Apollo TV Intl Enterprises (Distributors)
apollotv@hol.gr

IT Television Intl
www.jttv.gr
info@jttv.gr

Prooptiki SA
www.prooptiki.gr
prooptiki@prooptiki.gr

Greece (population: 11,500,000)

In 1989 Greek TV was deregulated, with the birth of Mega Channel (owned by Teletypos). Antenna TV, an offshoot of Antenna Radio co-owned by a shipowner soon followed, along with an abundance of illegal transmitters. Revenue from advertising has since provided stable ground for both foreign and national TV in Greece, which is bad news for eSCape tv, since advertising-driven channels are inevitably unimaginatively populist in outlook.

Private channels such as Alpha (ex-Sky) TV and Star Channel have, however, adversely affected Mega Channel and Antenna’s market share. All four of the above channels are ostensibly commercial, and Greek product generally occupies prime time slots, relegating foreign programmes elsewhere in the broadcasting schedule.

ERT, the public broadcasting body in Greece, has suffered badly (viewing figures are down to 10% of market share), as a result of competition from private operators. Furthermore, it has been argued that ERT might benefit from a large number of staff dismissals. Again the staffing problem here is a direct result of the transition from dictatorship to democracy; overstaffing, endless red tape and widespread corruption are a common feature in many countries which have witnessed a relatively recent political transition.

Globally, we have:

Elliniki Teleorasi 1 (ET-1) and

NEA Elliniki Teleorasi (NET) in Athens, and

ET-3 in Thessaloniki.

Since 1997, ET-1 has been entertainment-focused, whereas NET (formerly ET-2) is more serious in programming structure. ERT benefits from a licence fee, which is part of Greek electricity bills. Greece has no cable, but digital analogue is on offer through Pay-TV, which is mainly in the hands of Multichoice Hellas*, which purchases programming from NetMed Hellas, which in turn runs Filmnet, K-TV and Supersport.

*Ownership: Myriad Development (40%), Teletypos (40%), LTV (Cyprus) 18%, Sun Spot Leisure (2%).

Digital satellite is embryonic in Greece, and Pay-TV seems doomed from the start.

Private

Mega Channel           22.1%

Antenna TV                21.9%

Alpha TV                    15.3%

Star Channel              13.4%

Alter                            2.2%

Tempo                        2.2%

Public

ET-1                            6.1%

NET                            4.2%

ET-3                            1%

Source: AGB Hellas, period 1 Sept 2000 – 31 Aug 2001.