Dimosia Tileorasi (Greek: Δημόσια Τηλεόραση, pronounced Di-MO-see-ah Tee-le-O-ra-see), meaning "Public Television" in English, was the provisional public broadcaster of Greece, operating from June 2013 to May 2014. It was established by the Greek government to temporarily replace the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), which was controversially shut down on June 11, 2013.
Background and Establishment: The closure of ERT was announced by the then-conservative government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, citing reasons of financial mismanagement, overstaffing, and a need for reform amidst the Greek sovereign debt crisis. This decision sparked widespread domestic and international criticism, with many viewing it as an attack on press freedom and public service broadcasting. Following the abrupt shutdown of ERT, the government moved to create a new, leaner public broadcaster. While a permanent successor was being planned, Dimosia Tileorasi (DT) was launched as an interim solution. Its primary goal was to restore public television services to the country as quickly as possible, albeit on a reduced scale compared to ERT.
Operations: DT began broadcasting on June 27, 2013, initially via satellite and later through terrestrial digital television networks. Its programming largely consisted of news bulletins, current affairs shows, documentaries, and some archival content. It operated with a significantly smaller staff compared to the thousands employed by ERT, primarily drawing from former ERT employees who accepted short-term contracts. The broadcaster faced challenges related to limited resources, a tight budget, and a somewhat fragmented technical infrastructure as it took over parts of ERT's assets.
Successor and Dissolution: Dimosia Tileorasi ceased operations on May 4, 2014, when it was replaced by its intended long-term successor, the New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television (NERIT, Greek: ΝΕΡΙΤ). NERIT was designed to be a more modern and efficient public broadcaster. However, NERIT itself was short-lived; following a change in government, ERT was re-established and began broadcasting again on June 11, 2015, absorbing NERIT's operations and personnel.
Legacy: Despite its brief existence, Dimosia Tileorasi plays a notable role in the history of Greek media as a symbol of the tumultuous period surrounding the closure and re-establishment of ERT. It represented the government's attempt to maintain public broadcasting services during a period of intense political and economic upheaval and media reform.