MAD TV

MAD TV is a Greek television network dedicated primarily to music programming. Launched on June 6, 1996, it became the first music television station in Greece and developed a format built around music videos, music news, artist interviews, concert footage, charts, and specialist entertainment programs. Its core audience has historically been young viewers, particularly those aged approximately 15 to 24. The channel was founded by Andreas Kouris and is owned by Solar Media S.A. It is based in Pallini, in the Attica region of Greece. Although its principal service is a Greek television channel, MAD expanded its activities into digital media, mobile content, satellite distribution, events, awards, fashion, and music-industry services. This broader model positioned MAD not only as a broadcaster but also as a music-content and entertainment platform. In May 2000, MAD launched what it described as Greece's first music portal. The portal extended the channel's editorial and entertainment proposition to the internet, offering international and Greek music information as well as online services. Over time, the wider MAD operation supplied music news, artist biographies, event information, charts, photographs, wallpapers, audio and video streaming, and mobile content to internet portals and telecommunications companies. The network also developed interactive and commercial services. These included Go MAD, an interactive service; MAD Music, a group of five interactive audio channels distributed through Nova; MAD Shop, an online compact-disc store; mobile content such as ringtones, logos, and multimedia messages; and MAD Scanner, an acoustic-fingerprint service offered through Vodafone Greece. MAD also provided real-time streaming and music content for mobile phones and third-party websites. These initiatives reflected the transition from linear music television toward multi-platform music distribution. MAD's most visible music-industry property is the MAD Video Music Awards, first held on June 26, 2004. The annual event allows public voting for artists and music videos and has become a recurring Greek music awards production associated with the network. In 2005, MAD organized the Athens Music Forum, a conference intended to bring together professionals from the Greek music business and related fields. The company also created Secret Concerts, a series of intimate performances in undisclosed or private venues, giving established artists an opportunity to perform alternative repertoires for small audiences. From 2013 onward, MAD produced the Greek national selection associated with the Eurovision Song Contest under the title Eurosong – A MAD Show. The network has also pursued international distribution for Greek music. In December 2005, it established MAD World with UBI World TV as a 24-hour Greek music channel aimed at audiences abroad. In July 2006, MAD partnered with ANT1 to launch Blue, a related service intended for North American audiences and distributed through selected international satellite packages. Beyond television and digital music services, MAD has connected music with fashion through MADWalk – The Fashion Music Project. The event combines fashion presentations by Greek designers with live performances by Greek singers and other performers. Through awards, concerts, fashion events, digital products, and music-industry conferences, MAD has built a brand around the intersection of broadcasting, popular music, youth culture, and live entertainment.

MAD TV was established as a dedicated Greek music broadcaster and began transmission on June 6, 1996. Founded by Andreas Kouris, it became the first music television station in Greece. Its initial identity centered on the television circulation of music videos, but the service also incorporated music journalism, artist interviews, concert material, charts, and entertainment programming. The network's programming covered Greek and international pop, electronic, rock, hip-hop, and rhythm-and-blues releases. The channel developed a youth-oriented editorial model. Its stated target group was viewers aged 15 to 24, and a substantial portion of its daily schedule consisted of current music releases and live or presenter-led shows. Programs covered music news, artists, cinema, club culture, video games, concerts, internet trends, and documentaries. Examples of programs associated with the channel include OK!, Loca Report, Cooler Lists, Insta News, 30 Best Videos, All Hits Non-Stop, All New Mixer, Breakfast, Mixer, and Zone M. In May 2000, MAD extended its brand into online publishing by launching a music portal. The portal provided Greek users with music information and internet services, helping the company move beyond the conventional television-station model. The broader MAD operation subsequently offered content and services through websites, mobile phones, satellite television, and third-party portals. These activities included music news, event listings, artist biographies, charts, photographs, wallpapers, audio and video streaming, and mobile products such as ringtones, logos, and multimedia messages. MAD also introduced interactive and retail services. Go MAD functioned as an interactive service, while MAD Music provided five interactive audio channels through Nova, the Greek direct-broadcast satellite platform. MAD Shop operated as an online compact-disc store. MAD Scanner, offered through Vodafone Greece, used acoustic fingerprinting as a mobile music-recognition service. The company also supplied real-time streaming for second- and third-generation mobile phones and provided music-related content to telecommunications companies, websites, and internet portals. The network expanded its role in the Greek music industry through events. The MAD Video Music Awards were first held on June 26, 2004, and became an annual production in which the public could vote for favorite artists and videos. On May 26 and 27, 2005, MAD organized the Athens Music Forum, a conference bringing together representatives from professional areas connected directly or indirectly with music. The company also developed Secret Concerts, intimate live appearances by well-known artists in private or undisclosed locations, often featuring special repertoires. International distribution became another part of the brand's development. In December 2005, MAD created MAD World in cooperation with UBI World TV. The channel was intended for Greeks living abroad and broadcast Greek music continuously, with daily programs, artist-focused rockumentaries, and coverage of events in Greece. In July 2006, MAD worked with ANT1 to launch Blue, a similar North American service available through selected international packages on satellite providers, including Dish Network. The service was not available through North American cable operators according to the cited reference. MAD later broadened its entertainment portfolio into fashion. MADWalk – The Fashion Music Project combined live performances by Greek artists with presentations by established and emerging Greek fashion designers. The first event was held in 2011, and subsequent editions used different presenter configurations, including Vicky Kaya, Tamta, and Mairi Synatsaki. From 2013 onward, MAD also produced the Greek Eurovision selection under the title Eurosong – A MAD Show. Taken together, these activities show MAD's evolution from a linear music channel into a multi-platform Greek music and entertainment brand. Its business and editorial scope has included television, web publishing, mobile services, satellite channels, retail, awards, conferences, concerts, fashion productions, and national music-event programming. The available reference material does not provide a current ownership structure beyond identifying Solar Media S.A. as the owner, nor does it document current executives or detailed recent operating performance.

1. 2013Eurosong – A MAD Show

   MAD began producing the Greek Eurovision Song Contest selection program.

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2. 2011First MADWalk

   MAD launched MADWalk, a recurring event combining Greek fashion presentations with live music performances.

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3. 2006Launch of Blue in North America

   MAD and ANT1 introduced a North American Greek-music channel distributed through selected satellite packages.

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4. 2005Athens Music Forum and MAD World

   MAD organized its first music-industry forum and later launched the international MAD World channel with UBI World TV.

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5. 2004First MAD Video Music Awards

   MAD introduced its annual public-voted music awards production.

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6. 2000Launch of the MAD music portal

   MAD entered online music publishing and services with a Greek music-information portal.

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7. 1996MAD TV begins broadcasting

   The channel launched on June 6 as Greece's first dedicated music television station.

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A youth-oriented Greek music-media brand combining television broadcasting with digital music services, live events, awards, fashion productions, and music-industry content.

• MAD TVMusic television network1996

  The core Greek television service, broadcasting music videos, music news, interviews, concert footage, charts, documentaries, and presenter-led entertainment. Its schedule has covered both Greek and international music, with an emphasis on contemporary releases and programming aimed at younger viewers.

• MAD music portalDigital music media2000

  An online music-information and services portal launched in 2000. The wider digital offering included music news, events, artist biographies, charts, photographs, wallpapers, audio and video streaming, and other content for audiences and third-party portals.

• MAD MusicInteractive audio channels

  A package of five interactive music audio channels made available through Nova, the Greek direct-broadcast satellite platform. It extended the MAD brand beyond its primary television channel into audio distribution.

• MAD WorldInternational music television2005

  A 24-hour Greek music channel established for Greeks living abroad. Its programming included Greek music across genres, daily shows, artist-focused rockumentaries, and coverage of events taking place in Greece.

• BlueInternational music television2006

  A North American service developed with ANT1 and distributed through selected international satellite packages. It was designed as a Greek-music channel for audiences in North America.

• MAD Video Music AwardsMusic awards event2004

  An annual Greek music awards production introduced in 2004. The event uses public voting for artists and music videos and serves as one of MAD's principal music-industry and audience-engagement properties.

• MADWalk – The Fashion Music ProjectFashion and music event2011

  A live event combining fashion presentations by established and emerging Greek designers with performances by Greek singers and other performers. It extends MAD's positioning into fashion, spectacle, and live entertainment.

• Eurosong – A MAD ShowTelevised music competition2013

  The branded Greek selection program for the Eurovision Song Contest produced by MAD from 2013 onward. It connected the network with a major national music and television event.

• 2011MADWalk

  Greece

  MAD combined fashion shows by Greek designers with live performances in a recurring fashion-and-music production.

  Outcome. The project expanded MAD's entertainment identity into Greek fashion and event production.

  Source
• 2005Athens Music Forum

  Greece

  A two-day conference brought together professionals from the music industry and related fields.

  Outcome. The event broadened MAD's role from broadcaster to music-industry platform.

  Source
• 2004MAD Video Music Awards

  Greece

  MAD created an annual awards platform centered on Greek popular music, music videos, artists, and public voting.

  Outcome. The awards became a recurring flagship event associated with the MAD brand.

  Source
• Secret Concerts

  Greece

  A series of intimate live appearances by well-known artists in private or undisclosed locations, often featuring special repertoires.

  Outcome. The format created an exclusive live-music experience connected to the MAD brand.

  Source

• 2013Produce the Greek Eurovision selectionProduct launch

  MAD expanded into nationally prominent music competition programming.

  What changed. The network began producing Eurosong – A MAD Show, the Greek selection associated with the Eurovision Song Contest.

  Aftermath. The production linked MAD with one of Greece's most visible annual music and television events.

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• 2006Enter the North American Greek television marketStrategy

  The company aimed to serve Greek-speaking and Greek-oriented audiences in North America.

  What changed. MAD partnered with ANT1 to launch Blue through selected international satellite packages.

  Aftermath. Blue provided a North American distribution outlet, although the cited reference states that it was not carried by North American cable operators.

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• 2005Create an international Greek music channelProduct launch

  MAD pursued audiences among Greeks living outside Greece.

  What changed. In cooperation with UBI World TV, MAD established MAD World as a 24-hour international Greek music channel.

  Aftermath. The brand gained an international distribution vehicle focused on Greek music and diaspora audiences.

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• 2000Expand from television into online music mediaStrategy

  MAD sought to provide music information and services beyond its linear television channel.

  What changed. The company launched a Greek music portal with music information and internet-based services.

  Aftermath. The move established a broader digital-content direction that later included streaming, mobile products, and content supplied to third-party portals.

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• 2013MAD begins producing the Greek Eurovision selection

  From 2013 onward, MAD produced the Greek selection program for the Eurovision Song Contest under the title Eurosong – A MAD Show.

  Product launchCampaign
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• 2006MAD and ANT1 launch Blue in North America

  MAD partnered with ANT1 on a North American Greek-music service distributed through selected satellite television packages.

  Product launchM&A
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• 2005MAD organizes the first Athens Music Forum

  The network held a music-industry conference designed to connect professionals from the Greek music business and adjacent sectors.

  Campaign
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• 2005MAD establishes MAD World for Greek audiences abroad

  In cooperation with UBI World TV, MAD launched an international Greek music channel with continuous programming and specialist shows for viewers outside Greece.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2004First MAD Video Music Awards held

  MAD introduced an annual Greek music awards production in which the public could vote for artists and music videos.

  CampaignOther
  Source
• 2000MAD launches Greece's first music portal

  The network expanded into online music publishing and services with a portal carrying music information and internet-based content.

  Product launch
  Source
• 1996MAD TV launches as Greece's first music television station

  MAD TV began broadcasting on June 6, establishing a dedicated Greek television service for music videos, music news, interviews, and related entertainment.

  Other
  Source

1. MAD TV (TV channel)
2. MAD TV official website