Athens, November 5, 2015. Last night saw the official launch event for CNN.gr, a dynamic Greek-language digital offering from DPG Digital Media and CNN International Commercial that combines international news with local content and video.
Various representatives of Greece’s political and business worlds gathered at the Benaki Museum, Athens, to celebrate the launch of CNN Greece, which is now available both online and on mobile.
The result of close collaboration between CNN International and DPG Digital Media, CNN Greece provides a Hellenised digital version of the innovative, award-winning CNN news platform to the Greek public.
CNN.gr offers content of national and local interest with a focus on video, as well as coverage of international news and major events through content from CNN and its partner network. Besides its core values, which combine transparency, accuracy and telling multiple sides of a story with a balanced approach, CNN.gr is adopting the conduct and operational code synonymous with CNN.
The event was also attended by the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Nikos Voutsis.
“As the world’s news leader, CNN is committed to bringing news in different formats and platforms across the world to reach and engage new audiences,” said Rani R. Raad, Chief Commercial Officer of CNN International. “The launch of CNN.gr is an important moment for CNN, and equally important for news audiences in Greece. There is huge potential in our partnership with DPG and the new way that CNN’s unique brand of journalism will be experienced in the Greek language.”
«Within a highly demanding environment for reliable, timely and quality information, the strategic cooperation with the CNN international family, of which we are now a member of, makes us particularly proud, as it contributes to the development of our Group’s network in all those areas that meet the Greek consumer needs” added Dimitris Giannakopoulos, DPG Group President. “With the unique CNN quality seal we aim to highlight and responsibly enlighten the significant developments in our country, putting Greece in the spotlight and the Greek diaspora closer to motherland.”
CNN.gr editorial offices are located in Athens and will be closely and instantly supported from CNN London, the largest CNN international bureau. In parallel, the cooperation with DPG Digital Media will expand CNN news sources in Greece.
The CNN.gr team
With 85% of the Greek public consuming news on digital platforms, CNN.gr offers a unique branded channel with quality content and advanced marketing to reach Greek audiences new ways. Exclusive and premium content is overseen by Andreas Panagopoulos and his experienced team, whilst video content will be produced exclusively by the CNN.gr team or supplied by CNN’s international operations.
In the high-level digital platform executive positions are assumed by:
- Panagiotis Bomis, General Manager. He entered the Greek media arena when he graduated from London School of Journalism in 1997 and has been CEO of the Panathenaic Publications. He worked as business manager during the first two years of DPG Digital Media and then worked with TIME Inc as Chief Web Officer by setting up in Greece the digital versions of Fortune, In Style and People on behalf of Olive Media editions
- Andreas Panagopoulos, as Editor in Chief. He has been a journalist since 1990 and gained valuable experience in a series of “frontline” reportages (war, financial, political). He served as a News Director on ANT1 TV from 2009 to 2015, and since November 2014 has been a PhD candidate in the Department of Journalism and Mass Media of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with a thesis subject on news websites in Greece and traffic measurements.
- Maria Karchilaki as Editor at Large. With vast experience over the last two decades, she is particularly popular with the Greek public, having previously covered numerous wars as a journalist, while also spanning international political and economic reportage.
- Tasos Oikonomou, as Chief Editor. For a decade he served as an Editor in Chief in the digital edition of Kathimerini newspaper.
- Thanasis Koukakis as Head of Financial Reportage. He has great experience in the respective field, having previously worked in the print editions of “TA NEA”, “TO VIMA”, “ESTIA” newspapers, but also in the financial section of In.gr website.
- Voula Kechagia as War Correspondent. Years of experience in political reportage in media such as “TA NEA” newspaper, ERT, “AGGELIOFOROS” newspaper and Mega Channel.
- Dimitris Kottaridis as political editor who has worked for many years at ANT1 channel in political reportage.
- Loukas Karnis as Page Editor. He comes from the field of magazines, having previously offered his journalistic services to «Status» magazine, publications and inserts of “Kathimerini” newspaper, and as a Chief Editor in the Greek version of «Esquire».
- Michalis Tsohos as Head of Sports Section. He has worked since 1991 as a presenter and commentator for sports broadcasts, as a radio producer and columnist. He is the “voice” of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League in Greece, and has covered over the last twenty years the biggest sports events, such as the Olympics, World Cup Soccer etc.
- Kostas Pliakas as partner for the creation of documentaries and special dedicatory researches with fifteen years of experience in “Eleftheros Typos” newspaper and numerous collaborations with print media, radio stations and international photographic agencies.
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Media contacts
Dan Faulks – CNN International – +44 207 693 1362 / +44 7554 439100
About CNN International
CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in six different languages across all major TV, internet and mobile platforms reaching more than 395 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America and has an increased presence in the U.S. with its recent launch on CNNgo. Over the years it has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism, including most recently the Asian Television Award Cable & Satellite Network and Channel of the Year, and is a two-time winner of Royal Television Society News Channel of the Year. CNN Digital is a top network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN has 42 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.
About DPG Group of Companies
DPG GROUP OF COMPANIES is the fastest emerging New Media and Technology network in Greece, providing an all-around array of services in the fields of Digital Media, Web Development, as well as Integrated & Mobile Marketing solutions, through a variety of high-performance business units.
The portfolio of DPG Group includes DPG Digital Media, the fastest growing and fully integrated digital media network in Greece, Clickhouse the group’s web development specialist, LAB 14 which provide integrated marketing & communication campaigns and Straight Solutions, a company specializing in the Mobile Marketing field.