Voice of Greece

Voice of Greece, also known in Greek as Η Φωνή της Ελλάδας and historically identified as ERA 5, is the international radio service associated with Greece's state broadcasting organization ERT. It was developed from Greece's early international shortwave activity and served audiences beyond the country, including Greek communities abroad, maritime listeners, foreign residents in Greece, and international listeners interested in Greek news and culture. Its programming traditionally combined Greek-language news with multilingual broadcasts, cultural and political features, folklore material, music, and interactive programmes that connected the service with listeners through telephone calls and correspondence. The service's roots lie in the development of Greek radio during the twentieth century. Athens Radio began operating in 1938, providing the institutional and technical foundation for later external broadcasts. During the Second World War period, Greek radio made an early attempt to use shortwave transmissions to reach audiences outside Athens and the national territory. After the German-Italian occupation, a dedicated shortwave programme was developed using a 7.5 kW transmitter. Its target areas included Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, the Balkans, and the Soviet Union, and transmissions were also intended for Greek navigators. News was carried in a broad range of foreign languages, including English, Arabic, German, Russian, Spanish, Romanian, Turkish, Serbo-Croatian, Bulgarian, Albanian, French, and Polish, alongside Greek and music programming. A major technical expansion came with the establishment of the shortwave transmission centre at Avlis, northeast of Athens, in 1972. The centre used two 110 kW transmitters and directional antennas designed to reach populated regions around the world. Following the collapse of Greece's military junta in 1974, the international shortwave service adopted the Voice of Greece name. Later, after the creation and implementation of the unified ERT structure, it became an autonomous service known as the Fifth Programme, or ERA 5, under ERT's general radio management. At its peak, ERA 5 broadcast for most of the day on shortwave and for a shorter period on mediumwave. The schedule included 19 Greek news bulletins each day and programmes focused on political affairs, culture, folklore, music, and direct audience contact. Multilingual output extended the service beyond the Greek diaspora: broadcasts were also designed for non-Greek listeners living in Greece or overseas. The languages identified in the service's profile included English, German, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Albanian, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish, and Arabic. Voice of Greece was affected by the Greek government's decision to close ERT in June 2013 as part of an austerity programme. The international service resumed intermittent shortwave broadcasts shortly afterward, although its online live stream did not immediately return. A live internet stream was operating again by the middle of 2015. The service's distribution model subsequently shifted further toward digital access. Shortwave broadcasting ended on 31 March 2022, while online streaming continued through ERT's digital radio platform. Voice of Greece therefore represents both the long-running international broadcasting tradition of Greek public radio and its transition from powerful terrestrial transmissions to internet-based delivery.

The institutional background of Voice of Greece can be traced to the formation of modern Greek state radio. Athens Radio was inaugurated in the spring of 1938, using a 15 kW transmitter in the Liosia area and studios at the Zappeion Mansion. Although initially a domestic broadcaster, this radio infrastructure later supported efforts to transmit Greek information beyond the country's borders. The first reported attempt to establish a Greek shortwave service came after the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War in October 1940. Programmes from Athens Radio were relayed from a small transmitter in central Athens toward the front and the Balkan region. Following the German-Italian occupation, Greece developed a more defined international shortwave programme. Transmissions using a 7.5 kW transmitter reached Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, the Balkans, and the Soviet Union, while separate transmissions served Greek navigators. The service carried news in numerous foreign languages and supplemented the bulletins with music. The technical scale of the international service increased substantially in 1972, when a shortwave transmission centre was established at Avlis, approximately 37 kilometres northeast of Athens. The centre was equipped with two 110 kW transmitters and antennas directed toward inhabited continents. This infrastructure allowed Greek public radio to operate an international service with broader geographic reach and a more regular schedule. After the fall of the military junta in 1974, the international shortwave programme was renamed Voice of Greece and was placed under radio news management. Later institutional changes within Greece's public broadcasting system gave the service a more autonomous identity. With the implementation of the unified ERT organization, it became known as the Fifth Programme – The Voice of Greece, or ERA 5, under ERT's general management. ERA 5's programming combined international public-service communication with a strong Greek cultural identity. The service transmitted numerous Greek news bulletins each day and included programmes about politics, culture, folklore, and music. It also emphasized audience interaction through telephone calls and letters. Its intended audience was broader than Greeks living overseas: the service also sought to reach foreigners living in Greece and listeners in other countries. Multilingual programming was provided in languages including English, German, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Albanian, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish, and Arabic. The service historically operated on shortwave frequencies including 9420, 9935, and 11645 kHz, as well as on mediumwave for a shorter daily period. Its international reach depended on the Avlis transmission facilities and on the ability of listeners to receive terrestrial signals across different regions. A serious interruption occurred in June 2013, when the Greek government announced the closure of ERT as an austerity measure. Voice of Greece was affected along with the wider public broadcasting organization. By 24 June, the service had returned intermittently to shortwave on several frequencies, but its live online stream had not yet resumed. The online stream was restored by the middle of 2015, giving the service a renewed digital access point. The service's distribution history entered a new phase on 31 March 2022, when shortwave broadcasting stopped. Online streaming continued through ERT's digital radio services. Voice of Greece consequently remains associated with the international broadcasting role of Greek public radio, but its contemporary delivery is centered on internet access rather than the shortwave network that defined much of its history.

• 2022

  Shortwave transmissions cease

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  Shortwave broadcasting ends on 31 March, while online streaming remains in operation.

• 2015

  Online live stream resumes

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  Voice of Greece regains a live online stream, expanding its digital availability after the 2013 disruption.

• 2013

  ERT closure disrupts the service

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  The Greek government's closure of ERT interrupts Voice of Greece, although intermittent shortwave broadcasts resume later in the month.

• 1974

  International service adopts the Voice of Greece name

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  Following the collapse of the military junta, the international shortwave programme is renamed Voice of Greece.

• 1972

  Avlis shortwave centre established

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  A major transmission centre is established at Avlis with two 110 kW transmitters and directional antennas aimed at inhabited continents.

• 1947

  Dedicated international shortwave programme develops

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  A shortwave service using a 7.5 kW transmitter begins reaching nearby regions and Greek navigators, with news in multiple foreign languages.

• 1940

  Early wartime shortwave activity

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  After the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War, Greek radio makes an early attempt to transmit programmes by shortwave toward the front and the Balkans.

• 1938

  Athens Radio begins operations

  [1]Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org

  Athens Radio, the first state radio service of Greece, is inaugurated and provides the institutional foundation for later international broadcasting.

A public-service international broadcaster connecting Greece, Greek communities abroad, maritime audiences, and foreign listeners through news, culture, music, and multilingual programming.

• International radio service

  Voice of Greece / ERA 5

  The core international radio service of Greek public broadcasting. Historically distributed through shortwave and mediumwave, it combined Greek news, political and cultural programmes, folklore, music, and listener interaction. Its remit included Greek citizens and communities abroad as well as foreign audiences in Greece and other countries.

• Radio programming

  Multilingual international programming

  Foreign-language output broadened the service beyond Greek-speaking audiences. Languages identified in the service profile include English, German, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Albanian, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish, and Arabic, with earlier programming also documented in additional European and Middle Eastern languages.

• Digital audio streaming · 2015

  Voice of Greece online stream

  The internet stream provides the current digital access route for Voice of Greece following the end of shortwave transmissions. The service is presented through ERT's online radio platform and continues the broadcaster's international distribution role.

• 2022

  End of shortwave distributionStrategy

  Background

  Voice of Greece had historically relied on shortwave and mediumwave transmitters to reach audiences abroad.

  Action taken

  Shortwave broadcasting was stopped on 31 March 2022, leaving online streaming as the documented continuing distribution channel.

  Aftermath

  The service's international presence shifted further toward internet-based listening while retaining its public-service and diaspora-oriented role.

  Source

• 2013

  Broadcasting interrupted after ERT closureStrategy

  Background

  The Greek government announced the closure of ERT as part of an austerity programme, affecting the public broadcaster's radio services, including Voice of Greece.

  Action taken

  Voice of Greece later resumed intermittent shortwave transmissions, while its live online stream remained unavailable for a period.

  Aftermath

  The service regained an online live stream by the middle of 2015.

  Source

1. 1Voice of Greeceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Voice of Greece on ERT Echoertecho.gr