One day is enough, in every man's life, the moment of reckoning. Now she's mine. It is now obvious that IMAKO cannot in any way continue to operate as it was before 17 consecutive years. This means that I failed - even if the conditions prevailing in the press space are "murderous". Magazine circulation has fallen in four years since 70% to 90% while in radios the damages reach the 60%. From the 2008 when the crisis started, I tried in every way to keep IMAKO alive. Even in my worst nightmares I could not have imagined that the development in the economy and especially in the press would be so bad, so wild. For four consecutive years I tried in every way to keep the store alive by investing everything,what I had and didn't have mentally, physical and financial potential. I was denied. In this effort I invested,what I had and didn't have in mobile or cash in the company. I gave birth to her and her death today is equivalent to the death of one of my children. With the death of my future self. I am well aware that the cannibalism I am afflicted with these days has its roots in other causes. Everything I read now is beyond my wildest imagination. When we get to the point of assuming that CLICK or Nitro, only two magazines, they are what caused the subsidence of the country, then you realize that you have been transformed into the atoning victim of a twisted situation!
It was not the Finance Ministers who were talking about the stock market, it was not the bankers who saw a sustained rise, it wasn't the financial papers that bet on bad 'ganyans', it was not the big groups whose flagships bet on continuous growth and continuous profit. I don't want to abdicate my responsibilities, but I find it funny to assume that the consumer, the stock market and investment Greece was defined by a single magazine of the "vlacho" Kostopoulos! It would be impressive if my products had that much power, but my readers I have a feeling, dear ones, that they are not even enough for the huts in a country 10.000.000 people. I don't say, sure, other bands promoted the Porsche 'lifestyle', Franck Muller and Hermès, but, forgive me, it wasn't me he. "CLICK" in its dozens was considered a product of the Greek margin. The older ones will remember it well.
The 1995, after an argument with my boss, Aris Terzopoulos, I decided with "teammates" the businessmen Mr. Marinopoulos and Ioannou to create IMAKO. Each of us owned it 33% and no, PASOK did not help us as some cretins have been claiming for years. Because PASOK was exclusively interested in the mainstream political press (sometimes the marginal one), who made headlines on newsstands.
I am proud (and certainly quite a jerk) that I never got more than a nickel from the ND and PASOK state advertisements like all the magazines and all the music radios. Several newspapers of the plate that were reaping 50 times more from government advertising than a group with 1.500.000 readers or listeners. Besides, these are contained in constant protests of both music radio and magazines not only my own, but of the whole of Greece. Comrades know what I'm talking about and shut up. The interplay took place in the headlines hanging on the stands.
To return, Nevertheless, to the main topic, I would like to make it clear that in order for IMAKO to survive I have offered over the last four years all my immovable and movable assets even those acquired before I even founded IMAKO. I'm talking about 32 years of work, which were sold either with debts to banks in exchange for the immovable property, or with direct deposits not only from me but also from my relatives. I think few entrepreneurs in this country can claim the same. That is to say, they put everything,what they had and didn't have for their shop to survive. I say all this because I have recently been reading "monsters" and I find an unimaginable cannibalism in my weight. I invite anyone to provide him with any facility to verify the truth of what I say. Let even the anonymous complex of a blog come who satisfies his wildest instincts at the altar of cheap mudslinging.
The economic policy followed by the two major parties (ND and PASOK), in recent years, destroyed the economic life of Greece by suffocating the incomes of the small and middle classes. Result; They drove the press not just into a crisis but into a crash, like that of America in the 1930s. In fact, I admire my colleagues and competitors who are still alive, but I'm curious to see how long they will last. I say this with full awareness of my responsibilities. Because, we had absurd ones, incredible for normal working wages and huge staff for what we could produce. Yes, it was a bubble. You are right. The explosion of media in the 90s led to schizophrenic costs to all of us. IMAKO came to have 550 employees and payroll 15 from. euros per year! And we are talking about a small and medium-sized company…
It turned out that the reality was harsher. When the crisis hit, the first thing every business cut was advertising, while many of our compatriots cut magazines because two and three euros ended up being a luxury. Of course we had responsibilities too. As matter I speak…
Still, I feel really proud that I made the most of it,what I had and didn't have for the survival of IMAKO. A lot of people told me I was an idiot but I preferred to follow those who told me to go all out, buy time everything can turn around. Nothing came back. On the contrary 2012 started with receipts that did not even reach the 15% of his receipts 2009! And that wasn't all. IMAKO is owed by customers 7-8 from. euro. From people who didn't pay what they owed, an amount approximately equal to what IMAKO currently owes to its customers. Of course, no one bothered with those who put the fez on us because obviously their names didn't sell to the press. That's how it always happens. The known asshole pays her. The anonymous are referred to as the "poor people" who have been affected by the crisis.
also, there is a lot of talk about whether the end of IMAKO is due to the end of the "lifestyle". I find it very entertaining. If Freelance, the ALTER, the "Investor's World" and I don't know what else that preceded it was lifestyle, then I'm very happy about the influence I had. Unfortunately, these are the antics of some complex people who were not interested in the lifestyle they were living, but instead they were interested in the moron, the skunk "Vlach" who came from Volos and suddenly created a press group. My hand is eating me, but I won't write about who owns and drives Porsches. Or, anyway, who are making fun of you with temporary morals. What is certain is that the demonized "lifestyle" could not participate in the entanglement. Come on, it would be great if he had the first table on the dance floor at some Vissi and no Rouva and paid nothing at the end. And that's because either the artist gave it away, or the shopkeeper who advertised for free in the publications of the respective publisher. It doesn't make for a very cheap mess; Of course even though I created four radio stations that play everything from heavy folk to hip hop, plus, if i remember correctly, 16 magazines like the ones Lambrakis has, Bobolas, Lymberis or Philippopoulos, at the end of the day the person in charge of the situation is me. What can I say. No if you receive more than the one who doesn't have. Nionio I mean…
Lately they tried to sell me as much, even in need and crisis- assets for which I was required by law to pay the consideration directly to the employees. I spent hundreds of hours closing deals to cover the staff - everyone I worked with. Not just with compensations, but also with new jobs, new jobs in other groups. Most of them have already been written in the press. Unfortunately, the "crows" managed to judicially block these decisions. They even went so far as to scrounge to get whatever was available, mobile and immovable, inside the shop effectively unaware that any divestment of IMACO's assets was to go to the workers and, if there was anything left, to others, since I have fully satisfied IMAKO's obligations to the public.
What I have to say now is that, as the situation has been shaped in the midst of the crisis, basically I feel responsible only to my partners. The people who worked to keep the company alive. To those who supported IMAKO in the most difficult moments and gave everything,what they could do to keep the shop open. Press companies rely on their people, not necessarily all but most of them. Even if IMAKO, like me personally, has fallen a few times the victim of "partners" who profited the most - to put it politely. But even that is solely my responsibility. My failure. Wanting to be creative in no way allows you as an entrepreneur to ignore everyday financial happenings. Let's say the photo shoots cost 3,5 from. euros a year they cost today 500.000 euro! I can't blame anyone for that. No one but myself. I believe I made a number of "discoveries" that have helped many people get into this business, Nevertheless, under no circumstances and I am not asking anyone to forgive me for not being financially successful, even if the crisis we are living through will bring it to a dead end 70% of the media in our country.
What I want to say to close this text is that I want to offer the employees any magazine title that can be sold and any movable or immovable asset that can earn them compensation for all that they have contributed to the company. I also tell any scammer who claims I have foreign accounts to look it up, to denounce it and report it. I will help him find the truth. I'm tired of hearing lies and nonsense.
I personally farted. I don't own anything I built after 32 years of work. No houses either (Yes, they take them from me), nor money. I am not looking for understanding why the press in Greece has ended up being cannibalistic. Those who owe six months to the workers denounce those who owe three. I have nothing to apologize for other than that I am sorry that I have not been able to repay the people who worked for me and I believe that the assets of the company are sufficient to do so.. I don't just owe it to them, but also to me. Because I learned one thing from my blessed father. To be decent even when everyone wants to eat me alive. In his memory I will fight to the end.
They usually say it doesn't matter if you fall, what matters is being able to get back up. I know that's a nice phrase, but a bit difficult to implement, especially when you live in a state of clinical depression on 12 months. Nevertheless, that's what I want to do right now by making amends to those who lose from me - without thinking about those who have done me harm. Now the only job I have is that of television. Before I go on the air here and 11 months I bang my head against the wall in the dressing room and then come out laughing. Some take it as starchidism. They have no idea what I feel. I even see that they want to cut me this job too, now the only income for my family and children. They ignore that the proceeds from my shows on ALPHA all went to IMAKO. Control and this for anyone who wants.
Nevertheless, I don't like this emotional at all, whiny style as my friends would say. I don't like it and I never did. Know, I will suffer for many years, but somewhere here I will use the Hollywood saying of a "folk" guy. "I'll be back" said Arnie, I say the same. So I want to believe. Except I won't be so naive anymore…
PS1: For the moron who wrote that I have a Bentley (don't even have a private plane), what can i say… Let me come and give it to him.
PS2: If I thank anyone in these difficult times it is my wife who sits like a rock next to me. Everyone tells you in critical situations that health counts and being well. Sure, those on the Titanic were healthy, they had no luck. I'm not whining, Nevertheless, because life has been good to me. Until today… Besides, what can I say when there are already many of our fellow human beings who live below "zero". It is his Greece 2012. Courage…
PS3: I have a lot of fun with all those who worked at IMAKO for years, they were paid handsomely and of course before their time and now they drip bile at every opportunity. It is the best lesson I can get for the future. I sincerely thank them.
PS4: I almost hit them 60 but I persist: Life is too short to be sad. We will meet again…
Source : yupi.gr