Prominent Greek journalist and investigative reporter Kostas Chardavellas has died, his wife Maria Panagopoulou announced late on Tuesday. He was 79.
Born on September 5, 1945, Chardavellas studied journalism at the University of Athens. His career spanned four decades. In this time he worked at newspapers and with all the major television networks.
Chardavellas took his first steps in journalism working for local newspaper “Ethnos” and later for “Ta Nea”. He made his first appearance on television in 1977 on Greece’s public broadcaster ERT.
A highlight of his career was the launch of the show “Reporters” in the 1980s with colleagues Giorgos Lianis and Giannis Dimaras. The show was among the first of its kind in Greece focusing on investigative reporting and current affairs.
Chardavellas’ news driven shows, including “60 Minutes Without Editing”, “Reporting in the Fog” and “The Invisible World” – all investigative reporting programs – were very popular breaking new ground in Greek media.
His work addressed issues of corruption and injustice as well as current affairs.
In 2009, Chardavellas revealed that he had cancer.
“You left as you lived: A winner! Rest in peace now, close to the people that life deprived you of when you were a baby and whom you always longed for, your mother Calypso and father Konstantinos. See you again my Giant … in the next life again, from the beginning,” said his wife in a message on Facebook.
Chardavellas is survived by his wife journalist Maria Panagopolou, and his son.
