Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation
Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation is Bahrain's government-owned public broadcasting organization, operating Arabic- and English-language radio and television services.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) is Bahrain's state-owned broadcasting organization, headquartered in Manama and operating under the control of the Information Affairs Authority. Its responsibilities cover both audio and visual broadcasting in the Kingdom, making it a central institution in Bahrain's domestic media system. The corporation broadcasts in Arabic and English and combines radio services, television channels, locally produced programming, imported entertainment, news, public-affairs content, cultural material, children's programming, documentaries, and sports coverage. The institutional roots of BRTC extend across two earlier broadcasting developments. Radio Bahrain began operating in 1955. The radio service was taken over by BRTC in 1971, when the corporation was established, and later became an independent body again when the corporation itself became independent in January 1993. Bahrain's English-language radio service has operated since 1977. During its development, the English service initially broadcast for four hours daily from a studio in Isa Town, moved to facilities in Adliya in 1982, and expanded to 18 hours per day. A second service, Radio 2, was introduced with a six-hour daily schedule. A new studio was established in the Ministry of Information building in 1989, and the main radio operation moved to a 24-hour schedule the following year. In 2007, Radio Bahrain changed its FM frequency from 101.0 to 96.5. Television developed on a separate but related path. Bahrain Television was formed in 1973 with limited equipment by the American company RTV International. The Bahraini government acquired the station in 1975 and subsequently invested in improved facilities. A second television channel, commonly identified as Channel 55, began broadcasting in December 1981. Over time, Bahrain TV developed a mixture of Bahraini-produced programs and acquired international content. Locally made youth-oriented programs such as Chat with Batelco and Hala Bahrain became notable examples of its domestic production output, while its schedules also included imported drama, comedy, animation, documentaries, children's programs, game shows, talk shows, educational programs, and sports. BRTC's public role gives it importance beyond ordinary entertainment distribution. As a government-controlled broadcaster, it functions as an instrument of national communication and a prominent source of official and public-interest programming. At the same time, this relationship has made its editorial treatment of political events subject to criticism. During the 2011 Bahrain uprising, Bahrain TV was criticized for its handling of the protests and for broadcasting a campaign that identified participants and encouraged their punishment and public shaming. This episode remains the principal controversy associated with the corporation in the available reference material. The corporation's identity is therefore defined by a combination of national reach, bilingual broadcasting, public ownership, and close institutional links to the Bahraini government. Its historical development reflects the expansion of Bahrain's broadcasting infrastructure from separately developed radio and television services into a consolidated state broadcasting structure. Current details about its leadership, official website, financial performance, audience figures, and present channel portfolio are not established by the supplied sources.
History
Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation is the principal state broadcasting institution of Bahrain. Its history is linked to the country's gradual development of radio and television infrastructure and to the consolidation of those activities under a government broadcasting body. Radio broadcasting predates the corporation. Radio Bahrain was established in 1955, providing one of the earliest organized broadcasting services in the country. When BRTC was created in 1971, it took over the radio operation. The corporation's creation gave Bahrain a formal institutional structure for managing national broadcasting and expanded the state's role in the organization of both radio and television services. Radio Bahrain's English-language service began in 1977, adding a regular service for English-speaking residents and audiences. Initially, the English programming ran for four hours a day from a studio in Isa Town. The radio service expanded during the following decade. In 1982, the English-language operation moved to a building in Adliya and increased its daily transmission period to 18 hours. A second station, Radio 2, was introduced with a six-hour daily schedule. In 1989, a new studio was established in the Ministry of Information building. Radio broadcasting then reached a 24-hour schedule in 1990. These changes show the transition from a limited-time service to a more continuous national broadcasting operation. In 2007, Radio Bahrain changed its FM frequency from 101.0 to 96.5. Television followed a different institutional route. Bahrain Television was formed in 1973 by RTV International, an American company, using limited equipment. The Bahraini government purchased the station in 1975 and upgraded its facilities. The television system expanded again in December 1981 with the launch of a second channel, generally referred to as Channel 55. Bahrain TV subsequently became a platform for both locally produced programming and imported material. Its domestic output included youth-oriented programs such as Chat with Batelco and Hala Bahrain, while its acquired programming covered a broad range of genres. The imported schedule associated with Bahrain TV included international animated series, documentaries, game shows, children's programs, comedy, cooking, drama, wrestling, biography, sports, horror, magazine, reality, educational, western, soap-opera, and talk-show programming. Examples listed in the available reference material include The Adventures of Tintin, Arthur, Batman: The Animated Series, The Transformers, Tom and Jerry, The Crystal Maze, Wheel of Fortune, Sesame Street, Doctor Who, The X-Files, Trans World Sport, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and other internationally distributed programs. These acquisitions supplemented Bahrain-created content and helped the broadcaster offer a general-interest schedule across different age groups. In January 1993, BRTC became an independent body. Radio Bahrain also became independent at that time, ending the earlier period in which the radio operation was directly incorporated into BRTC. Despite this institutional change, the corporation remained a major component of Bahrain's state media system. It continued to regulate or operate visual and audio broadcasting in the Kingdom and to transmit in both Arabic and English. BRTC's close relationship with the Bahraini government has also shaped its political significance. During the 2011 Bahrain uprising, Bahrain TV faced criticism for the way it covered the unrest. The broadcaster was accused in the supplied reference material of running a campaign to identify, punish, and publicly shame people who participated in the uprising. This controversy illustrates the tension between the corporation's role as a national public broadcaster and its position within a government-controlled information structure. The available material does not identify current executives, a standalone corporate website, financial results, audience measurements, or a detailed contemporary channel lineup. BRTC is nevertheless identifiable as an active government-owned national broadcaster whose historical services include Bahrain TV, Radio Bahrain, and Radio 2.
- 2007
Radio Bahrain changes frequency
[1]The station moved from 101.0 FM to 96.5 FM.
- 1993
BRTC becomes independent
[1]BRTC became an independent body in January, while Radio Bahrain also became independent.
- 1990
Radio service becomes 24-hour
[1]Radio Bahrain expanded to round-the-clock broadcasting.
- 1989
New radio studio established
[1]A new studio was opened in the Ministry of Information building.
- 1982
English radio service expands
[1]The English-language radio service moved to Adliya and expanded to 18 hours per day.
- 1981
Second television channel opens
[1]A second channel, known as Channel 55, began broadcasting in December.
- 1977
English-language radio service begins
[1]Radio Bahrain's English-language service went on air.
- 1975
Government acquires Bahrain Television
[1]The Bahraini government purchased Bahrain Television and improved its facilities.
- 1973
Bahrain Television formed
[1]Bahrain Television was established by RTV International with limited equipment.
- 1971
BRTC established
[1]Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation was created and took over Radio Bahrain.
Products and positioning
A government-owned national broadcaster serving Bahrain through bilingual radio and television services, combining domestic programming with imported entertainment and public-information content.
Television broadcaster · 1973
Bahrain TV
Bahrain TV is the corporation's principal television service. It broadcasts Arabic- and English-language material and has historically combined locally produced Bahraini programming with imported international series and factual, children's, educational, entertainment, and sports content. Domestic programs have included youth-oriented shows such as Chat with Batelco and Hala Bahrain. The service also operated alongside a second channel launched in 1981.
Radio broadcaster · 1955
Radio Bahrain
Radio Bahrain is a national radio service with roots going back to 1955. Its English-language programming began in 1977 and expanded from a four-hour schedule to 18 hours daily after its 1982 move to Adliya. The service reached 24-hour broadcasting in 1990 and changed its FM frequency from 101.0 to 96.5 in 2007.
Radio broadcaster
Radio 2
Radio 2 was a second radio service introduced during the expansion of Bahrain's broadcasting infrastructure. The available reference describes it as broadcasting for six hours per day, but does not provide a current schedule or detailed programming profile.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2007
Radio Bahrain FM frequency changeOtherBackground
Radio Bahrain had developed from a limited-hour service into a 24-hour broadcaster.
Action taken
The station changed its FM frequency from 101.0 to 96.5.
Aftermath
The reference records the frequency change but does not describe its audience or operational effects.
1981
Launch of the second television channelProduct launchBackground
Bahrain Television was expanding after government acquisition and facility improvements.
Action taken
A second channel, identified in the reference material as Channel 55, began broadcasting in December.
Aftermath
The launch increased the television system's channel capacity.
1975
Government acquisition and upgrading of Bahrain TelevisionStrategyBackground
Bahrain Television had been established by RTV International with limited equipment in 1973.
Action taken
The Bahraini government acquired the station and improved its facilities.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened state control over television broadcasting and supported later expansion of the service.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bahrain-radio-and-television-corporation · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled