Alexis Papahelas

Alexis Papahelas is a Greek journalist, editor, author, and television presenter who has become one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Greek political and investigative journalism. Raised in Athens in a family with roots in Messinia and Constantinople, he studied economics and history at Bard College in the United States before continuing with graduate studies in journalism and international relations at Columbia University in New York. He began his professional career in 1983 as a New York correspondent and went on to work abroad for Avgi, Kathimerini, the Greek Service of the BBC in Washington, and Mega Channel, building a strong background in international reporting and political analysis before returning to Greece in 1998. Back in Athens, he expanded his presence across both print and television, writing for To Vima and becoming widely known through his work on Mega, first as co-host of Mavro kouti (1998) and then as the creator and presenter of the influential current affairs program Oi fakeloi (2000), which established him as a leading voice in long-form television journalism. He later continued that work on SKAI and then Istories (2016), while also serving consistently as a political and diplomatic commentator on the channel's main news bulletin. In print journalism, he joined Kathimerini as a columnist in 2006 and was appointed editor of the newspaper in 2007, a role that further strengthened his public profile and influence in Greek media and political discourse. Over the course of his career he has conducted interviews with a wide range of international figures, including heads of state, major political personalities, and global public figures, and has built a reputation for combining access journalism with historical and investigative depth. He has also created a significant body of documentary work on major moments in modern Greek and regional history, including projects on the Asia Minor Catastrophe, the dictatorship of April 21, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and the issue of the missing, reflecting a sustained interest in the intersection of memory, politics, and public accountability. As an author, he drew particular attention with his book O Viasmos tis Ellinikis Dimokratias, which examined the links between American intelligence and the colonels who organized the 1967 coup, bringing new material and renewed public discussion to a defining period of postwar Greek history. His career has also included commentary and reporting on corruption, institutions, diplomacy, and public life, alongside articles published in major international outlets such as The New York Times and The Guardian. Widely recognized for his contribution to journalism, he has received awards both for his own reporting and for the programs he created and presented, while his broader public standing has also been reflected in distinctions such as recognition from Bard College and inclusion in Politico's list of influential Europeans.