To hameno sima tis dimokratias

In an unprecedented event in global history, no well-governed democratic nation had ever experienced the silencing of its public broadcaster in such an “autocratic” and “undemocratic” manner. On the evening of June 11, 2013, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras shut down ERT, Greece’s public broadcaster, after 75 years of uninterrupted service. Within five hours, both television and radio signals went dark, leaving screens blank and FM frequencies buzzing. This unexpected political move shocked Greek citizens, evoking memories of the oppressive dictatorship era, and sparked intense international condemnation. What led to the demise of the public broadcaster?