Mega Channel
MEGA Channel, also known as MEGA TV or just MEGA, is a television network in Greece, that broadcasts a mix of foreign and Greek programming.
 | |
| Country | Greece |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Domestic |
| Affiliates | Zeta Theodorakopoulou Nikos Evaggelatos Rania Tzima Giorgos Kapoutzidis Dora Anagnostopoulou Athinais Nega Baya Antonopoulou Giannis Kallianos Nikos Filipidis Marinela Gerantoni |
| Slogan | Mega όπως πάντα! (Mega as always!) Mega Mou (My Mega) |
| Headquarters | Megalou Alexandrou 35, Athens, Greece |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Greek |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 aspect ratio 576i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Alter Ego Mass Media S.A. (Evangelos Marinakis) |
| History | |
| Launched | 20 November 1989 17 February 2020 (Relaunch) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Digea | All over Greece at local frequencies |
| Cable | |
| Cosmote TV | Channel 5 |
| Satellite | |
| NOVA Greece | Channel 999 |
| Cosmote TV | Channel 112 |
| Streaming media | |
| Live Streaming | Official Web TV |
It is the first and the oldest private television network in Greece.
History
Mega Channel (1989 - 2018)
Mega was the first private television station to launch in Greece on 20 November 1989 and was the trade name of Teletypos S.A. (Τηλέτυπος A.E.)
The channel regularly achieved the top ratings spot in Greece through its varied programming including comedies, dramas, news, current affairs and entertainment shows. Examples include the popular Greek comedies Sto Para Pente, Savatogenimmenes and Maria, i Aschimi.
The channel was also granted the rights to Victoria Hislop's novel The Island. This became a 26 episode drama series called To Nisi. The show was the most expensive show in Greek television history with a budget of €4 million.
Financial problems and subsequent closure
Since 2012, the parent company had been experiencing financial issues due to poor borrowing practises. In 2016, the channels debts were reported to be approximately 116 million euros. At the same time, reports of staff being unpaid began to emerge.
In 2016, it was reported that the company was restructuring loans in order to continue operations. This was despite the fact the company didn't proceed with a share capital increase of 15 million euros that was agreed in exchange for the banks agreeing to extend their return to 2021.
The staff of Mega Channel continued to keep the channel on air despite not being paid and being ignored by the parent company. The decision was taken to cease all news and live programming and instead focus on rebroadcasting content from their extensive program library without commercial breaks.
The channel continued broadcasting until it was removed from the platforms. The channel was removed by Digea (the company responsible for digital over-the-air broadcasting in Greece) at 02:08:36 on the morning of 28 October 2018. The channel was then also removed from pay-TV platforms on 30 November 2018. The channel did continue to broadcast via online streaming from its webpage.
Sale of assets
On 1 November 2019, the Mega Channel branding, logo and vast program library were put up for auction.
The winning bid of 33,999,999 euros belonged to Alter Ego Mass Media S.A. which is owned by Evangelos Marinakis.
Mega Channel (2020 - present)
Following the auction, plans were put in place to re-launch Mega.
On 17 February 2020, the channel relaunched with a variety of live programming, news, movies and selected programs from its program library.
The channel is currently using the familiar 'Mega Mou' (My Mega) on-screen branding that was originally used between 2010-2014 as well as the new tag line of Mega όπως πάντα! (Mega as always!)
Under the ownership of Alter Ego, the channel is now located at 340 Syngrou Avenue in Kallithea, Athens.
Current Programming
Programming for the 2020-2021 broadcasting season include:
Greek
Current shows include:
- Koinonia Ora Mega (Community Time MEGA) - A revamped version of its predecessor (Koinonia Ora 8). Current affairs show that examines the issues affecting everyday people in Greece and abroad. Features discussion with in-studio guests. The show is hosted by Iordanis Hasapopoulos and Anthi Voulgari. Airs Monday - Friday at 05:30.
- Live News - hosted by Nikos Evaggelatos. Airs Monday - Friday at 16:20.
- Mega Gegonota (Mega News) - Daily newscast in Greek featuring news from Greece and around the world. Airs daily 13:00 & 19:45 (hosted by Dora Anagnostopoulou at 13:00, Rania Tzima on weekdays except Fridays at 19:45, Katerina Panagopoulou on Fridays and weekends at 19:45 and Marilena Gerantoni on weekends at 13:00).
- Mega Savvatokiriako (Mega Weekend) - Morning show for the weekend. It features news, sports highlights, current affairs and more. Hosted by Dinos Siomopoulos and Stella Gadona. Airs Saturday & Sunday at 05:30.
- MEGA Stories - hosted by Dora Anagnostopoulou. Airs second Tuesday at 00:10.
- Babel - hosted by Nikos Filippidis. Airs second Tuesday at 00:10.
- Super Balla Live - Sports Broadcast hosted by Antonis Karpetopoulos. Every Sunday at 23:10.
- Gumnastiki apo spiti (Gymnastics from home) - hosted by Zoi Dimitrakou Airs Monday - Frifay at 09:40.
- Pame Danai (Let's go Danai) - hosted by Danai Barka. Airs Monday - Friday at 10:00.
- Roomies - hosted by Katerin Zarifi, Doreta Papadimitriou and Maria Solomou. Airs Saturday & Sunday at 17:10.
- Supermarket Sweep - hosted by Τonis Sfinos. Airs Monday-Friday at 18:40.
- Ela kai tha deis (Come and you'll see) - hosted by Thodoris Atheridis. Airs Friday at 23:10.
- Mega Star - hosted by Manto Gasteratou and Antonis Dimitriadis. Airs Saturday at 16:00.
Current series include:
Foreign series
- Mr. Mercedes - American crime drama.
- For Life - American legal drama.
- Forensic Files - American documentary-style.
- Outlander - American historical drama.
- When Calls the Heart - Canadian-American romantic drama.
- CSI: Miami - American police procedural drama
Slogans and branding
Mega (1989 - 2018)
- 1989 - 1999: Το Μεγάλο κανάλι στη μικρή οθόνη (The Big Channel on the small screen)
- 2000 - 2002: Ραντεβού στο Mega (Meet on Mega)
- 2002 - 2004: Όλοι Mega (Everyone Mega)
- 2004 - 2005: I love TV
- 2005 - 2009: Megalicious
- 09/2009 - 02/2010: Tο Mega είναι 20 (Mega is 20)
- 02/2010 - 10/2014: Mega mou (My Mega)
- 10/2014 - 11/2018: Mega Mega
Unofficial slogans
- 07/2016 - 12/2019: Με την άδειά σας, συνεχίζουμε (With your permission, we continue)
- 11/2019 - 12/2019: 30 Χρόνια Mega (30 years Mega)
Mega Channel (2020 - present)
- 02/2020–present: Mega Mou (My Mega)
- 02/2020–present: Mega όπως πάντα! (Mega as always!)
Logo and copyrights
The original Mega logo consisted of 10 or 12 multicoloured lines with MEGA in the middle with the word channel located at the bottom.
Mega then launched a new logo in 1999 with the text 'MEGA', with 'ME' widened to the left and 'GA' widened to the right. This logo is still in use today.
The channel does regularly refresh its on-screen branding using the current seasons slogan. The channel also uses special idents at Christmas and Easter.
MEGA Cosmos
MEGA Cosmos was the international network of Mega Channel that broadcast the 'best of Mega' programming to Greeks abroad. It was first launched as Mega Channel Australia and then rebranded to Mega Cosmos using a common feed for Australia and North America.
The channel was available in
- Australia via UBI World TV and later via the Ellas TV platform (IPTV).
- Canada via Odyssey Television Network.
- USA via the Dish Network and the Ellas TV platform (IPTV).
Ownership
Current
Former
Teletypos S.A. of Television Programmes (100%)
- Alter Ego Mass Media S.A. (22,11%)
- Elenovo Ltd. - Anna Leonidou (19,63%)
- Pegasus Publications S.A. (13,09%)
- HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) S.A. (4,88%)
- GS Bank (4,80%)
- Moongold Investments Limited (3,32%)
- Baltazzi Investments Limited (3,26%)
- Goodlass Investments Limited (3,26%)
- Opalton Investments Limited (3,26%)
- Benbay Limited - Victoras Restis (3,19%)
- Saran Holdings S.A. SPF (2,81%)
- Prime Applications S.A. - Dimitris Kopelouzos (2,68%)
- Elkin Holdings S.A. (2,33%)
- Ascope Trading Limited (1,55%)
- EOK Equity Limited (1,32%)
- WAKO Investments S.A. (1,04%)
- Cyrenia Enterprises S.A. (1,02%)
- LAGAN Enterprises S.A. (1,02%)
- Tone Business S.A. (1,02%)
- Valens Trading S.A. (1,02%)
- Rest shareholders (3,39%)
Participations
- Teletypos Cyprus Ltd: 100% subsidiary (main business mainly in the purchase and sale of programmes, know-how etc. in the markets of Cyprus and the Middle East)
- NETMED NV, Dutch cable television company: 12,5%
Former participations:
- Multichoice Hellas S.A., Greek cable television company: 42%, in 2003, 33% were transferred to Teletypos Cyprus but already in 2004 all 42% were exchanged with a 12.5% participation in the Dutch cable television company NETMED NV.