Skai Television
Launched	Original run:1993 - 2000 Relaunched:April 1, 2006
Owned by	Skai Group
Picture format	16:9
Audience share	4.8% (2009, Skai Group)
Country	Greece
Website	www.skai.gr/tv
Availability
Satellite
Hellas Sat Greece
Internet television
Skai TV Online	Watch live (selected programs only)
Skai TV HD	Watch in HD (selected programs only)

Skai TV is a Greek TV station, based in Athens. It is part of the Skai Group one of the largest media groups in Greece.^[1] It was relaunched in its present form on April 1, 2006 in Athens and gradually managed to spread its coverage nationwide. Besides analog over-the-air transmission, it is also available encrypted through Nova bouquet via Hotbird satellite at 13°E. Skai TV is also a member of the Digea consortium, which plans to co-establish (with ERT) Digital TV terrestrial transmission in Greece. Digea has announced that the DVB-T MPEG-4 standard is to be used.

At launch, Skai TV opted for dubbing all foreign language content into Greek, instead of using subtitles. This is very uncommon in Greece for anything except documentaries (using voiceover dubbing) and children's programmes (using lip-synced dubbing), so after intense criticism the station switched to using subtitles for almost all foreign shows.

[edit] Programme

Skai TV programme emphasises on entertainment and information. Since September 2009 a lot of sports coverage (mainly Greek Super League themed) was also added, along with returning Moto GP and Euroleague basketball coverage. The station regularly features programmes from networks such as National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel and the BBC and a large part of its schedule features recent and past-years documentaries. There is also a Greek dubbed BBC World News news bulletin following the station's own news bulletin and a news-themed morning show.

Some of the most notable programmes on offer (past and present) are 10 Years Younger, 24, The 4400, 90210, American Chopper, America's Funniest Home Videos, America's Next Top Model, Brainiac: Science Abuse, Californication, Coleen's Real Women, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Deadliest Catch, Dexter, Doctor Who, Fifth Gear, The Final Report, From the Earth to the Moon, How to Look Good Naked, Ice Road Truckers, Iron Chef America: The Series, Kinniku Banzuke, Kommissar Rex, Kunoichi, Life in Cold Blood, Man vs. Wild, Most Daring, The Most Extreme, MythBusters, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Queer Eye, Rome, Sasuke, Sons and Lovers, Sports Science, Stylista, Supernanny, Takeshi's Castle, Top Chef, Top Gear, Torchwood, Pimp My Ride, Punk'd, World's Most Amazing Videos and World's Wildest Police Videos.

[edit] Technology

Skai TV has made a pioneering appearance in international airwaves, being the first non-subscription TV station worldwide to use solely digital technology thus being completely tapeless. It uses the SONAPS network broadcast system made by Sony and instaled by British company VSC Design. The system is considered by the former as a showcase example of the system. Skai also use Omneon Spectrum servers for Playout together with IBIS automation.^[2]

Skai TV is also the first station in Greece to broadcast its full programme in 16:9 format.

[edit] History

The first logo of Skai TV, used from 1993-1998

Skai TV was first launched in 1993 with emphasis in news and sports but in 1999 was sold and the new owners gradually re-branded it as Alpha TV. The new station had an entirely different programming perspective and opted for a more mainstream profile, soon managing to become one of the top three TV stations in Greece.

Original Skai TV was heavily criticized for its "yellow press" news coverage and low-budget programming. In an incident still remembered by Greek viewers and later investigated by a Channel 4 documentary, the station was unanimously slated for its involvement (and live coverage) of a hostage situation that ended with the death of the victim.^[3]

The new logo of Skai TV, used since August 2009

In 2006, the company who originally launched Skai TV bought Seven TV, a holder of a Greek National broadcasting licence holder that failed to expand its coverage all over the country or attract a wide audience. The station was renamed to 'Skai TV' allowing the brand to re-emerge on the Greek television scene after 7 years, but this time the owners decided to forego their previous approach and opted for high-quality foreign shows and valid news coverage.

On September 6, 2007, Skai TV was added to the lineup of NOVA Greece digital platform.

[edit] See also

• Skai 100.3
• Skai Group

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Site (Greek)