Alter Channel

Alter Channel, generally branded simply as Alter, was a private Greek television station operated by Eleftheri Tileorasi S.A. and associated with the Kouris media interests. Its history is commonly traced to a station launched in 1990, while the channel's later historical record identifies March 1994 as the launch of Channel 5, a predecessor that subsequently operated under the names Alter 5 and Alter Channel. On 29 October 2000, the station adopted the Alter Channel name, consolidating a brand intended to distinguish it in Greece's competitive commercial television market. The channel's programming combined conventional broadcast news with current-affairs analysis, political and social discussion, entertainment, celebrity coverage, talk formats and children's television. News and public-affairs output formed a major part of its identity. Among the people associated with its programming were news anchor Nikos Chatzinikolaou, morning presenter Giorgos Aftias, investigative journalist Makis Triantafyllopoulos and presenter Ageliki Nikolouli. Alter's schedule also included programs such as Alter News, Prosopo Me Prosopo, Atheatos Kosmos, Edo Kai Tora, Kalimera, Zougla and Kitrinos Typos, and Fos Sto Tounel. The latter focused on missing-person cases and crime investigations and became one of the station's best-known and award-winning programs. In April 2005, Alter reorganized its schedule into morning, noon, afternoon and night blocks. This structure enabled it to combine children's and news programming in the morning, current affairs and entertainment around midday, serials and the principal evening newscast later in the day, and talk and entertainment shows at night. The channel also carried a substantial children's lineup, including animated, preschool and family-oriented programs acquired from international suppliers. Alter expanded beyond Greece through Alter Globe, an international service for Greek-speaking viewers overseas. The service launched in the United States on Dish Network in August 2005 and in Australia, Asia and Africa through UBI World TV in December of that year. In the United States it later moved from Dish Network to DirecTV, was removed from that platform in 2011, and subsequently relaunched on Home2US. Alter Globe also became available in New Zealand through UBI World TV in 2008. A brief addition to Cablevision in the United States was later discontinued because the service did not achieve sufficient growth. The channel's later years were dominated by severe financial problems. Employees reported not receiving wages for more than a year and occupied the station's headquarters in late 2011. During the occupation, workers transmitted their own programming, including interviews with unemployed and striking workers, discussions of Greece's debt crisis, documentaries such as Debtocracy and W4 Crisis, and coverage of a solidarity concert. Alter's regular transmission stopped in December 2011, while worker-led broadcasts continued until 10 February 2012. Discussions about reopening the station, reportedly involving potential Israeli, French and Turkish investors, emerged in 2012, but the channel did not return to normal operation. Alter is therefore regarded as a defunct Greek television brand.

Alter Channel was a Greek private television broadcaster whose origins are associated with a station launched in 1990. The channel's more detailed chronology records a March 1994 launch under the name Channel 5. During a transitional period involving Altec and Kouris Media Group, it used the name Alter 5. On 29 October 2000, it was renamed Alter Channel and subsequently became widely known simply as Alter. The broadcaster built its identity around a mixture of news, current affairs, entertainment and family programming. Its news operation included a daily national and international bulletin, while current-affairs programs addressed political, social, economic and health issues. The station attracted recognizable Greek television personalities, including Nikos Chatzinikolaou, Giorgos Aftias and Makis Triantafyllopoulos. Its investigative and public-service profile was particularly associated with Fos Sto Tounel, a program presented by Ageliki Nikolouli that sought missing people and examined crimes. Entertainment formats covered celebrity news, lifestyle, talk, gossip, viewer problems and youth-oriented subjects. In September 2002, Alter moved its news programming from 6:00 p.m. to a later time slot, reportedly to compete more directly with other Greek broadcasters, including ANT1. On 20 April 2005, it reorganized its schedule into morning, noon, afternoon and night blocks. The morning schedule combined news, current affairs and children's content. Midday programming emphasized current affairs and entertainment; evenings included serials and the main nightly newscast; and late-night output concentrated on talk and entertainment. A broad children's schedule included animated series, preschool programs and other family content. Alter also developed an international distribution arm named Alter Globe. It began serving viewers in North America through Dish Network in August 2005 and reached Australia, Asia and Africa through UBI World TV in December 2005. In the United States, the service moved from Dish Network to DirecTV in September 2007. It entered New Zealand through UBI World TV in 2008 and was briefly carried by Cablevision in the United States in 2010, although that carriage ended after insufficient growth. Alter Globe was removed from DirecTV in April 2011 along with other Greek satellite channels and later relaunched on the Home2US platform. The broadcaster entered a severe financial crisis during the Greek economic crisis. By November 2011, employees said they had not been paid for more than a year and occupied the station's premises. The occupation produced a distinct period of worker-controlled broadcasting. From 1 January to 10 February 2012, employees transmitted interviews with unemployed people, unpaid workers, striking steelworkers, journalists and trade-union representatives, as well as discussions of government measures and Greece's debt crisis. The station also aired documentaries including Debtocracy and W4 Crisis and broadcast a solidarity concert from Peristeri. Regular Alter broadcasting had already stopped in December 2011, and the worker-produced transmissions ended on 10 February 2012. In April 2012, major shareholder George Kouris was reported to be negotiating with prospective Israeli investors, with French and Turkish investment also mentioned in accounts of a possible reopening. These efforts did not restore the channel to sustained operation. Alter Channel is consequently classified as defunct.

• 2012

  Worker broadcasts cease

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  The employee occupation and its associated transmissions ended on 10 February.

• 2011

  Financial crisis and employee occupation

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  Unpaid employees occupied the station and began organizing worker-led broadcasts.

• 2011

  Regular broadcasting ends

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  Alter stopped broadcasting in early December because of financial difficulties.

• 2008

  Alter Globe enters New Zealand

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  UBI World TV made Alter Globe available in New Zealand.

• 2007

  Alter Globe changes United States platform

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  The service left Dish Network in August and debuted on DirecTV in September.

• 2005

  Schedule reorganized into programming blocks

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  The station introduced morning, noon, afternoon and night programming blocks covering news, current affairs, entertainment, serials and children's television.

• 2005

  Alter Globe launches internationally

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  Alter Globe began distribution in the United States in August and in Australia, Asia and Africa in December.

• 2002

  News schedule moves later

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  Alter shifted its news programming to a later evening slot in an effort to compete with rival broadcasters.

• 2000

  Rebrand to Alter Channel

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  On 29 October, the station adopted the Alter Channel name.

• 1994

  Channel 5 launches

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  The station is recorded as launching in March under the name Channel 5.

• 1990

  Reported launch of the station

  [1]Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material identifies 1990 as the beginning of the television station later associated with the Alter brand.

A commercially oriented Greek general-entertainment broadcaster with a strong news, current-affairs and talk-programming identity, supplemented by entertainment, children's television and an overseas Greek-language distribution service.

• Broadcast television channel · 2000

  Alter Channel

  The primary Greek private television channel, offering a general schedule built around national and international news, current affairs, political and social discussion, entertainment, talk shows, serials and children's programming. Its programming mix gave the station a stronger news and public-affairs profile than a purely entertainment-oriented broadcaster.

• International television service · 2005

  Alter Globe

  Alter's international television service for Greek-speaking audiences outside Greece. It was distributed through satellite and pay-television platforms in North America, Australia, Asia, Africa and New Zealand, with platform changes in the United States during its operating period.

• Investigative television program

  Fos Sto Tounel

  A prominent investigative and public-service program focused on locating missing people and examining crimes. Presented by Ageliki Nikolouli, it became one of Alter's most recognizable programs and received awards.

• 2012

  Explore potential investor-backed reopeningM&A

  Background

  After regular broadcasting stopped, the channel's major shareholder sought possible financing to restart the operation.

  Action taken

  George Kouris entered reported negotiations involving Israeli investors, with French and Turkish investors also mentioned in accounts of a possible rescue.

  Aftermath

  No sustained reopening is documented in the reference material, and Alter remains defunct.

  Source

• 2011

  Worker-controlled broadcasting during the financial crisisStrategy

  Background

  Employees occupied the station after reporting more than a year without pay.

  Action taken

  Workers produced and transmitted their own interviews, discussions and documentaries, including programs focused on unemployment, labor disputes and the Greek debt crisis.

  Aftermath

  The worker-led transmissions continued until 10 February 2012, after which all Alter transmissions ceased.

  Source

• 2005

  Reorganize the daily schedule into programming blocksStrategy

  Background

  Alter sought to structure a broad general-interest schedule across different audience and daypart needs.

  Action taken

  On 20 April, the channel divided its schedule into morning, noon, afternoon and night blocks, combining news, current affairs, entertainment, serials and children's programs.

  Aftermath

  The block format defined the channel's programming architecture during its mature operating period.

  Source

• 2005

  Launch Alter GlobeProduct launch

  Background

  Alter sought to serve Greek-speaking viewers living outside Greece.

  Action taken

  The broadcaster launched Alter Globe in the United States in August and expanded distribution through UBI World TV in December to Australia, Asia and Africa.

  Aftermath

  The service later reached New Zealand and changed United States distribution platforms, although it ultimately ceased with the wider collapse of the Alter operation.

  Source

• 2000

  Adopt the Alter Channel identityStrategy

  Background

  The broadcaster had operated under Channel 5 and Alter 5 identities during earlier phases of its development.

  Action taken

  The station changed its name to Alter Channel on 29 October 2000 and later commonly used the shorter Alter brand.

  Aftermath

  The Alter identity became the station's principal public brand until the broadcaster ceased regular transmissions.

  Source

1. 1Alter Channelen.wikipedia.org