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‘Sudden death’ looming for former Greek TV giant Mega

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Staff at Greece's former premier TV channel Mega on Thursday said the station faced 'sudden death' after it failed to apply for a new licence.

"420 staff and their families are in imminent danger," the station's employees said in a statement, adding that they felt "defrauded" by Mega's shareholders.

Six other channels had earlier applied for private licences under a new tender, including mainstays Skai, Antenna, Alpha and Star.

Each ten-year licence has a starting bid of 35 million euros ($42 million).

Greece's first non-state TV station, appearing in 1989, Mega was the country's most influential channel for more than two decades.

A major critic of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' leftist government, it collapsed in 2016 after banks froze the channel's accounts over late loan repayments, with its top shareholders turning a blind eye.

Its staff on Thursday said they had struggled for nearly two years without pay to keep the channel going, mostly with show reruns.

Staff at Greece’s former premier TV channel Mega on Thursday said the station faced ‘sudden death’ after it failed to apply for a new licence.

“420 staff and their families are in imminent danger,” the station’s employees said in a statement, adding that they felt “defrauded” by Mega’s shareholders.

Six other channels had earlier applied for private licences under a new tender, including mainstays Skai, Antenna, Alpha and Star.

Each ten-year licence has a starting bid of 35 million euros ($42 million).

Greece’s first non-state TV station, appearing in 1989, Mega was the country’s most influential channel for more than two decades.

A major critic of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ leftist government, it collapsed in 2016 after banks froze the channel’s accounts over late loan repayments, with its top shareholders turning a blind eye.

Its staff on Thursday said they had struggled for nearly two years without pay to keep the channel going, mostly with show reruns.

AFP
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