The leading media and publishing group in Cyprus

Phileleftheros is deeply rooted in the history of the Cyprus Press. Its roots go further back than December 1955, when the very first issue was first published. The Group’s founder, Nicos Chr. Pattichis, had made several attempts to launch a daily newspaper, beginning in 1932 when he was just 24 years old and having just completed his studies.

The first newspaper

The first newspaper published by Nicos Chr. Pattichis along with other associates, Imerisia Nea (1932) was pioneering for its time. Nicos Chr. Pattichis had just returned to Cyprus after completing his studies at the Law School of the University of Athens, as well as the ESIEA School (Athens Association of Daily Newspaper Journalists). While in Athens, he worked as a journalist gaining valuable experience. He was initiated into the democratic principles of the Press, namely transparency, pluralism and independence from political, state or other interference. Coming back, he took full advantage of his experience and knowledge so as to become the first publisher of a viable daily newspaper in Cyprus.

Imerisia Nea (Daily News)

On its title page, the newspaper called itself the Pancyprian Independent Daily Newspaper. The first eight-page issue – all later issues were four pages – proclaimed the principles upon which Imerisia Nea was based, while various other columns were featured in the paper, such as vignettes, verse, columns of social and commercial interest, police news, photojournalism, political analysis and features. Even though two weeks after it was first published the paper announced on its front page that it was the top circulation newspaper, the whole attempt came to an inglorious conclusion because of financial disagreements between the manager and the editor. In the same year, 1932, Nicos Chr. Pattichis launched Kathimerina Fylla, publication of which was soon suspended. The next year he started publishing Imerisios Tilegrafos (Daily Telegraph, 1933), which lasted only six months. The longest running newspaper proved to be Esperini (Evening Paper, 1937-1951), Cyprus’ first daily evening newspaper, which set new standards for the local press. Fourteen years later, Erasmos Aristophanous took over the newspaper changing its name to Nea Esperini (New Evening Paper) as from Monday, June 4, 1951, when Aristophanous is henceforth mentioned on the title page as the manager-owner. The last paper published under Nicos Chr. Pattichis’ management was on May 28, 1951.

Founder of Phileleftheros Nicos Chr. Pattichis

After leaving Esperini, Nicos Chr. Pattichis kept himself busy with other activities. One of these was organising the first Trade Fair in 1953, which later developed into the Cyprus International Fair. But this was just a breathing space, before returning to the world of publishing to realise his vision of publishing a modern daily newspaper.

As he had originally intended, Nicos Chr. Pattichis returned in 1955 to pursue his dream of a modern daily newspaper. This time around and relying on the experience he had acquired, Nicos Chr. Pattichis paid more attention to the finance section of this new publishing endeavour. He assigned the editing of financial news to Michalakis Hadjiefthymiou. This combination of Nicos Chr. Pattichis – who was mainly a journalist – and Michalakis Hadjiefthymiou – who had expertise in economics – would prove one of the factors that contributed to the success of the newspaper.

Pattichis assigned editing of the paper to Fifis Ioannou who had been General Secretary of Akel during a crucial period for Cyprus. To make possible the publication of a multi-page newspaper (up until then most papers in Cyprus were just four pages), they collaborated with ‘Cosmos’ Press which had installed the first linotype machine as well as the first offset printing machine in Cyprus. This equipment, which was latest technology for the times, meant the printing process took much less time. The new newspaper had therefore an advantage over any other newspaper, since its pages could remain open until the early hours for breaking news. Nicos Chr. Pattichis asked his friend and lawyer Georgios Pelayias to register the newspaper under the name “O Phileleftheros” (“The Liberal”), thus expressing the liberal principles upon which the paper would be based in the context of the colonial regime.

After all the arrangements had been made, everything was ready for the first issue of Phileleftheros. Nicos Chr. Pattichis chose to work on Saint Nicholas day – his name day – for good luck, so the first issue came out on December 7, 1955. It was impressive: 12 pages with features that satisfied a range of interests; from news in politics to problems facing emigrants, from useful information to political satire and literary pieces. Its front page reflected both the paper’s news reporting quality as well as its political character. Printed on the front page was a message from Greek Prime Minister Constantinos Karamanlis’ and a statement by Sophocles Venizelos, leader of Greece’s Phileleftheri Dimokratiki Enosi (Liberal Democratic Union), as a way of emphasising the political position. At the top of the front page, in a box was an article entitled “Unacceptable intransigence”, signed by “Phileleftheros”. The columnist criticised British politics with regard to Cyprus. The lead story on the front page covered the Greek government’s intention to file a complaint with the UN against Great Britain’s repressive measures in Cyprus. Featured on right hand bottom of the back page in bold black letters were the words: “Time 4 a.m.”, emphasising again the paper’s timely news reporting. The news, according to the title, was that an agreement had been achieved between Greece and Britain over Cyprus. The title underneath read: “Right of self-determination in indeterminate future is recognised. The Archbishop has agreed to cooperate for a functional and constitutional national self-determination”. The news was indeed significant, as political developments that followed would eventually lead to the Zurich-London Agreements.

Phileleftheros kept a positive stance towards EOKA showing admiration for its members’ self-sacrifice, as well as for the Cypriot people’s mass mobilisation. At the same time, it blamed British Colonialism for the combat taking place in Cyprus. Restrictive measures imposed by the colonial regime upon the Press affected Phileleftheros as well. During 1957, opinion columns in the newspaper were, for a very long period of time, banned. Sparingly, at times, one could read things put in a more “neutral” way, though Phileleftheros still found a way to condemn colonialism through its columns.

Phileleftheros was closer to Makarios’ ideology and politics than anyone else’s and supported him during the Zurich-London Agreements, a time when the people of Cyprus were divided.

Nicos Chr. Pattichis then approached Christakis Katsambas, who was destined to become a key member of the newspaper, as a political editor, as a shift editor and later as chief editor of Phileleftheros for three decades.

According to Christakis Katsambas, Nicos Chr. Pattichis would not interfere in the running of the newspaper, but would give general guidelines. Besides Christakis Katsambas other journalists were hired in that period (around 1957), including Diomedes Galanos and Christos Petsas.

Once Cyprus became independent, Phileleftheros newspaper felt duty bound to take a political stance to bolster the newly established state. The newspaper supported Makarios in the first presidential elections, since it considered him Cyprus’ rightful leader and urged the opposition party to avoid polemics because of the susceptible nature of the fledgling country.

After the rise of the junta in Greece, on April 21 1967, Phileleftheros again showed its opposition. A big “NO” was the headline on the front page of April 22, 1967, right above the report about the colonels seizing power, the abolition of democracy and the arrest of democrats as well as various other people. The editorial team at the time comprised Christakis Katsambas as editor, Michalakis Mitas as assistant editor and journalists Christos Petsas, Yiannakis Mammides, Michalakis Pantelides, Pantelakis Ioannou, Spyros Kettiros, Tasoulla Evripidou, Pambis Vatis (Charalambos Andreou), Maro Georgiou, Demetris Mamas, Panikos Titas, Soteris Michael and Athos Karayiannis. Also working at the newspaper was Christoforos Pattichis, whose tasks varied, while the paper also employed correspondents in other towns. A few years later, in 1972, Anthos Lykavgis started working at Phileleftheros as a journalist; he was to become one of the leading editors there.

What followed was the July 15, 1974 coup d’état which was an ordeal both for Cyprus and Phileleftheros for various reasons. First and foremost, on the morning of July 15, the newspaper’s premises were literally caught in the middle of fighting between the National Guard which was supported by tanks on the one hand, and a unit of the Military Reserve – whose headquarters was in the Kykkos Monastery Metochi annex – on the other. It was inevitable that shells and bullets would fall close to Phileleftheros’ premises. As a result, the newspaper wasn’t published for two weeks. The coupistss banned the circulation of any newspapers supporting Makarios and censored the press. Turkey, taking advantage of the coup, invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974, causing chaos and destruction. Under the difficult circumstances, Phileleftheros was only able to return to circulation on August 2 1974, but with little of its customary comprehensive content. The paper had not had the chance to get back on track when yet another misfortune befell Cyprus and the newspaper itself, with the second round of the Turkish invasion, leading to the military occupation of a great part of the island and the creation of 200,000 refugees. Publication of Phileleftheros was again suspended between August 15 and 21, 1974. In the days that followed, Phileleftheros made great efforts for the restoration of democracy and the return of President Makarios.

In the 1980s, the baton passed to the second generation of publishers headed by Christoforos N. Pattichis. A massive fire, which gutted the offices and printing facilities of Phileleftheros was to prove a launching pad for a significant upgrade. The newspaper left behind it the traditional era of linotype and moved into the modern printing age, photosetting. There were significant changes too to the way journalistic work was carried out. Advocacy journalism gave way to detached reporting, since the democratic institutions were not in danger of being undermined, as in previous years.
After the tragic events of 1974, the coup and the Turkish invasion, the newspapers which had spearheaded efforts to oust Makarios and which in any case relied on foreign centres and the Junta-run Greek embassy and others for money — suspended publication. Other newspapers, most of them with democratic orientation were published or revived, to support new political movements.

Phileleftheros, with Apogevmatini (with the addition of the weekly Dimocratiki {The Democrat} from 1974-1983) remained the firm supporters of the Makarios line, but without preference for a particular political party. In the elections of 1976 Phileleftheros openly supported the pro-Makarios coalition. This was the second time that Phileleftheros had taken a stand in an election of a political party nature (the first was in the parliamentary elections of 1960, when it supported the candidates of the pro-Makarios Patriotic Front. In the subsequent elections after the death of Makarios, Phileleftheros stayed away from party disputes and confrontations, and followed a policy of giving equal platform of pre-election positions and activities, based on its own code of conduct. With the contribution of Phileleftheros, the political bequest of Makarios would remain intact. However, the democratic institutions and the political system were operating on a new basis, through a juxtaposition of interests, ideas, political aspirations and personal ambitions and not on the decisions of Makarios.

After the death of the founder of Phileleftheros Nicos Chr. Pattichis (on Feburary 16, 1977), his son-in-law Lellos Th. Markides and Michalakis Hadjiefthymiou took over the running of the newspaper. The newspaper was already in a transitional phase, with the change of the guard from the first generation of publishers. Lellos Markides owned a flourishing pharmaceutical company and was asked to help fill the gap after the death of Nicos Chr. Pattichis. His tenure was to prove relatively short-lived, as he died on July 21,1980 aged only 48. A little earlier, in 1979, the son of the founder of the newspaper, Christoforos N. Pattichis took over the management of the newspaper. His term was to mark the Phileleftheros of the second generation, since M. Hadjiefthymiou died in 1981. A significant watershed in Phileleleftheros’ historic course was the destruction wrought by a fire in 1981 which gutted the printing facilities where Phileleftheros, Apogevmatini and the weekly Dimocratiki were printed. These were situated in the premises of the old State Fair, where the gardens of the Kykkos annex in Nicosia are to be found today. It was Sunday, February 15 when the terrible news became known. According to the newspaper “Investigations looking at arson. There is evidence that the fire started in two places,” and specifically two warehouses with paper, situated some 40 metres from each other.

Despite the complete destruction, the management and staff of Phileleftheros rallied to achieve the unattainable. Phileleftheros was distributed as normal two days after (since there was no Monday issue).
The regeneration from the ashes was a miracle. The destruction served as α trigger to re-build at all levels. Phileleftheros did not restrict itself to repairing the damage caused, but pressed ahead with a full-fledged technological, structural and quality upgrade, new high tech machinery was imported, and the newspaper jumped from the era of Gutenberg to that of photosetting. The newspaper moved to new, more comfortable offices, with all the up-to-date requirements for the print media in the Palais d’Ivoire building in Themistoclis Dervis Street in the centre of Nicosia. A few years later, the newspaper’s offices were moved to a floor belonging to the company at the Nicosia Tower, also known as Anemomylos, near the Labour Ministry.

The first issue of the newspaper with photosetting and offset printing was published on January 26, 1982. In the same year, the newspaper stopped using the official ‘katharevousa’ Greek and adopted the demotic Greek, and a little later the single accent spelling. This too was a revolution for the newspaper, a revolution which marked the transition from the traditional to the modern era.

Another decisive development for the Cypriot press was the launch on June 7, 1982 of Phileleftheros on Monday. This move contributed to a more comprehensive coverage for the newspaper’s readership, thus covering a big gap. Many newspapers were obliged to skirt over Sunday news, because they did not have a Monday issue. From the beginning of 1982 the managing director of Phileleftheros Christoforos N. Pattichis pioneered with the establishment of an independent unit for the distribution of the Cypriot press, Papyros Ltd, which aimed to facilitate and cut the cost of distributing newspapers.

Christoforos N. Pattichis and his associates set in motion the upgrading of the newspaper at various levels, in parallel to the technological equipment. New reporters, new associates, new columns, a more modern style of writing and a new approach to issues were the basic innovations. The sports section was also upgraded with Michalis Gavrielides, Petros Hadjichristodoulou and Iacovos Kakouris. Emphasis was given to photo journalism with Andreas Manolis, while new journalists such as Myrto Markides, Nicos Tokas, Christakis Yiannakos, Iosif Iosif, Marina Schiza and Stavros Angelides boosted the reporting team, working next to the older journalists, Christakis Katsambas, Anthos Lykavgis, Yiannakis Mammides, Pambis Vatis, Christos Petsas, Panicos Titas, Pantelakis Ioannou, Soteris Michail, Demetris Mamas, Athos Karayiannis and Michalakis Pantelides. Phileleftheros opened offices in Limassol. Many associates, columnists and commentators came aboard, making a huge contribution to establishing Phileleftheros as a newspaper rich in content and a free forum for the expression of opinion.
All these journalistic traditions and principles were maintained and developed by the third generation of publishers of Phileleftheros which turned the newspaper into a large media group.

With the third generation of publishers of Phileleftheros — Nicos Chr. Pattichis and Myrto Markides — at the helm, the group rose to fresh heights, offering even better quality, while at the same time expanding its activities. Fulfilling the vision of Phileleftheros’ founder, what had been a 12-page newspaper employing some 10 people grew into a large organisation which publishes the country’s leading newspaper and a multitude of specialised, innovative publications.
A rapidly-changing social environment at the beginning of the 1990s brought new challenges to Cypriot print media. The main lever for growth was the effort to harmonise with modern European societies. Phileleftheros was ready to rise to the challenge with the third generation of publishers, the grandchildren of the founder of the newspaper. Nicos Chr. Pattichis, “the architect who regrettably became a publisher,” as he jokingly says, took over as executive director of the newspaper after finishing his studies at the University of Munich in Germany. From 1988, with the support of his father Christoforos N Pattichis, who was chairman of the board and managing director of the newspaper and with the approval of the board, Nicos Chr. Pattichis pressed ahead with the innovative ideas which were his hallmark from the beginning, constantly upgrading both the daily and Sunday editions of the newspaper.

By his side was Myrto Markides, with studies in economics, business administration and also journalism. Returning from the University of Boston and City University in 1987, Myrto Markides started her career at Phileleftheros as a financial journalist. It was soon after, in 1990, that Phileleftheros launched Cyprus’ first financial newspaper with the trademark pink paper. Under Myrto Markides and journalist Iosif Iosif, “Economikos (financial) Phileleftheros” opened new horizons in corporate and finance journalism and set the foundations for the modernisation and enrichment of the newspaper. Economikos Phileleftheros has been distributed every Sunday with Phileleftheros since then, having raised the bar in financial news coverage for other newspapers that followed its example. Today, in the hands of its current editor Panicos Charalambous and a select team of associates, Economikos Phileleftheros is a point of reference for everything happening in the corporate word, as well as the country’s commerce and economy. On the death of his father, Nicos Chr. Pattichis took over as chairman and managing director of the company, while retaining to the present the position of director of the newspaper, which he closely monitors.
Having served as assistant editor of Phileleftheros, Myrto Markides made the transition from journalism to management 1995, taking over the duties of general manager while in 2007 she became Chief Executive Officer, a position she holds to the present.

Responding to the challenges of the time, Nicos Chr. Pattichis and Myrto Markides set in motion an expansion and modernisation strategy, not just for the newspaper but the company as a whole.
With Nicos Chr. Pattichis on the publication side and Myrto Markides in the commercial-financial side of the group, Phileleftheros went through a rapid and unprecedented expansion. From a newspaper of 12 pages it developed into the largest media group in country. Beyond Phileleftheros, its operations include another two newspapers Goal News and Cyprus Weekly, 12 magazines, five web pages, the management of two island-wide radio stations, participation in a press distribution agency and a paper import company, and a state of the art printing press, PROTEAS PRESS. Modernisation and expansion was set in motion with the newspaper and the changes at the top of the journalism department. Christakis Katsambas’ term as editor in chief, a position he held for some three decades, ended in 1991 when Glafcos Clerides nominated him as an independent candidate for the Democratic Rally in the parliamentary elections.
Within the framework of these changes, assistant editor Anthos Lykavgis was promoted to editor and later editor in chief of Phileleftheros. During the same period, the paper was strengthened by the arrival of Takis Kounafis who, from editor of Ta Nea moved to Phileleftheros in 1990, initially as night editor. He soon became editor, and later coordinator, a position he held until 2012.

In 2006, Aristos Michaelides succeeded Anthos Lykavgis as editor in chief. With studies in journalism and architectural design and training in newspaper design, Aristos Michaelides has worked in the Cypriot media since 1983, passing through all the stages of journalism and having served as editor in chief of Politis and Simerini. His appointment coincided with the most significant transformations for the historic newspaper — a new size, new journalistic approach, a reinforced team of journalists and an ultra modern printing press belonging to the group. Today, he runs Phileleftheros with an experienced group of associates: editors Costas Venizelos, Androula Taramounta, Panicos Charalambous; a group of subs headed by Yiorgos Kallinikou and sports editors Iacovos Kakouris and Yiorgos Kyriakou who succeeded Panicos Titas. The managers of the group are Michalis Karis (General Manager), Petros Petrou (Strategic Development Manager), Renos Onoufriou (Sales and Marketing Manager), Tasos Giavroutas (IT Manager) Stavros Christodoulou (Digital Media Manager) and Costas Anastasiou (Chief Accountant).

The modernisation of Phileleftheros gained fresh momentum with the launch of specialised supplements as well as the weekly general interest magazine Selides in 1991 and later the magazine TV Mαnία which remains a regular feature of Phileleftheros, distributed free of charge without interruption since then with the Saturday edition and focusing on TV and radio. Initially with Yiorgos Tsalakos as editor and later Aristos Michaelides, Selides brought new life to the periodical press of Cyprus thanks to its investigative reports on burning social matters, a fresh take on issues focusing on aspects of society that were considered taboo, original covers and photographs of artists and models. It remained a top seller for many years, selling more than 25,000 copies a week. It was from Selides that readers’ offers such as video cassettes, books and other items were first launched.

The first issue of TV Μαnία magazine with Loukas Parpas as editor appeared on the news stands on Saturday, November 27, 1993 and was sold out from nearly all points of sale by noon. Readers gave a similar reception to the issues that followed. Today, the average circulation of TV Mania is 60,000, a record for Cyprus and noteworthy for the Greek world. Moreover, the magazine Selides remained in circulation without interruption from 1991, with an important decision taken to distribute it free with the Sunday edition of Phileleftheros, maintaining a steady circulation of 35,000. In 2006 Selides was succeeded by DOWN TOWN as the complimentary magazine with Phileleftheros on Sunday. The magazine continues to be distributed to the present.
The newspaper itself was overhauled, both in terms of structure, content, design and coverage. For the first time in the Cypriot press, significant sections were added to the main news part of Phileleftheros covering politics, culture, education, sport, the economy etc. This allowed the use of different types of reporting styles, interviews, features, opinion pieces, columns as well as visual material, photographs and documents. In this way, the newspaper served as a forum for dialogue between politicians, artists, sport and financial personalities and society.
Through Phileleftheros, cultural events, artistic proposals, ideological explorations and artistic concerns that had been on the sidelines found new avenues to access the public. Apart from its news coverage, Phileleftheros enriched its content considerably, offering readers supplements covering a range of interests. The newspaper underwent constant revamps ensuring that it stood out for its liveliness, without losing its identity. Special emphasis was given to the Sunday issue, modelled on modern newspapers internationally.
Selides and TV Mania were followed by the specialised magazines that were added to the Phileleftheros group’s titles, magazines for women, for men, children and young people.

Some of these were made possible thanks to strategic cooperation with large groups from Greece and abroad (such as the Lambrakis Media Group, Limberis Publications, IMAK of Petros Costopoulos, the Hearst Group of the United States and others). Since 1995, the group’s list of specialised magazines has included Chryses Syntages, the first cooking and confectionery magazine in Cyprus, whereas the leader among lifestyle magazines is Omikron which was launched in May 1996 by Ν&Μ Mediamorfosis Ltd, a company belonging to Nicos Chr. Pattichis and Myrto Markides. It is a luxury magazine that places emphasis on good photography, informative presentation of fashion and market trends, revealing interviews and pioneering covers. Since 2000, Phileleftheros’ associate company N&Μ Mediamorfosis Ltd has been producing another publication, the specialised and independent issue of Omikron for men (Omikron Man), initially every quarter and since May 2005, monthly.

Synthesis, which has belonged to Phileleftheros’ associate company N&Μ Mediamorfosis Ltd since 1999, was the first architecture and interior design magazine in Cyprus. With its inclusion in the Phileleftheros group, the magazine was redesigned and enriched. Two of the Phileleftheros group’s magazines Cosmopolitan and RAMcy emerged from a strategic cooperation initiated in Athens with the Lambrakis Media Group in 2000. This cooperation was two-pronged, covering both the publication in Cyprus of these two well-established titles which the Lambrakis Group publishes in Greece, and the web with the aim of setting up a portal in Cyprus modelled on Greece’s «in.gr». The world famous magazine Cosmopolitan, the first international title published in Cyprus, was launched in 2000 with the rights from the American publishing giant Hearst obtained within the framework of Phileleftheros’ cooperation with the Lambrakis Media Group.

Phileleftheros astrology and good living magazine Astra & Zoi (Stars and Life) which was launched in the first quarter of 2004 was very well received by the Cypriot public as were the motoring magazine TOP GEAR published in cooperation with the BBC, and the specialised children’s magazines Super Kid, Super Girl and Super Sport.

Many of the publications of the Phileleftheros Media Group continue to be published to the present, while others have been replaced by new titles such as ICON, and DOWN TOWN, TASTE, GOING OUT, LIFE and TI NA MAGIREPSO (What Shall I Cook?) which are distributed free with Phileleftheros on Sunday.

Phileleftheros Media Group is the undisputed leader in the electronic and digital media, with five web pages PHILENEWS, LIKE.COM.CY, INCYPRUS, SENTRAGOAL and COSMPOLITAN.COM.CY which were developed as an answer to the new challenges facing the media in the digital age. The launch in 2001 of Phileleftheros’ web page on the internet with round the clock updates on everything happening in Cyprus and abroad set the foundations for a highly- successful presence in digital information and recreation.

Phileleftheros Media Group is also active in the production of publications for major clients and corporations in Cyprus. It offers the full range of related services, from the copywriting to the taking of photographs, subbing, design, printing and distribution of specialised company publications for its clients, aiming to promote their products and services.
One of these is the magazine Aeras — The largest luxury free press publication ever distributed in Cyprus, the official magazine of Larnaka and Pafos International Airports, with 1.700.000 readers per issue.

At the same time, the group has published recipe books written by the best known Cypriot chefs, highlighting their talent and creativity. Another important element of the group’s operations is the holding of symposia on the history of the towns, in cooperation with the University of Cyprus and the Municipalities, while at the same time it publishes books – albums with previously unpublished photographs. Noteworthy also is the distribution with the Sunday issue of Phileleftheros of the magazine “Selides tis Kyprou – Megali Kiprioi” (Pages of Cyprus – Prominent Cypriots) which was a collectors’ edition of important personalities who have served Cypriot society and culture.

An ambitious venture of the Phileleftheros Media Group was the publication of the five-volume monumental work 1960-2010 The History of the Republic of Cyprus. More than 60 academics, writers, journalists, photographers and researchers were brought in, dedicating months of painstaking but creative work aiming to record the modern history of Cyprus. The latest venture was the four-volume ‘History of Cyprus’ for children and young people, from the prehistoric period to the present.

PROTEAS PRESS
On its 50th anniversary in 2005, the Phileleftheros Media Group established its own state-of-the-art printing unit, PROTEAS PRESS, which is today the largest and best equipped and manned unit in Cyprus, ensuring flawless quality printing of its own and other publications to European specifications. PROTEAS PRESS caters for a large number of clients, including the British newspaper THE SUN which is printed and distributed on the same day in Cyprus. Moreover bank organisations, Chambers of Commerce, large corporations active in services and retail, as well as semi-government organisations, universities and others also use PROTEAS PRESS for their publications.

CYPRUS WEEKLY and radio stations
The island’s leading English language newspaper, THE CYPRUS WEEKLY, joined the group in 2008 and was significantly upgraded into a modern, high spec newspaper. In 2009 the group expanded into the airwaves, taking over management of KISS FM which together with radio SFERA constitutes a strong team in the field.

GOAL NEWS
In 2010 the group announced the most significant publication venture of recent years in Cyprus: The simultaneous publication, adapted to the local scene, of Greece’s largest daily sports newspaper Goal News, in cooperation with one of Greece’s biggest publishing firms PEGASOS EKDOTIKI AE (Ethnos, Imerisia, Proto Thema, MEGA TV etc). It is a specialised, dynamic and independent sports newspaper, available with Phileleftheros daily, designed to set a new standard in sport journalism in Cyprus.

Kronos Press Distribution Agency
The Phileleftheros Media Group is one of the biggest shareholders in Kronos Press Distribution Agency with a stake of more than 28%, so as to better cover its needs and ensure the timely and efficient distribution of its publications on an island-wide basis.

H & A PAPER LTD
The Phileleftheros Media Group is one of the biggest shareholders in Kronos Press Distribution Agency with a stake of more than 28%, so as to better cover its needs and ensure the timely and efficient distribution of its publications on an island-wide basis.

Phileleftheros Public Company Ltd
Since its establishment in 1955, Phileleftheros Media Group is the leading media and publishing organisation in Cyprus offering print publications and related services that cover all the needs of the reading public while also serving the requirements of the business community and society more generally.

N & M Mediamorfosis Ltd
N & M Mediamorfosis Ltd was set up in March 1995 with the primary aim of publishing top quality, leading edge magazines. Successful titles include OMIKRON, Synthesis, and the cooking magazines Chryses Syntages (Golden Recipes), Taste and Ti Na Magirepso (What Should I Cook).

Proteas Press Ltd
Phileleftheros established its own state-of-the-art printers, PROTEAS PRESS, on the 50th anniversary of its establishment. It is now the biggest and best equipped and staffed unit on the island, ensuring top quality printing of its own and other publications to European specifications.

Radiotileoptiki Eteria Elliniki Echo Ltd
Radio SFERA was launched in Cyprus in 2003. The group took over management of Radiotileoptiki Eteria Elliniki Echo Ltd, changed the name of the station from Radio Ammochostos to Radio SFERA to create the most successful music radio station on the island.

MA & CA Entertainment Ltd
In 2009, the group expanded its presence on the air waves, taking over management of KISS radio station, which together with SFERA form a strong radio combination.

Kronos Press Distribution Agency Plc Ltd
Phileleftheros media group is one of the biggest shareholders in the press distribution agency Kronos with a stake of more than 28% so as to better cover its needs and ensure the timely and efficient distribution of its publications islandwide.

H & A PAPER LTD
The group has a 50% stake in the paper import company H&A PAPER LTD for the supply of the most important raw material for its publications – paper.