ARB Şimal
ARB Şimal is a privately owned Azerbaijani regional terrestrial television channel serving northern Azerbaijan.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
ARB Şimal is an Azerbaijani regional terrestrial television channel headquartered in Khachmaz and owned by ARB Media Group. The service operates primarily in northern Azerbaijan, with historic coverage across the Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region and Khizi District. It began broadcasting on 15 November 2007 under the name Regional Television, commonly abbreviated as RTV, after winning a licensing competition organized to replace Khachmaz TV, which had ceased broadcasting in May 2006. RTV received its six-year broadcasting license on 11 July 2006 after competing against Umid-Z LLC. The channel launched on UHF channel 46 using digital broadcasting equipment, making it the first Azerbaijani television channel described as adopting digital broadcasting equipment at launch. Its transmission infrastructure included a site at Gilgilçay in Siyazan District, selected for the quality of its signal in the target region. The channel developed a broad regional television proposition built around news, locally produced programming, entertainment, and services associated with terrestrial broadcasting. It established an internal PlayBox system and became the first television channel in Azerbaijan reported to have a dubbing studio. Its news program, Xəbər vaxtı, received the News Program of the Year award at the Media Key 2010 event. In 2011, the station expanded its distribution by beginning live online broadcasting through its website, complementing its terrestrial reach. RTV became part of a wider regional broadcasting initiative in 2014, when it joined five other regional Azerbaijani television stations in forming the Region TV network. Through that network, RTV programming gained nationwide distribution, extending the visibility of a channel originally designed around northern Azerbaijani audiences. The station also participated in public-interest and cultural programming. In 2015, it entered the Azerbaijan Family Film Festival organized by the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs with the video clip Rənglər, which subsequently won the Best Social Video category. The channel underwent a major identity change on 19 September 2016, when Region TV adopted the ARB branding and RTV was renamed ARB Şimal. The new name means ARB North in Azerbaijani and identifies the station's northern regional role within the ARB broadcasting group. ARB Şimal remains distinct from its sister channel ARB Günəş, although both are headquartered in Khachmaz. Publicly available reference material does not provide reliable details about current executives, revenue, audience share, or the precise present-day distribution footprint.
History
ARB Şimal originated in a licensing process initiated after Khachmaz TV stopped broadcasting on 25 May 2006. The National Television and Radio Council organized a competition to select a replacement service for the northern Azerbaijani market. Two companies took part: RTV LLC and Umid-Z LLC. RTV LLC won the competition and was granted a six-year broadcasting license on 11 July 2006. The resulting station, named Regional Television and generally known as RTV, commenced operations on 15 November 2007. It broadcast from UHF channel 46 and used digital broadcasting equipment. The launch was notable because RTV was described as the first Azerbaijani television channel to use digital broadcasting equipment. The channel also established an internal PlayBox system for broadcast operations. Its terrestrial signal was intended to reach the Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region and Khizi District, with transmitters located at Gilgilçay in Siyazan District. The location was reported to provide particularly good signal quality for viewers in the service area. RTV expanded beyond basic regional transmission by investing in production capabilities. It was described as the first television channel in Azerbaijan to have a dubbing studio, giving it the ability to adapt or prepare audiovisual content locally. Its news program, Xəbər vaxtı, received the News Program of the Year award at Media Key 2010. In 2011, the station began offering live online broadcasting through its website, adding internet distribution to its terrestrial operation. A significant distribution change came in 2014, when RTV joined five other regional television stations in forming the Region TV network. The network distributed programming from its participating stations nationwide, giving RTV a national outlet while preserving its regional programming identity. The station continued to take part in cultural and social initiatives. In April 2015, it accused Sumgait-based Dunya TV of thievery and plagiarism over a broadcast of a distorted version of RTV's Unudulmayan İfalar. Later that year, RTV participated in the Azerbaijan Family 2015 Film Festival, organized by the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs. Its submitted video clip Rənglər won the Best Social Video award in the following month. On 19 September 2016, Region TV adopted the ARB branding. As part of that change, RTV was renamed ARB Şimal. The Azerbaijani word Şimal means north, so the new name signaled the station's northern regional identity within the ARB group. ARB Şimal is headquartered on M. F. Akhundov Street in Khachmaz, alongside sister channel ARB Günəş. Available reference material establishes the channel's historical development and ownership by ARB Media Group but does not reliably document current management, financial performance, audience figures, or detailed present-day programming schedules.
- 2016
RTV is renamed ARB Şimal
[1]Following the adoption of ARB branding by Region TV on 19 September, Regional Television became ARB Şimal.
- 2015
Rənglər wins a social-video award
[1]RTV's Rənglər video clip won Best Social Video at the Azerbaijan Family 2015 Film Festival.
- 2014
RTV joins Region TV
[1]RTV became one of six regional stations forming the Region TV network, whose programming was distributed nationwide.
- 2011
Online live broadcasting begins
[1]RTV began streaming live through its website, supplementing its terrestrial broadcast service.
- 2010
Xəbər vaxtı receives a Media Key award
[1]The channel's news program Xəbər vaxtı was named News Program of the Year at Media Key 2010.
- 2007
Regional Television begins broadcasting
[1]RTV launched on 15 November on UHF channel 46, using digital broadcasting equipment in northern Azerbaijan.
- 2006
Broadcasting competition held
[1]The National Television and Radio Council held a competition to replace Khachmaz TV, which had gone off air in May. RTV LLC competed against Umid-Z LLC.
- 2006
RTV receives its broadcasting license
[1]RTV LLC won the competition and received a six-year license to broadcast on 11 July.
Products and positioning
A northern Azerbaijani regional television service combining local news, public-interest programming, entertainment, and terrestrial broadcasting, with additional reach through online streaming and the former Region TV network.
News program
Xəbər vaxtı
Xəbər vaxtı is ARB Şimal's news program and one of the station's specifically documented editorial offerings. It was recognized as News Program of the Year at Media Key 2010, reflecting the channel's role in producing news for audiences in northern Azerbaijan.
Social-interest video · 2015
Rənglər
Rənglər is a video clip produced or submitted by RTV for the Azerbaijan Family 2015 Film Festival. The entry was associated with the channel's participation in social and public-interest media and won the festival's Best Social Video category.
Terrestrial television · 2007
Regional television service
The core ARB Şimal offering is a regional television service for northern Azerbaijan. Historically launched as RTV on UHF channel 46, it combined local news, entertainment, cultural material, and other programming for the Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region and Khizi District. The service later gained wider exposure through Region TV and online streaming.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Azerbaijan Family 2015 Film Festival participation
Azerbaijan
RTV participated in the Azerbaijan Family 2015 Film Festival organized by the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, entering the video clip Rənglər.
Outcome. Rənglər won the Best Social Video category.
Brand decisions
2016
Adoption of the ARB Şimal identityStrategyBackground
Region TV adopted the ARB brand in September 2016, requiring participating regional services to operate under the new group identity.
Action taken
Regional Television, previously known as RTV, was renamed ARB Şimal.
Aftermath
The new name preserved the station's northern Azerbaijani positioning while aligning it with the ARB Media Group brand architecture.
2014
Participation in the Region TV networkStrategyBackground
Regional stations sought broader distribution through a shared network structure.
Action taken
RTV joined five other Azerbaijani regional television stations in forming Region TV.
Aftermath
RTV programming was distributed nationwide through the network.
Recent events
- 2016
Region TV adopts ARB branding and RTV becomes ARB Şimal[1]
Leadership change · Other
The Region TV network adopted the ARB identity, and Regional Television was renamed ARB Şimal to reflect its place within the group and its northern Azerbaijani remit.
- 2015
RTV accuses Dunya TV of plagiarism[1]
Other
RTV publicly accused Dunya TV of Sumgait of thievery and plagiarism after Dunya TV broadcast what RTV described as a distorted version of Unudulmayan İfalar.
- 2015
Rənglər wins Best Social Video[1]
Campaign
The channel's Rənglər video clip, entered in the Azerbaijan Family 2015 Film Festival, received the Best Social Video award.
- 2014
RTV joins the Region TV network[1]
Other
Regional Television became one of six regional Azerbaijani television stations participating in the Region TV network, enabling its programming to be distributed nationwide.
Sources2 sources
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