ANT1
| ANT1 | |
|---|---|
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| Launched | 31 December 1989 |
| Owned by | ANT1 Group |
| Picture format | 16:9 (576i, SDTV) (PAL) |
| Audience share | 15,6% (6/10/2014-12/10/2014, AGB) |
| Country | Greece |
| Language | Greek |
| Broadcast area | Internationally |
| Sister channel(s) | Makedonia TV |
| Website | ANT1 TV |
Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| DIGEA | Channel 05, 07 |
| Satellite | |
| NOVA Greece | Channel 106 |
| OTE TV | Channel 107 |
| IPTV | |
| OTE TV | Channel 6 |
| Streaming media | |
| ANT1 TV Online | antenna.gr/live |
Antenna, better known as ANT1, is a television network airing in Greece and Cyprus. The alternate spelling is play on words in Greek; ena (ένα) is the Greek number 1 (one), thus ANT1 is pronounced the same as Antenna (Αντέννα).
It launched on 31 December 1989, the same year as rival Mega Channel, and is owned by ANT1 Group. ANT1 had been the most-popular network in Greece for years with its line up of hit series including popular dramas Lampsi and Kalimera Zoi. Programming consists of comedies, dramas, news, current affairs programs, game shows and entertainment shows.
The first broadcast was on 31 December 1989. One of the concept executive producers has been Nico Mastorakis who brought with him several original (for the Greek viewers) ideas after his stay in the United States. Programs like Wheel of Fortune (Greek version), and Oi Men Kai Oi Den were immediately among the top-ten shows in Greece. Cartoons used to be offered in the morning; most were shown in the Greek language.
Antenna also runs Easy 97.2 and Rythmos 94.9 (a local pop-music radio station in Athens), as well as international networks Antenna Satellite (from North America), Antenna Pacific (Australia) and Antenna Europe (from Europe and outside of the Balkans) which broadcast the best of ANT1 programming to audiences abroad. ANT1 has also launched a digital channel, Antenna Gold, that airs programming from Antenna's programming library including many number-one hit shows. It airs in North America via Dish Network.
It also owns a stake in Makedonia TV, a TV station with national coverage in Greece, based in Thessaloniki, and also Easy 97.5 & Rythmos 104, two radio stations in Thessaloniki.
Programs that were once shown on ANT1 include CBS Evening News from the U.S. ANT1 Satellite News was also shown until the late 1990s.
Antenna TV studios are located in the Athens suburb of Marousi. Its main Athens transmission tower is on Mount Hymettus. The station broadcasts terrestrially via a network of repeaters throughout all of Greece and Cyprus.
Antenna is led by Theodore Kyriakou. He served as Executive Vice President of the Antenna Group SA (from 1995) and as Chief Operating Officer (from September 1998) until his appointment in March 1999 as Chief Executive Officer, a position which he held until his appointment in January 2002 as Group Vice Chairman. Mr Kyriakou has been a Director since September 1998.
Before 1995, he worked for the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. owned by Gannett Broadcasting, WUSA. WUSA is a television station broadcasting on channel 9 in Washington, D.C. Once again owned by Gannett Broadcasting, WUSA is an affiliate of the CBS television network, and the longest-tenured affiliate of that network. WUSA's studios and transmitter are located in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington. He has also worked for Antenna Satellite in New York. He holds a degree in International Business and Finance and a degree in Physics from Georgetown University, where he graduated cum laude.
Mr Kyriakou is credited with reshaping the Antenna asset portfolio. in October 2008, he built up a war chest for potential media acquisitions following the sale Nova, the Bulgarian assets of his Antenna TV company to Modern Times Group of Sweden for €628m (£600m).
Interviewed following that transaction by the Financial Times, Mr Kyriakou said: “We will be looking at a variety of assets across the broad spectrum of the media world and across Europe.” As the FT reported, Antenna was founded by Mr Kyriakou’s father Minos in 1989 and it is now the largest Greek-language media company in the world with production companies, radio stations, magazines and television channels at home.
It also owns channels in the US and Australia, serving the large Greek-speaking populations in those countries.
History
- 1986/1987: Construction of Antenna TV station begun. Construction continued until Antenna began operations of satellite. Signals were being put throughout the country.
- 1989: Antenna began broadcasting in Greece.
- Early to mid-1990s: Antenna began launching ANT1 in Cyprus, ANT1 Satellite for North American viewers, and ANT1 Pacific in Australia. The broadcasting hour was short and was broadcast 8 hours live (7:00 pm EAST to 3:00 am EAST), and reruns from 9 am EAST to 5 pm EAST until 1999. HRT from the Croatian Information Centre was also broadcast on the same channel.
- 1992: Kalimera Ellada (Good Morning Greece) debuted as the first morning show in Greece.
- 1992-1993: Lampsis and Kalimera Zoi past the 1,000th-episode milestone.
- Mid-1990s: Antenna and Skai TV were the number-one channels as indicated in some commercials. The ANT1 slogan (ANT1 noúmero éna) was used until 1999 after their ratings were number one in Hellenic-speaking television. Some programs throughout the 1990s were being number one.
- 1996: Antenna.gr hit the World Wide Web; some prefer antenna.com.gr.
- 1996: ANT1 satellite began broadcasting on channel 604 on Dish Network in the U.S. (see Dish Network and EchoStar for more).
- Late 1990s: Lampsi and Kalimera Zoi past the 2,000th-episode milestone.
- 1999 (September): ANT1 Satellite and Pacific extended programming to 16 hours of broadcasting and also added live news coverage.
- Late 2000: ANT1 Satellite and Pacific began broadcasting 24 hour program.
- 2001: ANT1 purchased NovaSat and contracted with Bulgaria in broadcasting rules.
- 2001/2002: Lampsi and Kalimera Zoi past the 3,000th-episode milestone.
- 2002: ANT1 Profits began to fall. It started from the $15 (American) range to $1.50 in the following weeks.
- 2002: ANT1 in North America was moved to channel 605 on Dish Network. ANT1 Gold was launched.
- 2002: Ratings for Ta Nea tou ANT1 peaked at around 200.000, while Alter and Star reached 250.000.
- 2002 (September): ANT1 changed its slogan to kainourgios kosmos ("different world") while more shows were coming.
- 2003: Low profit meant ANT1 profits listed as ANTV on the New York Stock Exchange was no longer seen on ANT1 satellite.
- 2006: Antenna launched Antenna Europe, international channel that broadcasts the 'best of Antenna' programming to major centres in Europe.
- 2006: Antenna launched Antenna Gold, Blue (music video channel), ANT1 Radio, Rythmos 94.9 and NovaSport FM to the North American market. All channels available on Dish Network, expansion is part of a new contract signed with Dish Network.
- 2007: Antenna Gold was removed from NOVA lineup due to the expiration of the agreement between ANT1 and Multichoice Hellas. Antenna Gold is no longer available to viewers in Greece.
- 2008: ANT1 Group sold the Bulgarian Nova television station to Swedish-based Modern Times Group for €620 million, thus securing a crucial line of credit for its distressed core business that experienced fallen ratings in the 2007-2008 season.
- 2009: ANT1 started broadcasting online, via its official website, only for people who live in Greece, excluding foreign programmes and launched all its programmes as video on demand.
Programming
Current programming lineup for 2015/2016 season:
News and information
- Kalimera Ellada (Good Morning Greece) - Daily morning news show, now in its 25th season, hosted by Giorgos Papadakis.
- To Proino (Breakfast Time) - Popular morning show, hosted by Giorgos Liagas and Fay Skorda.
- ANT1 News - Daily newscast in Greek featuring news from Greece and around the world.
- Igeia Pano Ap'ola (Health above all) - A show focused on health and wellness.
- Se Proto Plano (In the spotlight) - Investigative show/documentary, focusing on the problems faced by everyday Greeks. Hosted by Katerina Antonopoulou.
- Me Agapi (With love) - Show focusing on the problems people face. Hosted by Mari Kiriakou and back for its eighth season.
Greek
- Brousko - Popular soap opera in its third season.
- Roua Mat (Checkmate) - Soap opera in its second season; first aired on sister channel ANT1 Cyprus.
- Oi Symmathites (Classmates) - Comedy, in its second season.
- Tamam - Comedy-drama, in its second season.
Foreign
- Grey's Anatomy - American medical drama.
- Karadayı - Turkish television drama.
- Muhteşem Yüzyıl (Souleiman O Megaloprepis) - Turkish television drama.
- True Blood - American supernatural drama.
Reality/Non-scripted
- Your Face Sounds Familiar - Greek version of reality singing program. Back for its third season and hosted by Maria Bekatorou.
- The Voice - Greek version of reality singing competition back for its second season. Hosted by Giorgos Laikas with Antonis Remos, Despina Vandi, Mihalis (STAVENTO), and Melina Aslanidou serving as judges.
- Splash! - Greek version of Splash! (UK TV series); premiere in 2015.
- Zorika Epaggelmata (Tough professions) - Greek version of Dirty Jobs. Hosted by Spiros Soulis; premiere in 2015
- Ta Karntasians - Variety show back for its second season and hosted by Grigoris Arnaoutoglou, Maria Mpekatorou and Dimitris Stavoba.
- Radio Arvyla - (idiom meaning a rumor that is eventually not true). Talk show with a satirical look on current events, based in Thessaloniki and hosted by Antonis Kanakis, Giannis Servetas, Stathis Panagiotopoulos and Christos Kiousis. Back for its 8th season. Airs Mondays at 11:15pm.
- Ola Mpip (All beep) - Late night satirical talk show, mostly making fun of television bloopers. Hosted by Themos Anastasiadis. Airs Mondays & Tuesdays at 12:00am.
- The 2Night Show - Late night talk show, hosted by Grigoris Arnaoutoglou.
- I Mama Mou magirevi Kalitera Apo Ti Diki Sou - Daily cooking competition, hosted by Grigoris Arnaoutoglou.
- Radio Arvyla - Popular talk show with a satirical look on current events, based in Thessaloniki and hosted by Antonis Kanakis, Giannis Servetas, Stathis Panagiotopoulos and Christos Kiousis.
- Proti Fora Ola - Late night satirical talk show.
- Spata Live - Daily variety show, hosted by Mary Sinatsaki & Dimitris Ougarezos.
Sports
- UEFA Europa League (Thursday matches and highlights)
- FIBA EuroBasket (Greece matches only)
Netwix
ANT1 Group has launched a on-demand Internet streaming media pay-service available to viewers in Greece. Some programing include:
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Slogans
ANT1 has had various slogans over the years including:
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ANT1 Abroad
Since 1996, Antenna has broadcast its programming internationally for Greek-speaking audiences abroad. Initially the broadcast was for a few hours each day but has since evolved into a full channel that operates twenty-four hours a day. ANT1 currently operates three television channels, via satellite, which vary according to the different geographical targets:
- Antenna Europe for audiences in Europe (outside of Greece)
- Antenna Satellite for audiences in North and South America
- Antenna Pacific for audiences in Australia and the Pacific Rim
ANT1 Satellite and ANT1 Pacific started broadcasting in 1996 with a very limited schedule for only a few hours a day. In 2000, both channels expanded to a full 24-hour schedule featuring the 'best of Antenna' including popular shows, news, sports and special events.
ANT1 Europe launched in early 2006 but is only available outside Greece and not in neighbouring countries such as Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Serbia.
Logos
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|---|---|---|
| 31 December 1989 - 17 September 2007 | 17 September 2007 - 14 September 2008 | 15 September 2008 – present |
The first ANT1 logo was colored with gold with ANT flattened 20 degrees to the right and the number 1 is bolded at size 2. At the left edges of the number 1, two lines starting from A to 1. The line at the top is short and the line at the bottom is long. The logo appeared at the top-left on the screen. Due to its brightness, the logo could cause burn-in on rear projection and plasma TVs. A defined image of the logo will appear permanently on the TV screen.
On 17 September 2007, ANT1 launched the new pink logo which also included a new on-screen logo. The logo was more subtle and did not cause the problems mentioned above.
On 15 September 2008, ANT1 dropped the pink branding and launched a new look and logo. The logo does not feature the lines above and below the word ANT1.