Greek government which continues to be under serious financial pressure. 2,656 ERT employees will lose their jobs. It is anticipated that the Greek government will re-establish the organization in a much smaller scale with a new name (NERIT).

Employees of the state broadcaster protest the closure. The official ERT website ert.gr was moved to anew server today June 12, 2013 and is now run by the employees. The website was hosted at OTENETbut the website was moved because of the close ties of OTENET with the Greek government.

OTENET was and still is a major internet service provider of Greece and was recently consolidated into it’s parent company OTE. OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organization S.A.)  is the dominant telecommunications provider in Greece and was 100% state owned until 1996. OTE’s privatization started in 1996 and is now listed on the Athens and London Stock Exchanges. Since July 2009 Deutsche Telekom is the largest shareholder of the company.

Last night internet service provided by OTENET was shut down in the headquarters of ERT in Athens.Employees used their portable devices to access the internet while protesting inside the building.

Meanwhile the proposed name of the new TV, Radio and Internet organization, NERIT, was registered today June 12, 2013 in the .gr ccTLD by what seems NOT to be the Greek government. The .gr ccTLD doesn’t have a transparent whois so the owner can not be seen but judging by the registrar used and the nameservers, the new owner is not affiliated with the government. NERIT.gr is not currently resolving.