All or nothing on private television
The departure of television presenter Themos Anastassiadis from private Alpha channel is unlikely to plunge him into the ranks of the unemployed. The popular presenter will find a new TV haven sooner or later. Nevertheless, the news of his move stirred much debate – both on and off the screen – as is the case every time a TV personality leaves his or her post, for whatever reason. For months now, the rivalry between Anastassiadis and the channel’s main news bulletin presenter Nikos Hadzinikolaou fueled much speculation: Do they dislike each other? Are they just having us on to boost ratings? Anastassiadis’s departure from the channel had not been the first «upset» for Alpha of late; many other high-ranking figures had moved on as Hadzinikolaou gained influence. And this despite the fact that Alpha’s ratings remain extremely high, especially for its evening news bulletin and several informative and light entertainment programs. Anastassiadis’s popular talk show «Ola X» (All X) had been based on a clever formula, from which several other presenters borrowed ideas for their own programs. Irrespective of any disputes there may have been about the style of the show and the extent of its satire, «Ola X» was one of Alpha’s most original programs, and often extremely funny. It was a satire of our new generation, charming, light but duly cynical whose «arrows» generally targeted the manner of certain individuals rather than the content of their comments – a satire whose harshness was a comfort to the weak in an era without compassion, where only the strong and most adaptable survive.
