Editing Mega Channel (section)

==History==
===Mega Channel (1989–2018)===
[[File:Mega Channel 1989-1999.webp|thumb|left|Old Mega Channel logo<br>(1989–1999)]]

Mega is the first private television station to launch in Greece on 20 November 1989 and was the trade name of Teletypos S.A. (Τηλέτυπος A.E.)

The channel regularly achieved the top ratings spot in Greece through its varied programming including comedies, dramas, news, current affairs and entertainment shows. Examples include the popular Greek comedies ''[[Sto Para Pente]]'', ''Savatogenimmenes'' and ''[[Maria, i Aschimi]]''.

The channel was also granted the rights to Victoria Hislop's novel [[The Island (Hislop novel)|The Island]]. This became a 26 episode drama series called [[To Nisi]]. The show was the most expensive show in Greek television history with a budget of €4 million.

===Financial problems and subsequent closure===
Since 2012, the parent company had been experiencing financial issues due to poor borrowing practises. In 2016, the channels debts were reported to be approximately €116 million. At the same time, reports of staff being unpaid began to emerge.

In 2016, it was reported that the company was restructuring loans in order to continue operations. This was despite the fact the company didn't proceed with a share capital increase of 15 million euros that was agreed in exchange for the banks agreeing to extend their return to 2021.

The staff of Mega Channel continued to keep the channel on air despite not being paid and being ignored by the parent company. The decision was taken to cease all news and live programming and instead focus on rebroadcasting content from their extensive program library without commercial breaks.

Mega continued broadcasting until it was removed from the platforms. The channel was removed by [[Digea]] (the company responsible for digital over-the-air broadcasting in Greece) at 02:08:36 on the morning of 28 October 2018. The channel was then also removed from pay-TV platforms on 20 November 2018. The channel did continue to broadcast via online streaming from its webpage.

===Sale of assets===
On 1 November 2019, the Mega Channel branding, logo and vast program library were put up for auction.

The winning bid of €33,999,999 belonged to '''Alter Ego Media S.A.'''

===Mega Channel (2020–present)===
Following the auction, plans were put in place to re-launch Mega.

On 17 February 2020, the channel relaunched with a variety of live programming, news, movies and selected programs from its program library.

The channel was using the familiar 'Mega Mou' (My Mega) on-screen branding that was originally used between 2010 and 2014 as well as the new tag line of Mega όπως πάντα! (Mega as always!).

However, on June 27, 2021, the channel retired the 'Mega Mou' branding and began to use a new ident package in which objects form the logo.