Editorial by Dimitri Papadopoulos
It’s beyond belief that in this age of information, that are still people that by choice are uninformed and decided to live in total ignorance. Who are these people? The people that get their “news” from their friends on Social Networks, even more disturbing, the fact that they are asking on the Facebook page of the HOAX perpetrators to give them “news updates” instead of following Local Media which is bound by Journalistic Code of Ethics and Standards, not by Social Media Fantasy. These people are the most vulnerable, as they are more likely to believe whatever clickbait bullshit their Facebook friends feed them! These are the very same people that you hear them saying “nobody listens to the Radio and nobody reads newspapers anymore”. And Community leaders are taking advantage of fools to fool them on their Social Networks. And that worked. They also tried to fool the Broadcast audience and Newspaper readers through Credible Media. Bad idea. This is when it backfired on them.
And this is the case here.
All Professional Greek Local Media has extensively covered the issue, both in Radio, Print Newspaper and Electronic Media– in Greek. It was first investigated by myself and aired on the Greek Program of Radio Centre-Ville 102.3 FM on Wednesday July 7 2021 (available on podcast audio here), then it was picked up by Mike-FM, then by CFMB 1280 AM, then by VIMA newspaper.
It proved to be a Hoax… Greek Local Media have defused the whole Conspiracy and ever since there is Radio Silence from the perpetrators, YET, there are still some people that are still posting messages on the Facebook Wall of the Perpetrator for an update and others messaging me and asking me questions what happened.
Really?
The first type of uninformed expects to be “informed” on Facebook by the Perpetrator, While the Second type of uniformed, is not interested in the work done by the Greek Local Media, and couldn’t care any less in MY work or even bothered to listen to what I aired on 102.3 FM, and suddenly wake up, and message me to tell them what happened, making me repeat myself, over and over, in Private Messaging, the same and the same, of the same I aired on FM Radio. So here I am now answering to people that aren’t really interested in my work. Well that’s discouraging and insulting.
This is like somebody placing a telephone call to a restaurant, which is not a client of the said restaurant or knows where the restaurant is, and asking the restaurant to send his driver to deliver to his home the Menu of Day he served his clients today, FOR FREE, and never to be seen again. Now imagine, 1000 strangers doing that, and the cook preparing 1000 personalized meals for non-clients, one by one, on-demand, and delivering them out to them for FREE. He won’t be able to be that “nice” for long, and that till his suppliers and the landlord will be running after him asking to get paid.
Well, this is me.
Regardless… I’ll take the time and write in English, to inform the uniformed not interested in my Media Work. And I will do that in the name of the Common Good, to clear the confusion, and put this issue to rest, once and for all. After all, Journalism is a Public Service, and not a Business in the strict sense. Although, if everybody does that, and don’t listen to the Media, and we journalists accept to “volunteer” on Facebook and spoon feed those who ignore us, you do understand that we won’t be able to be around to do this for long. The way we put bread on our table and able to give back in the community and present independent Journalism stories is made possible by Advertisers in the Media targeting our newspaper readers and our FM Radio audience — not by volunteering to spoon-feed our work to strangers on Facebook messenger, on-demand.
But please, do yourself a favour: Let go “Facebook News”, and do the effort to listen and read Greek Local Media.
Now that I vexed and it’s out of me, let’s start, but before I do, pardon as my English is not as good as my Greek.
The Real Story: The Priest the thief, Fr. Dimitrios, SOTIRIOS and THE HOAX
TLDR: What gave reason to whatever was propagated is a HOAX. Ignore. End of Story.
Here’s the long version:
Like any other Professional Media, I’m NOT interested in Hoaxes nor pay any attention to them since I’m in Journalism, not into Jokes and Hoaxes. No Professional journalist reports on Hoaxes. Journalism is based on Facts (not Fiction) by verifiable sources and with accountability. (Fundamental principle of the Journalism Code of Ethics).
Also, no person that respects himself, with a minimum of intelligence, will take a hoax seriously, with a grain of salt, at the most. It’s also not expected from leaders to spread hoaxes or rumours to their groups they represent and create unnecessary distress — not even as a joke. Unless a leader becomes mentally ill or is “Tripping on LSD” and looses his judgment to go public motivated by a Hoax to create unnecessary instability, at which point, must be taken down and replaced in a hurry! So far, I haven’t seen anybody in a Leadership position acting like that.
Even Sleepy Joe is FAR from reaching that mental state.
This issue came to my attention while I was distributing the XPONIKA newspaper at the beginning of July. I got stopped over and over again by A LOT people asking me the SAME question… First to drop the question was on Park Avenue “what’s the situation with Fr. Dimitri”?. All they knew is that Fr Dimitri may be in trouble, but it’s not clear what is going on.
Me, Journalist Dimitri Papadopoulos, clueless.
After the 4th person stopped me on Jean-Talon street, I understood that something serious might be going on and I gave a call to my colleges/competitors. They were also clueless!
So I assumed it’s breaking news. Perfect, I’ll break it!
When I came back at the office I researched and reached to ALL known parties… and came to a conclusion:
That our Self-called “Leaders” of the Greek Community of Montreal are making public statements and issuing official announcements and their AMATEUR Public Relations Departments wiring Press Releases “For immediate Release in Red letters (URGENCY 1) to all media outlets stating the following:
to resume: They all Categorically condemn the false accusations published on the “Andipoda” website against Fr. Dimitri. It’s False, Not True, and Lie. And asking for wide distribution of this statement.
No local media published or aired this so-called Press Release, and rightfully so. Professional Media are bound by a strict Code of Ethics and High Standards, and therefore, no media will spread a Hoax. That’s a thing for Social Networks, Not for media.
Here’s the first Red Flag: “Andipoda” is an amateur-run Greek HOAX micro-blog maintained by a Greek person in Toronto, filled with hate speech, hoaxes, misspelled words on virtually every paragraph, manipulated imagery, and ALL articles are unsigned and anonymous. It’s not a popular Blog, only known by those few involved at a high level with Greek Community affairs. (Senior Greek Community Journalists, Greek Community Newspaper Publishers, Senior Community Executives, Senior Religious Leaders and executives of the Greek Congress… and those involved in the Greek Community since the age of Noah. Those are the people that are AWARE, as for who reads it? Nobody, other than if there’s a pissing contest between those few….
Out of curiosity, then visited the Andipoda Hoax- micro-blog, for the first time after 3 years… to see what made a specific Group of our Community Leaders, which are “coincidentally” all part of the same Group, that all “coincidentally” started to “Condemn” all the SAME Time in Unison, And VERY LOUD in all directions, (Even an a press release from their self-called PR department for immediate release (Extreme Urgency Level 1) to the media the article they read on the Andipoda.
What I read was a non-story. Essentially a sarcastic Question addressed to Chris Manikis (calling him “Mr Judge of the Greek Community what do you know of the $30,000 that an anonymous lady informed us that Fr. Dimitri stole from the church?”
Unsigned, Anonymous, speculative, And OVERALL SARCASTIC.
NOT newsworthy, or serious.
Specifically, (this is the HOAX linked here) originally posted on Andipoda on June 30th 2021, that started it all which was made known by the perpetrators, which also happen to be our Self-called “Greek Community Leaders”.
The HOAX in itself, is a QUESTION, not even an accusation, addressed to Christo Maniki, Newspaper Published of BHMA) and to nobody else, asking him an impossible question to answer. The said “anonymous lady” (Bullshit) approached Andypoda in Toronto…. and the Guy is asking Chisto Maniki from Montreal what he knows for what she told to Andypoda in Toronto? First of all, Maniki is in Montreal and doesn’t know what she allegedly told to Andypoda in Toronto.
Furthermore, the anonymous writer of the HOAX is asking Mr. Maniki to comment on something that an imaginary person allegedly said.
Again, the article posted on Andipoda HOAX microblog personal site, WAS A QUESTION addressed to Chis Maniki. What exactly our “Leaders” are condemning? Are they “Condemning” a Question?
Seriously?
Regardless…. It’s a HOAX, and I never try give attention or try to interpret, understand, take seriously, explain, give answers, spread or otherwise REACT to HOAXES. The only ones I have seen doing that are those Facebook “Fact Checkers”…. but I have yet to see them issuing Press Releases “For Immediate Distribution” (EXTREME URGENCY 1) to the Media. DEFINITELY NOT JOURNALISTS OR LEADERS.
That would be NEWSWORTHY IN ITSELF.
Oh, did I just mentioned Leaders with a total lack of judgment acting weird.. is newsworthy?
We have a story. That’s my story!
My leaders acting weird. Furthermore, their stupidity is at such a degree, that NOBODY understood what exactly they are condemning or talking about, creating Even MORE confusion… …. for a HOAX… that NOBODY is aware, other than them. I won’t go as far as accusing them as perpetrators of the Hoax, but I’m ready to bet big money.
Jut watching them do, it gives it away!
Let’s get to the bottom of it, and close this embarrassing situation, once and for all.
I was also informed by people that know, the plan was to create a HOAX that called for the priest he “robbed” (heavy word) the Church. Then Spread MAXIMUM Awareness through all platforms, channels, Traditional and Electronic Media and Social Networks,, Create a Wave of Support for the Priest.. with sympathy messages, And when the support will be at it’s peak, KNOWING that no money is missing from the church and the finances are balancing, the Filoptoho (ladies auxiliary of the church) knowing he priest did not steal anything, when the wave of support will be at it’s peak, they would come out with an official statement, officially “clearing” him from all accusations. and everybody will bow to the extraordinary priest, that is the best like no other!
WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL… TO DETHRONE ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS OF TORONTO, UNDER THE PRETEXT HE IS OLD AND LOOSING IT, AND BRING SOMEBODY OF THEIR OWN FROM SWEDEN.
Well… that’s A LOT OF POWER!
I won’t try to analyze why these Mega “powerful” Bosses felt the need to use the “no-power” of Andypoda and arrange such Major Coup involving the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Archbishop of Canada SOTIRIOS, which will lead to his unceremonious Dethronement!
That’s a lot of POWER for Andypoda HOAX micro-blog too!
In all seriousness…. I refuse to believe, that our our very own leaders are acting this way.
They are embarrassing us, they are acting weird, literally, and if somebody is Loosing it due to age and needs to be replaced, it’s NOT ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS. They just PROVED PRIMA FACIE, it’s them!
Karma is bitch!
Lastly, I’m nearing 30 years in the Media Industry, from Major-Market Mainstream to hyper-local, and everything in between. And I’ve SEEN IT ALL… so I thought, till now.
I admit, this is the first time I felt the need to address a non-issue that revolves around a hoax.
In journalism we never deal with non-issues or with hoaxes. Here I had both combined, and felt the need to break the rule, perhaps for the first in history. Let me justify it in 8000 words, as it’s not straightforward.
As for Andypoda HOAX micro-blog, I couldn’t care any less of the HOAXES he posts. I’m not a “Facebook Fact Checker”, and I’ll leave it at them.. I’m a Journalist, and HOAXES are the least of my worries… And even more when it comes from “Antypoda” a Hoax micro-blog being used for pissing-contests, hate speech, Rumours, Imaginary Hearsay, and anonymous personal attacks… that targets 30 people all in all! (and I’m VERY generous)
The concept of Andypoda is simple. If you want to piss-off a community leader or start a smearing campaign against him, give him $5, and he’ll post anonymously whatever you tell him. Then Share the Fake News. I never go there, C’mon.
As of this writing, I just saw that Andypoda HOAX Microblog site posted my photo and something about me, I believe. I glanced, and to be honest, I didn’t even bother reading it. And considering it’s a no-traffic blog with NO influence or reach whatsoever, I ignored it as if nothing happened. I’m not bothered at all. Is it good he wrote about me? or bad? (I assume it’s about my investigation judging from the recent photo) — I really don’t know what he wrote. Did he make “famous” or “infamous” to his crowd of 40? I don’t care any less. My time runs negative to waste on inexistent, underground and obscure personal HOAX microblogs. And if you ask how I know that he posted something about me, since I don’t read that HOAX micro-blog: I saw it just now to check if the link of his HOAX micro-blog in this article woks, and a photo of me popped up in his garbage microblog site.
Those that know Adipoda Blog, also know who runs it, and his circle of Friends, which happens to be from some groups mentioned above.
Let’s put this thing to rest, once and for all.
Message the perpetrators and to our Self-called Greek Community of Montreal Leadership propagating Rumour and Hoaxes:
I’ll start by repeating what Mary Griffths Daperi told them on Mike-FM radio:
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
End of Quote
Feel free to cut ties with all Media as you already did, and depend on Andipoda HOAX Microblog to get your messages across. You fully deserve that, and I’m happy! Feel fee to also believe that Greek Local Media, or my Media, has absolutely NO newspaper readers, NO TV viewers and NO listeners on the Radio, and NO influence whatsoever, like it was mentioned in a letter addressed to me, and officially signed by the President. I have nothing to prove to you, nor seek your “approval” or your “non-approval”. I’m totally indifferent. Feel Free to think whatever you want, and couldn’t care any less.
Also, feel free to believe that You with the help of Andipoda HOAX micro-rite such things, like he does, for your 150 or so, followers that vote for you in the elections, which happen to be also Andipoda’s HOAX micro-blog blog have the power to unceremoniously overthrow and dethrone Archbishop of Canada SOTIRIOS to bring-in your own from Europe. Also feel free to have Andipoda followers. Feel Free to also Fool your Fools that you fool on your Facebook Page. They fully deserve it, and you are there to serve them. And boy I’m impressed with all the LIKES, SHARES, COMMENTS. Your PR Dude is indeed a CLICKBAIT MASTER. WOW, I’m really impressed! While you are playing the LIKES, SHARES & COMMENTS social media bullshit fantasy game, might as well we send you Monopoly Money, to feel rich.
HOWEVER,
DO NOT involve the Greek Community as whole in your Bullshit Fantasy, because YOU will become news, and not in a good way.
Tell your VIRAL EXPERT in your PR department that pretends to be a Media of Influence to let go Facebook Fantasy and Clickbait Viral BS, and get back on Planet Earth. Back to reality.
You are not MEDIA, get over it.
You are a total embarrassment.
