RTL Group to exit Greek broadcasting market

[Grk101]

It's official, RTL is selling Alpha TV back to Dimitris Kontominas.

RTL Group to exit Greek broadcasting market

RTL Group announced that it will sell its 70 per cent majority shareholding in Alpha Media Group to the Greek entrepreneur Dimitris Contominas. 

 

The transaction is subject to approval by the Greek Competition Commission and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. As Mr Contominas currently owns a minority stake of 30 per cent in Alpha Media Group, he will become again the sole owner of the company, while the current management will continue to be involved in the operating management of the channel.

Gerhard Zeiler, CEO of RTL Group, says: “Given the heavy and on-going economic and financial crisis in Greece, we have eventually decided to exit the Greek market. While we cannot influence the overall market development, our local management team led by CEO Christoph Mainusch, together with Alpha

[addynia]

I am not sure that anything will change because of this. Before RTL Alpha shows / series were well below par compare to ones from MEGA or even ANT1 when ANT1 was still producing greek series.

Sad but true, same actors different channel makes a big difference.

[DKSat]

Now that Kontominas has control over Alpha, there is good chance that Alpha will be moving from Dish Network to Home2US.

DKSat

[Grk101]

Interesting, I have seen you mention it before too. How long of a contract did they sign with Dish Network? It has been on Dish for only a year now.

On a related note about Alpha's future, there is a lot of talk that Alpha will be changing its news operations. I have read Giannis Papagiannis is headed toward Alpha, having just left Extra 3. (Akis Pavlopoulos is replacing him at Extra 3) Then other reports also mention Lakis Lazopoulos having some type of role.