With a dazzling career that spans three continents and bridges music, television, and digital media, George Levendis is one of those rare figures who have left their mark both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. From judging the first three seasons of The X Factor Greece, to overseeing international operations for Simon Cowell’s SYCO Entertainment, to holding senior executive roles at global music giants like SONY BMG and Arista Records, and serving as COO of Acun Medya Global, Levendis has worked closely with world-renowned artists such as Beyoncé, P!NK, John Legend, and many more.
Today, as the General Manager of ANT1 Television Network under the Antenna Group, George Levendis is once again at the helm of one of Greece’s leading broadcasters—one that reaches audiences from Australia to Canada and the UK to Cyprus. Levendis has been instrumental in the network’s digital transformation, shaping programming strategy, rebranding efforts, and securing top-tier sports content.
Ahead of the special award he is set to receive at NATPE Budapest, we sat down with George Levendis to discuss ANT1’s vision for the future, the evolving nature of television, and the lessons learned from over three decades at the heart of the global entertainment industry.
See also: NATPE Budapest Announced the Recipients of Inaugural NATPE Honors Europe
You have been selected as the recipient of the inaugural North Star Award at NATPE Budapest, a recognition that highlights innovation, leadership, and global impact. How do you reflect on this honor and what it represents for you and ANT1 TV?
Recognition through awards can feel awkward for executives; we’re more comfortable when our talent is in the spotlight, since they’re the ones creating the work that makes everything else possible. Our job is to create an environment where artists can focus on their craft while we handle the commercial complexities that could otherwise stifle their creativity.
Being honored with the North Star Award at NATPE Budapest represents a profound privilege and serves as a testament to the intricate nature of our industry. Building sustainable creative businesses requires navigating countless moving parts while never losing sight of the fundamental truth: that story is everything. And within the complexity of what is FTA, SVOD & AVOD, it is essential to keep this as the central focus across all our entertainment and even our news output.
This accolade underscores the continuous effort to achieve a harmonious blend of innovation and the enduring significance of storytelling. My professional journey across four continents, with responsibilities ranging from international expansion to direct leadership roles, has emphasized the critical importance of cultural sensitivity, adaptability, and a deep commitment to content as drivers of sustainable growth.
At ANT1 TV, our objective is to craft narratives that connect with our audience while empowering creators with aspirations to continue to break boundaries. As the most progressive media group in our market, we are recognized for our ambitious pursuits, and we have consistently expanded our reach across borders.
As someone who led the digital transformation of ANT1 TV, how do you evaluate the success of ANT1+ and the impact of on-demand viewing on your audience?
ANT1 TV has been an innovative media leader since its inception. We have pioneered market initiatives like Big Brother’s 24/7 channel, advanced digital commercial strategies, and introduced digital catch-up, AVOD, SVOD, and hybrid broadcast models. Over three decades, Antenna Group has embraced risk-taking and entrepreneurial management, driving industry evolution.
The launch of ANT1+ demonstrates our commitment to innovation. Offering on-demand viewing, we have enhanced audience engagement with flexible, personalized content options that resonate with today’s digital-first society. This includes fiction series such as Serres, Save Me, OnAllFours, and The Friend, to name a few, as well as Formula 1/Motorsport package, Football package, and Family pack.
ANT1+ stands out as unique in the market as the sole SVOD platform, while our FTA competitors use catch-up or AVOD strategies. Its success is shown by increased subscribers, higher viewer retention, and positive feedback. This summer, a new version will launch, featuring an updated user interface, enhanced customer experience, and cutting-edge technology.
ANT1+ gives us opportunities beyond traditional broadcasting, reaching new demographics and experimenting with content, exploring ideas prior to broadcast on free-to-air television. It serves as both a preview ground for scripted series that will later move to our main channels and a platform for innovative projects that work better in the streaming environment. Overall, the impact of our on-demand services will continue to be transformative, building stronger viewer loyalty and opening new revenue streams for the group.
Which ANT1 TV-produced shows have gained the most traction internationally, and what kind of content do you believe travels best from Greece to the rest of the world?
At the moment, the Greek market is heavily focused on local fiction, driven both by strong audience demand and the impact of the E.K.K.O.ME.D. Creative Greece rebate scheme, which has positioned Greece as an attractive destination for international productions.
Among our own productions, original scripted series have had the greatest international impact. Two standout titles are Wild Bees and Save Me. Wild Bees is a sweeping period drama spanning three seasons and 421 episodes, which resonated deeply with Greek audiences and has become our first scripted format to be adapted into a foreign-language series. Save Me, by contrast, is a tightly written limited series in the Nordic noir investigative style, and it has also traveled exceptionally well.
These shows have been distributed widely, reaching audiences in Latin America, Poland, the MENA region, Serbia, Croatia, Estonia, Israel, and across the broader Central and Eastern European (CEE) region.
Our 10-part family comedy series Serres marked our first collaboration with Netflix. We’ve since followed up with Save Me, I Am Joe, Zoe, and are currently in production on Serres 2. Another standout title is Soul Sisters, which is now gaining interest internationally. It’s clear both from our experience at ANT1 TV and the work of other companies in the region that scripted content is currently the strongest genre for international interest. High-quality storytelling, strong production values, and culturally relevant themes continue to drive demand for Greek scripted series abroad.
You’ve been instrumental in forging strong global partnerships for ANT1 TV. In today’s international content market, what kind of co-production or distribution models do you find most effective?
To effectively navigate the international content market, ANT1 TV adopts a flexible approach to co-productions and distribution partnerships. We’re currently engaged in several conversations, each involving a different partnership structure; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Each collaboration begins with evaluating a project’s potential within our home market to ensure it holds commercial value across our platforms, be it linear television, digital, or streaming services. Once this foundation is established, we seek partners who can contribute both creatively and strategically, always with a view that ensures the project’s success throughout development and co-production.
The evolving distribution landscape demands flexibility. We prioritize deals that allow stories to adapt seamlessly across different formats, whether traditional broadcast, streaming platforms, and format adaptations—depending on where the story appeals the most. A drama that performs well on TV is likely to thrive on a streaming platform and vice versa, or succeed as a localized format in another market.
Timing also plays a crucial role. Often, the most effective partnerships emerge not from moving quickly, but from waiting for the right moment—and the right collaborators who truly understand the content’s potential and can help scale its reach effectively. Ultimately, we aim to work with creative partners we believe in, developing content that connects deeply with audiences. Our focus remains on crafting compelling stories—and selecting the right collaborators to bring those stories to life and amplify their reach.
From talent competitions like X Factor to acquiring major sports rights, ANT1 TV has invested in a wide range of content. How do you balance entertainment formats, scripted content, and live sports in your programming strategy?
This is a challenge shared by most major broadcasters; we’re not unique in this respect. We continuously reassess our content strategy to respond to evolving audience behavior, particularly as content consumption becomes increasingly fragmented across various platforms. Achieving success now relies on identifying the optimal combination that aligns with our market and audience.
Greece presents a highly competitive media landscape, with all major free-to-air players adopting diverse and dynamic content strategies. Our approach is multi-layered, and platforms like ANT1+ have played a pivotal role in expanding and diversifying our offering.
For example, ANT1+ has been instrumental in securing rights to key properties like Formula 1, the Europa League, and the Conference League—content pillars that not only bring guaranteed audiences but also strengthen our broader portfolio.
The strength of a diversified content strategy lies in the complementary nature of these pillars. Live sports deliver appointment viewing and consistent ratings, offering a strong platform for promoting new formats. Entertainment shows—such as game shows and talent competitions—create cultural moments and extend far beyond their original broadcast through social media and community engagement. Scripted content builds deeper, long-term relationships with viewers and carries the potential to travel, often defining a broadcaster’s brand in ways that acquired formats cannot.
News and infotainment remain essential to our daily lineup, especially across daytime, anchoring audience trust and engagement with strong journalism and live broadcasting.
We view these content categories as interconnected assets. For example, The X Factor—an initiative I know intimately—serves not just as a ratings vehicle but as a talent discovery platform, feeding into our broader ecosystem, helping us develop new artists across platforms. It also drives significant social engagement and creates the kind of shared, live-viewing experience that’s increasingly rare.
Sports rights follow a different rhythm. They offer scheduling certainty and advertiser confidence, but also require significant investment. The key is leveraging those audiences to sample other parts of the schedule. A viewer tuning in for football may stay for entertainment, as we’ve recently seen with Dragons’ Den.
Scripted content takes the longest to develop but offers the greatest potential upside—both commercially and in brand impact. Meanwhile, news and daytime programming continue to be the backbone of our schedule.
Ultimately, our goal is to maintain strength across all areas to avoid dependence on any single content type. It’s about achieving balance, resilience, and staying attuned to where the audience is going next.
How do you personally navigate the balance between creativity and executive leadership, especially in a constantly evolving industry?
In our industry, the best executive decisions are inherently creative ones—identifying talent before others do, recognizing potential in formats that are fresh, and understanding your audience’s desires in a timely manner.
My role isn’t to generate creative ideas directly but to foster an environment where creativity can thrive. This involves safeguarding creative time and space from the relentless pressures of financial budgets and results. Occasionally, it requires supporting a project that lacks immediate profitability due to its perceived long-term value.
I’ve always embraced this dual mindset—balancing creativity with commercial strategy. While I hold immense respect for the creative process, I also acknowledge the business aspects. What helps is that I genuinely love both sides: the business itself and the creative individuals who propel it forward. I find collaboration with both creative executives and artists rewarding, all while remaining aligned with our broader executive team and our responsibility to achieve results.
The key is recognizing that in media, creativity and business success are intertwined. Every sustainable competitive advantage we have ultimately stems from creative choices. My responsibility is to ensure we continue making those strategic decisions.
