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. Teletipos S.A. was founded in 1989 under the name Teletypos S.A. of Television Programmes and the trade name MEGA CHANNEL. It is the first private television station in Greece, launched on air on November 20, 1989.

ΜEGA Channel
Launched20 November 1989
17 February 2020 (Relaunch)
Owned byAlter Ego Mass Media S.A. (Evangelos Marinakis)
Picture format1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 aspect ratio 576i for the SDTV feed)
Audience share27,2% (9-15 March 2020, AGB)
SloganMega όπως πάντα! (Mega as always!)
Mega Mou (My Mega)
CountryGreece
LanguageGreek
Broadcast areaDomestic
AffiliatesZeta Theodorakopoulou
Nikos Evaggelatos
Rania Tzima
Giorgos Kapoutzidis
Dora Anagnostopoulou
Athinais Nega
Baya Antonopoulou
Giannis Kallianos
Nikos Filipidis
Marinela Gerantoni
HeadquartersMegalou Alexandrou 35, Athens, Greece
Websitewww.megatv.com
Availability
Terrestrial
DigeaAll over Greece at local frequencies
Satellite
NOVA GreeceChannel 999
Cosmote TVChannel 112
Cable
Cosmote TVChannel 5
Streaming media
Live StreamingOfficial Web TV

MEGA's programming consisted mainly of Greek programmes such as comedies, dramas, news, current affairs and entertainment shows. Some of its hit series included popular comedies such as Sto Para Pente, Savatogenimmenes and Maria, i Aschimi as a comedy-drama series. This channel has also made some drama serials which are very famous in Greek television history.

Studios are located on Andrea Syngrou Avenue. It was previously located in Paiania. As of 29 May 2017, Teletipos S.A. is listed on the Athens Exchange (Athex: TELET); from March 2016, it had been in the under suspension market segment of the stock exchange.[1] It had been listed on this stock exchange since 1994.[1]

Since 2012 MEGA had been with financial problems from banks due to its borrowing practices. The channel made a decision to cease all news and live segments and focused its programming exclusively on pre-broadcast content. The terrestrial over-the-air broadcast of MEGA Channel was discontinued by Digea at 02:08:36 in the morning on October 28, 2018. It stopped broadcasting on pay-TV platforms on November 20, 2018. It continues to broadcast through online streaming from its webpage.

On 17 February 2020, Mega relaunched under the ownership of Alter Ego Mass Media S.A.

Current Programming
Main article: List of programs broadcast by Mega Channel

Programming for the 2019-2020 broadcasting season include:

Greek

Current shows include:

  • Kairos gia tous Agrotes (Weather for the Farmers). Airs Monday - Friday at 16:20.
  • 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 Nikos Filippidis and Baya Antonopoulou with co-hosted by Ntinos Siomopoulos and Tzina Moscholiou. Airs Monday - Friday at 05:50.
  • Live News - hosted by Nikos Evaggelatos. Airs Monday - Friday at 16:40.
  • Mega Gegonota (Mega News) - Daily newscast in Greek featuring news from Greece and around the world. Airs daily 13:00 & 19:30 (hosted by Dora Anagnostopoulou and Rania Tzima, on weekdays and Giannis Moutsos and Marilena Gerantoni on weekends).
  • Mega Mag - hosted by Thanasis Fouskidis, Andreas Papadopoulos and Dafni Karavokiri. Airs Monday - Friday at 09:00.
  • Mega Papers - hosted by Xaris Karanikas. Every second Wednesday at 24:00
  • Mega Savvatokiriako (Mega Weekend) - Morning show for the weekend. It features news, sports highlights, current affairs and more. Hosted by Giorgos Choudalakis, Aris Ravanos and Maria Katsi. Airs Saturday & Sunday at 06:50.
  • Off the Record - hosted by Giannis Moutsos. Every second Wednesday at 24:00
  • Autohub - hosted by Vaggelis Kiousis. Every Saturday at 11:20 and Sunday at 11:50
  • Nees Epoxes - hosted by Giannis Diamantis. Every Sunday at 17:15
  • Nega Talk - Talk show hosted by Athinais Nega. Every Monday at 24:00
  • Nostima kai Apla (Delicious and simple) - cooking show hosted by Alexandros Papadreou. Airs Saturday & Sunday at 10:00.
  • Sinema sthn Sentra (Cinema in Centra) - Sports and cinema Broadcast hosted by Antonis Karpetsopoulos and Giannis Zoumpoulakis. Every Thursday at 24:00
  • Sports Weekend - Sports Broadcast hosted by Antonis Katsaros, Panagiotis Perperidis and Zeta Theodorakoupoulou. Airs Saturday at 12:50
  • Super Balla Live - Sports Broadcast hosted by Antonis Karpetopoulos. Every Sunday at 23:00
  • Trapezi gia Filous (Table for Friends) - cooking show hosted by Dimitris Papazimouris And Savva Savva . Every Saturday at 16:00.
  • Gumnastiki apo spiti - hosted by Zoi Dimitrakou Airs Monday - Sunday at 11:20.

Current series include:

  • 21 I Anagennisi ton Ellinon - documentary series.

Foreign series

Slogans
  • 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 - September 2009: Megalicious
  • September 2009 - February 2010: Tο Mega είναι 20 (Mega is 20)
  • February 2010 - 23 October 2014 and 11 February 2020 - present: Mega mou (My Mega)
  • 23 October 2014 - 20 November 2018: Mega Mega
  • 22 July 2016 - 30 December 2019 (unofficial): Με την άδειά σας, συνεχίζουμε (With your permission, we continue)
  • 5 November - 30 December 2019: 30 Χρόνια Mega (30 years Mega)
  • 11 February 2020 - present: Mega όπως πάντα! (Mega as always!)

Logo and copyrights

From 2005, many clips aired, all with the slogan "Megalicious". In 2005-2007 were in-studio and from 2007 are live action. The previous Mega logo consisted of the text 'MEGA', with 'ME' widened to the left and 'GA' widened to the right. "Meg" and "Ega" (a computer-generated imagery cat and a dog respectively) which appear frequently in the TV station's idents, especially at Christmas, Easter or summer, can be considered the mascots of the station. The old Mega logo consisted of 10 or 12 multicoloured lines, with MEGA in the middle and sometimes channel located at the bottom. The colours started from yellow, golden yellow, gold, mandarin, slightly orange (on either side), orange-rose, orange-pink, rose and pink.[2]

MEGA Cosmos
MEGA Cosmos logo

MEGA Cosmos was the international network of Mega Channel that broadcast the 'best of Mega' programming to Greeks abroad in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It was first launched as Mega Channel Australia and then rebranded to Mega Cosmos using a common feed for Australia and the US.

Australia

The main channel first started broadcasting in Australia in 1995 but was taken off the air sometime later due to contractual problems. In late 2000, MEGA Cosmos returned to Australia thanks to a new deal signed with UBI World TV, a satellite platform that broadcast mainly foreign programming. In June 2012, UBI World TV ceased operations resulting in MEGA Cosmos again being temporarily unavailable. In January 2013, the channel returned via Ellas TV.

Canada
Main article: MEGA Cosmos (Odyssey Television Network)

MEGA Cosmos originally launched in Canada in November 2001 via Odyssey Television Network but a contractual dispute in the summer of 2003 resulted in the removal of MEGA Cosmos programming from the Canadian airwaves. After a 4-year absence, a deal was struck with Ethnic Channels Group in 2007 to bring the channel back to Canada. In June 2012, Ethnic Group lost the programming rights to the service and MEGA Cosmos Canada was subsequently shut down. The channel re-launched a short while later under a new agreement with Odyssey TV.

United States

MEGA Cosmos launched in the US in late 2000 on the Dish Network platform. On December 1, 2006, MEGA Cosmos moved from Dish Network to DirecTV, due to a contractual dispute. On April 1, 2011, MEGA Cosmos moved, this time to the Home2US platform, due to a lack of subscribers on DirecTV. On December 5, 2012, MEGA Cosmos returned to Dish Network, after a 12-year absence. In January 2013 the channel also became available on Ellas TV platform (IPTV).

Ownership

Current

Alter Ego Mass Media S.A. after winning auction for the series archive and the logo, held on November 1st of 2019 with offer 33.999.999 euros.

Former

Teletypos S.A. of Television Programmes (100%)

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.

See also

References
  1. "Stocks: TELET - Company name: TELETIPOS S.A." helex.gr. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  2. "mega channel Christmas ident 2003, meg and ega 2". YouTube. 2007-09-15. Retrieved 2011-05-12.
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