Greek journalists strike, protest cuts and lay-offs

Thousands of Greek journalists staged a nation-wide strike on Tuesday to protest against wage cuts and lay-offs in their sector, hit by the recession as the country struggles to recover from a debt-crisis. State and private TV stations broadcast cartoons and documentaries instead of news and regular programmes, while hundreds of journalists, holding banners reading "No lay-offs, contracts now", marched through central Athens and rallied outside the labour ministry.
"Workers at media organisations have to protect their rights. They are there to provide news and a country without news is a country in darkness," union leader George Delikaris told reporters. Some Greek media organisations have imposed wage cuts of up to 10 percent and at least two newspapers have closed down this year.