Star Channel (Greek TV channel)

Not to be confused with Star World.

For other uses, see Star Channel (disambiguation).

Star Channel

Country	Greece
Broadcast area	National
Programming
Language(s)	Greek
Picture format	1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
Owner	New Television S.A. (Giannis Vardinogiannis)
Sister channels	Omega TV Cyprus
History
Launched	4 December 1993
Former names	Channel 29 (1990–1993)
Links
Website	STAR CHANNEL
Availability
Terrestrial
Digea	All over Greece at local frequencies

Star Channel is a Greek free-to-air television channel that broadcasts a mix of foreign and Greek shows. It was launched in December 1993 and is owned by New Television S.A. (a company owned by Giannis Vardinogiannis).

Star Channel is known in Greece mostly for its programming style, both in terms of live shows and news content, with an increased focus on lifestyle, showbiz, gossip, and fashion news, and on "comedic" presentation.

In 2013, Star started combining information with entertainment, resulting in the channel's shift to a more serious tone. Star Channel generated €64 million in net profit in 2014 which represents a 32.2% increase from the previous year.

History

Star Channel was launched on 4 December 1993 to compete with Mega, ANT1, Alpha TV and ERT Channels. It began broadcasting children's programs as well as foreign series. In 1994 – Star Channel began to exchange family/children's programs from Alpha, then known as Skai (Greek spelling of Sky) with Star's children's programming. Star Channel made its international debut in 2005, joining the UBI World TV platform, which made Star available to viewers in Australia as well as in Asia and Africa. UBI World TV launched in New Zealand in 2008 making Star International available there.

In March 2011, Star Channel began showing some of its programs in 16:9 – mostly television series and films – and as of April, it switched to 16:9 for all its programming, including its own shows and news broadcasts.

In March 2016, Star Channel started its pilot broadcast of STAR HD (1080i) through Digea in Attica and Central Macedonia on 27 February 2016.

Programming

Star Channel airs 24/7 news, shows and reality shows, foreign series and many movies with premieres. The network also airs a seven-hour weekend morning animation block called "Starland" (formerly as Star Toons).

08:45 am – 11:45 pm	Breakfast At Star
11:45 pm – 14:00 pm	Truths with Zina Koutselini
15:00 pm – 16:00 pm	Star Afternoon News
16:00 pm – 17:30 pm	Shopping Star
17:30 pm – 18:30 pm	Three Miles
18:30 pm – 19:45 pm	Wheel of Fortune Greece
19:45 pm – 21:00 pm	Star Central News

Current programs

Game shows

Wheel of Fortune Greece

• Debut: March 23, 2015
• Replaced program: Greek Films
• Taping location: Studio Pro, Pallini, Attica
• Host: Petros Polychronidis
• Announcer: –
• Production Company: Green Pixel Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television/CBS Studios International
• Producing Team: Pegy Holy (executive producer)
• Directing/Writing Team: Tasos Sinapis (director)

Shopping Star

• Debut: November 21, 2016
• Replaced program: FM Live
• Taping location: Karamanos Studios, Ilion, Attica
• Host: Vicky Kaya
• Announcer: Baggelis Harisopoulos
• Production Company: Green Pixel Productions in association with Erdi Yapim/Global Agency
• Producing Team: Pegy Holy (executive producer)
• Directing/Writing Team: Dimos Pavlopoulos (director)

Soap operas

Tria Milia (Three Miles)

• Debut: April 4, 2022
• Replaced program: Elif
• Taping location: Ilion, Attica
• Creators: Aggelos Hasapoglou
• Production company: GreenPixel Productions in association with Karamanos Studio
• Producing team: Michalis Daskalakis (Executive Producer), Nikos Christoforou (Producer), Akis Haralampidis (Channel Supervising Producer), Savvas Velas (Head of productions)
• Directing team: Kostas Kimoulis, Vasilis Douros, Panagiotis Koutras, Simos Korexenidis
• Head writer: Aggelos Hasapoglou
• Script Editor: Vivi Nikolopoulou
• Associate head/breakdown/script writers: Kostas Semertzakis, Asimakis Alexiou, Dimitris Evlabidis, Theoni Skaleri, Eleni Typou, Tania Harokopou, Alexandros Sispidis
• Casting director:
• Cast: Evgenia Panagopoulou, Nikolas Makris, Yannis Poimenidis, Haris Sozos, Stella Kazazi, Tony Dimitriou, Evagelia Moumouri, Dimitris Liakopoulos, Haris Grigoropoulos, Yolanda Balaoura, Konstantina Tzortzi, Anthi Savvaki, Yannis Roussos, Haris Hiotis, Maria Damasioti, Stella Kosmopoulou, Michail-Aggelos Kritikos, Stefania Hampilomati

Talk shows

Alithies me ti Zina (Truths with Zina Koutselini)

• Debut: October 5, 2015
• Replaced program: Mia with Tatiana Stefanidou
• Taping location: Studio Pro, Pallini, Attica
• Host: Zina Koutselini
• Production Company: Green Pixel Productions
• Producing Team: Pegy Holy (executive producer)

Breakfast At Star

• Debut: September 20, 2021
• Replaced program: Sti Folia ton Kou Kou
• Taping location: Studio Pro, Pallini, Attica
• Hosts: Eleni Hatzidou, Eteoklis Pavlou
• Production Company: Green Pixel Productions
• Producing Team: Pegy Holy (executive producer)

Former shows on Star Daytime

Soap operas

• O antras ton oneiron mou (2017–2018)
• Arena (2017)
• 9 mines (2015–2017)
• Orkos Siopis (2014–2015)

Game shows

• Blind Taste (2015–2017)
• Oi Klironoi (2004)
• Monomahos (2002–2004)

Talk shows / Variety shows

• Sti Folia ton Kou Kou (2017–2021)
• Just Cooking (2015)
• Mia (2014–2015)
• Live U (2013–2017)
• Meletise to (2013–2014)
• Stin Kouzina me ti Dina (2012)
• Mila (2011–2014)
• Made in Star (2011–2012)
• Axizei na to zeis (2010–2011)
• FM Live (2009–2016)
• Nistikoi Praktores (2009–2012)
• Parea me ton Andrea (2009)
• Proini/Mesimeriani Meleti (2008–2013)
• O kairos me tin Petroula (2008–2010)
• Kilise o tentzeris (2008–2009)
• Yparhei Logos (2008–2009)
• Boro (2007–2009)
• Mesa s' ola (2007–2008)
• Ti tha fame simera (2006–2008)
• La Sousourela (2006–2008)
• Ola Kala (2005–2006)
• Ole (2004–2005)
• Kathe Mera Kalimera (2003–2009)
• Exo Thema (2003–2004)
• Super Star (2002–2011)
• Star Magazino (2002–2003)
• Me tin Elda (2002)
• Logia Starata (2001–2004)
• Mera me ti mera (2001–2002)
• I ygeia xtizetai kathe mera (2000–2002)
• Malvina Rixten (1999–2000)
• Ta Mystika tis Agapis (1998–2000)
• Star Cafe (1997–2000)
• Mia nea arhi (1997–1998)
• Gefsi Zois (1996–1997)
• Pes to sti Semina (1995–1996)

Star International

Star International was launched in November 2005 and airs the "best of" Star Channel programming to Greeks in the Asia Pacific region, Africa and North America.

Star International is currently available to viewers in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Asia through TV Plus; it operates on a 24-hour schedule.

In October 2009, Star International officially launched in North America, available exclusively on RCN Cable in the United States but in June 2010, RCN Cable dropped the channel due to the low number of subscriptions.

In May 2011, Star International re-launched in the US and was made available via satellite on the Home2US platform. In late 2012, Home2US ceased operations. The channel is currently available in North America through IPTV provider Ellas TV.

On 23 September 2014, Star International launched in Canada via Bell Fibe TV.

On 10 December 2020, Star International launched on Bell Satellite TV, making the channel available across Canada.

External links

• Official website