ERT World (formerly ERT SAT) is a Greek free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (Greek: EPT – Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία Τηλεόραση). It is the corporation's international television service, and its programming includes a mix of news, discussion-based programmes, drama, documentaries, entertainment shows as well as sports coverage including live games from Greece's top football league, Super League Greece.
 | |
| Country | Greece |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Europe North America North Africa Australia New Zealand Middle East Cyprus Africa Asia |
| Headquarters | Broadcasting House (Athens), Greece |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Greek |
| Picture format | 576i (16:9 SDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | ERT |
| Sister channels | ERT1 ERT2 ERT3 ERT News |
| History | |
| Launched | 1996 3 May 2016 (relaunch) |
| Former names | ERT Sat (1996–2006) |
| Links | |
| Website | ERT World |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Cyprus DTV (FTA) | All over Cyprus in local frequencies |
| Streaming media | |
| ERTflix | Watch live |
As of June 12, 2013, was disestablished under an order of the Greek Government, as part of austerity measures, along with all of ERT's former TV and radio channels; ET1, NET, ET3, ERT World and the radios ceased to operate from the morning of Wednesday 12 June. As of 3 May 2016, ERT world broadcasts again on Europe.
In early 2006, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation revealed that ERT SAT would be undergoing a major overhaul to allow it to better meet the needs of Greeks abroad. Among the changes are new programmes designed specifically for the Omogeneia (Greek expatriates) and a localized schedule to serve each of the newly designated program 'zones' - North America, Europe/Africa and Asia/Australia. The new program zones were to be launched in the fall of 2006 but as of March 2013 had yet to materialize as the channel still aired programs according to local time in Greece (UTC+2).
In August 2010, ERT announced that they had initiated a public bidding process to award the worldwide distribution rights for ERT World. The current rights holder, Comart Telecom declined to renew their agreement with ERT and on August 30, 2010, it was announced that PCCW Global would be awarded the distribution rights temporarily for 1 year until the bidding process was completed and a decision made on the rights holder.
As of March 2013, the distribution rights are held by KBI Implus Hellas. On 11 June 2013, the channel and all the channels of the ERT group were brutally cut shortly before 11 pm (local time). If the terrestrial channels (ERT1, ERT2 and ERT3) resume their broadcasts on 11 June 2015, it is still almost a year before the satellite version of Greek public television resumes broadcasting on the Hot Bird satellite on 3 May 2016 in Europe.
ERT World created a special program consisting of the best programmes from the three national channels, ERT1, ERT2 and ERT3, and its own specialized programs targeted at the global promotion of Greece. It also used to air programs from Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (the Cypriot public broadcaster) but discontinued the practice.
Programming is split into two zones - weekday and weekend. On weekdays one can find standard news and information as well as some entertainment shows. On the weekend the focus is mainly on entertainment and sports.
