| Company type | Government-owned corporation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971; 54 years ago (1971) |
| Headquarters | Manama,Bahrain |
| Owner | Government of Bahrain |
| Website | www www |
Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC;Arabic:تلفزيون البحرين,romanized: Tilifizyūn al-Baḥrayn) is a public broadcaster inBahrain with headquarters inManama. The BRTC is owned by thegovernment of Bahrain,[1] and under the control of theInformation Affairs Authority.
BRTC was set up in 1971,[2] and became an independent body in January 1993.[2] The corporation regulates visual and audio broadcasting in theKingdom of Bahrain.[3] It broadcasts programs in bothArabic andEnglish.[2]
Radio Bahrain was established in 1955, was taken over by BRTC in 1971, and became an independent body in 1993.[2] Its English-language radio service has been on-air since 1977, broadcasting four hours a day from a studio inIsa Town. In 1982 the station was moved to a building inAdliya. On-air time was extended to 18 hours a day. A second station, Radio 2, began broadcasting 6 hours a day. In 1989 a new studio was established in the Ministry of Information building, and the following year the station went 24 hours. In 2007 Radio Bahrain switched its frequency from 101.0FM to 96.5FM.[4]
Bahrain TV was formed in 1973 by an American company (RTV International) with limited equipment. The government bought the station in 1975 and improved its facilities. A second channel (Channel 55) opened in December 1981.[5] BTV has produced many Bahraini-created and produced shows, the most prominent being youth shows such as Chat with Batelco, and Hala Bahrain. Bahrain TV was criticised for the way it handled the2011 Bahrain uprising, during which it ran a campaign to name, punish and shame those who took part in the uprising.[citation needed]