Obshchenatsional'noe Televidenie
Obshchenatsional'noe Televidenie (ONT) is Belarus's second state-owned national television broadcaster.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Obshchenatsional'noe Televidenie, commonly known as ONT, is a Belarusian state-owned television broadcaster headquartered in Minsk. It was created in 2002 as a second national television service and took over frequencies previously used for relays of Russia's Channel One, then known as ORT. The channel was intended to provide a distinct Belarusian national operation rather than simply remain a retransmission service operated by the Belarusian Television and Radio Company. The broadcaster was established by a decree signed by President Alexander Lukashenko on 15 February 2002 and was formally registered by the Minsk Executive Committee on 19 March of that year. ONT began broadcasting on 25 June 2002. Its opening schedule relied heavily on Channel One programming, supplemented by material from other Russian federal networks and locally inserted advertising and news. The launch slogan, “Not instead of, but together,” reflected the channel's original role as a Belarusian platform carrying familiar Russian television content while developing its own national identity. ONT's locally produced programming expanded over time. Its central news service, Nashi Novosti, was introduced on the first day of broadcasting and became one of the channel's defining programmes. Other notable productions included the current-affairs programme Kontury, which premiered in November 2002, the morning programme Nashe Utro, launched in February 2004, political and social talk formats, entertainment programmes, sports coverage, and locally produced adaptations of established television concepts. The channel has retained selected Channel One programmes, but it has increasingly adjusted its schedule and reduced the proportion of relayed content, particularly from 2020 onward. The broadcaster has periodically sought a larger technical and editorial footprint. It experimented with continuous 24-hour broadcasting from 2007 to 2008, carried the UEFA Euro 2008 football tournament exclusively in Belarus, launched the internet-focused ONT.BY service in 2013, adopted widescreen transmission in 2016, introduced a refreshed visual identity and news studio in 2017, and began high-definition broadcasting in 2018. Its online presence has also included an extensive YouTube archive, although the reference material reports that the principal channel was terminated by Google in April 2026. ONT occupies an important place in Belarus's state media system. Its news and documentary output generally supports the policies of the Belarusian authorities and President Lukashenko. Independent criticism has focused on the limited representation of opposition views, the treatment of political events after the 2020 presidential election, and programming described by critics as propagandistic or misleading. Several presenters and programmes were removed or discontinued after publicly expressing views critical of police conduct during the 2020 election period. ONT therefore functions both as a mass-market television network and as a major vehicle for the Belarusian government's political messaging.
History
ONT emerged from a dispute over the retransmission of Russian television channels in Belarus during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Belarusian broadcasters had modified or shortened the schedules of Russian services such as ORT, RTR and NTV, in part because of retransmission-fee and rights issues. Advertising was replaced with local material, some programmes were removed, and transmission hours did not always match the original Russian schedules. Against this background, the Belarusian president announced plans for a second national channel that would use frequencies occupied by ORT relays. A presidential decree established Obshchenatsional'noe Televidenie on 15 February 2002. Unlike another channel operated by the Belarusian Television and Radio Company, ONT was designed as a separate operation. The Minsk Executive Committee registered the broadcaster on 19 March 2002, and its first broadcast took place on 25 June at 16:30. The opening programme was a retransmitted edition of the Russian comedy show Smekhopanorama. Later that evening, ONT presented the first edition of Nashi Novosti, its principal locally produced news bulletin, hosted by Alexander Averkov. In its first phase, ONT relied substantially on Channel One material and also carried selected programmes from other Russian networks. Its contribution was not merely technical retransmission: the channel inserted Belarusian advertising, operated its own news service and rearranged relayed programmes to suit local viewing patterns. This hybrid model allowed ONT to offer recognizable Russian entertainment while gradually building a Belarusian editorial and production operation. Kontury, a current-affairs programme, debuted on 10 November 2002, and Nashe Utro followed on 3 February 2004. The channel experimented with a 24-hour schedule between June 2007 and November 2008. Overnight output consisted primarily of films and a brief news edition. In summer 2008 it became the exclusive Belarusian broadcaster of the UEFA Euro 2008 matches, and a private audience study later that year identified ONT as the country's highest-rated channel. In 2009 the network was selected to organize Belarus's national selection for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. The plan did not proceed because ONT was not an active European Broadcasting Union member and its consideration for membership came after the relevant application deadline. ONT broadened its digital and technical presence during the following decade. It launched ONT.BY on 9 October 2013 as an internet service focused on original productions. In 2016 it adopted widescreen transmission, and in December 2017 introduced a new logo, visual design and news studio. High-definition broadcasting began on 1 November 2018. From 2020, the channel began reducing the proportion of Channel One relay content, increasing the relative importance of its own news and entertainment output. The broadcaster has also been a focus of political controversy. ONT's news, documentaries and interviews generally support the Belarusian government and President Alexander Lukashenko. Critics have argued that opposition voices were marginal in its coverage and effectively disappeared after the 2020 presidential election. The 2010 discontinuation of Choice followed a broadcast in which host Sergei Dorofeev questioned election officials about voting practices and restrictions on demonstrations. In 2020, presenters including Dmitry Wrangel, Melitina Staniuta and Dmitry Kokhno were reported to have lost programmes or airtime after criticizing police treatment of civilians. Human-rights critics also objected to ONT material portraying opposition candidate Viktor Babariko as criminally implicated before trial. Independent media have accused the broadcaster of disseminating misleading claims, while ONT remains a central component of Belarus's state television system.
- 2018
HD broadcasting begins
[1]ONT began transmitting its main service in high definition.
- 2013
ONT.BY launches
[1]The broadcaster introduced an internet channel dedicated to its original productions.
- 2008
Euro 2008 coverage
[1]ONT exclusively broadcast the UEFA European Football Championship in Belarus.
- 2004
Nashe Utro premieres
[1]The channel added a locally produced morning programme to its regular schedule.
- 2002
Presidential decree establishes ONT
[1]Belarus established the broadcaster on 15 February as a separate second national television operation.
- 2002
First broadcast
[1]ONT began broadcasting on 25 June from frequencies previously used for Channel One relays and launched Nashi Novosti.
Products and positioning
A mass-market Belarusian national broadcaster combining locally produced news, current affairs, entertainment and sports with selected programming relayed from Russia's Channel One. It is positioned as a major state television voice and generally reflects the political perspective of the Belarusian authorities.
News programme · 2002
Nashi Novosti
ONT's principal Belarusian news bulletin, launched with the channel's first national broadcast in June 2002. It provides scheduled domestic and international news and has been a central vehicle for the broadcaster's editorial identity.
Current-affairs programme · 2002
Kontury
An analysis and current-affairs programme introduced in November 2002. It expanded ONT's original content beyond short news bulletins and became one of the channel's established political and social programmes.
Morning programme · 2004
Nashe Utro
A locally produced morning television programme first broadcast in February 2004. Its format combines news, interviews, lifestyle material and other daytime content for Belarusian viewers.
Digital video service · 2013
ONT.BY
An internet-focused companion service launched in 2013 to distribute ONT's original productions online rather than simply mirror the main television schedule.
Controversies
2020
Election coverage and presenter removals
Human-rights critics objected to ONT material that presented allegations against presidential candidate Viktor Babariko as established guilt before trial. The same period saw reported removals or cancellations involving presenters who had criticized police treatment of civilians during the election and protest period.
2010
Discontinuation of Choice after election broadcast
A December 2010 edition of Choice featured host Sergei Dorofeev challenging election officials on alleged voting irregularities, opposition access and protest restrictions. The programme subsequently disappeared from the schedule, and Dorofeev was dismissed in 2011.
Allegations of misinformation and one-sided political coverage
Independent media and critics have accused ONT of promoting pro-government narratives, minimizing opposition perspectives and broadcasting misleading claims concerning European politics, Ukraine and economic conditions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Belarus Song Contest 2010 proposal
Belarus
ONT was authorized to organize Belarus's national selection for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.
Outcome. The planned selection was not completed because ONT was not an EBU member and its membership consideration occurred after the application deadline.
- 2008UEFA Euro 2008 broadcast
Belarus
ONT carried every UEFA Euro 2008 match live on an exclusive Belarusian television basis, using premium sports rights to strengthen its national reach.
Outcome. The tournament became a major broadcast event for the channel, and later audience research reported ONT as Belarus's highest-rated channel in October 2008.
Brand decisions
2020
Reduce Channel One relay contentStrategyBackground
ONT had historically depended substantially on Russian Channel One programming while developing its own production capacity.
Action taken
Beginning in 2020, the channel reduced the number of Channel One programmes in its schedule.
Aftermath
The schedule placed greater emphasis on ONT's own news, current affairs and entertainment output.
2018
Upgrade to high-definition broadcastingGeneration changeBackground
The channel had already moved toward modern presentation through widescreen transmission and a redesigned news operation.
Action taken
ONT began broadcasting in HD on 1 November.
Aftermath
The technical upgrade improved the quality of the main television service.
2013
Expand into internet distributionStrategyBackground
Television audiences and programme libraries were increasingly being supplemented by online video consumption.
Action taken
ONT launched ONT.BY to distribute original programming through the internet.
Aftermath
The broadcaster gained a dedicated digital outlet alongside its terrestrial television service.
2002
Create a separate second national broadcasterStrategyBackground
Belarusian retransmission of Russian television services had produced disputes over fees, advertising, scheduling and programme rights.
Action taken
The government established ONT as a separate operation using frequencies formerly occupied by Channel One relays.
Aftermath
The channel initially combined Russian network content with its own Belarusian news and gradually increased original production.
Recent events
- 2018
ONT begins high-definition broadcasting[1]
Product generation
The channel commenced HD transmission, completing a significant technical upgrade of its television service.
- 2016
ONT introduces widescreen transmission and refreshed identity[1]
Product generation
ONT became one of the first major Belarusian channels to move to a widescreen format. A new logo, visual package and news studio followed in 2017.
- 2013
ONT launches ONT.BY online channel[1]
Product launch
The broadcaster created a second, internet-oriented service devoted to ONT's original productions.
- 2009
ONT receives rights for Belarus's proposed Eurovision 2010 selection[1]
Other · Product launch
ONT was granted the right to organize Belarus's national selection for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, but the project was abandoned after the broadcaster was not an EBU member and its membership process did not meet the application timetable.
- 2008
ONT carries UEFA Euro 2008 in Belarus[1]
Other
The broadcaster secured exclusive Belarusian television coverage of all matches in the UEFA European Football Championship.
- 2007
ONT tests round-the-clock broadcasting[1]
Other
The network temporarily operated a 24-hour schedule, filling overnight hours with films and a short overnight news bulletin.
- 2004
ONT launches Nashe Utro[1]
Product launch
The broadcaster introduced its locally produced morning programme, strengthening its daily Belarusian programming offer.
- 2002
ONT begins broadcasting as Belarus's second national television channel[1]
Other · Product launch
The newly established broadcaster began transmission on frequencies formerly used for Channel One relays and introduced its own national news service, Nashi Novosti.
- 2002
ONT launches Kontury current-affairs programme[1]
Product launch
The channel expanded its original editorial output with the premiere of Kontury, an analysis programme that became a long-running part of its schedule.
Sources2 sources
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