HELBI

The International Herald Tribune, with Kathimerini’s English Edition, saw record sales in Athens during the Olympic Games, with reports on the events, commentaries and photo spreads. Both the Greek and English editions of Kathimerini published reports and commentaries by correspondents in Athens of the IHT and the New York Times. IHT-Kathimerini was snapped up by foreign visitors and English-speaking journalists as a reliable source for their own coverage of the Games and a means of comparison with their own viewpoint. At the Main Press Center on Kifissias Avenue, journalists queued up for their copy of the newspaper; the 300 copies were sold out daily at the news stand, and were soon increased to 500. Sales at kiosks around the city more than doubled, while on cruise ships and at hotels the demand was five times higher. The reason for this success, of course, is that foreigners in Athens — athletes, journalists, technicians, tourists — had an English-language newspaper that carried reports on the Games from the Greek Kathimerini, a reputable source trusted by international newspapers around the world, as well as from its own Olympics reporters John Ross and Demetris Nellas. Kathimerini English Edition acted as a bridge uniting Athenians and visitors as one group enjoying the Games in a transformed city. In recognition, the International Herald Tribune (owned by the New York Times) sent a “gold medal” from its Paris headquarters in the form of a chilled magnum of champagne that arrived in the office of editor Nikos Konstandaras, whose team reported on the Games responsibly, on time and in sellout editions. Konstandaras handed out congratulations along with the champagne at a celebration at Kathimerini headquarters this week, in the fifth floor reception room overlooking the Saronic Gulf and the Kifissou flyover constructed in time for the Games right before our very eyes. The Games were a success, but now they are over. Kathimerini and its English Edition with the International Herald Tribune will continue as is their mission.