Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin

The Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin is the former name of Benin's national public broadcasting organization, whose contemporary corporate identity is Société de radio et de télévision du Bénin, or SRTB. The organization operates terrestrial radio and television services for the Beninese market and is headquartered in Cotonou. Its broadcasting role has historically included national news, public information, cultural programming, and general-interest radio and television services. The origins of Benin's television infrastructure date to the 1960s. In 1964, the government began discussing the creation of a national television network and entered into an arrangement with the French broadcaster ORTF to provide technical training in Paris. A preliminary experimental service, informally called “mini-télévision,” was planned in 1969 with support from the national lottery and French cooperation. The project was interrupted during the political changes surrounding the removal of President Émile Derlin Zinsou in December of that year. French cooperation restarted the television project after Dahomey regained a degree of political stability. During 1972, France supplied production and transmission equipment to Cotonou. The Dahomean government subsequently created the Dahomey Radio and Television Office, or ORTD, through Law 72-43 of 20 October 1972. Its organizational model was influenced by the French ORTF system. A coup later that month delayed the launch of television, as the new military government under Mathieu Kérékou initially viewed television as an elitist medium and prioritized broad national access through radio. In 1975, an order of the military council transformed the ORTD into the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, or ORTB. Although the name retained television, the organization's immediate strategic emphasis was the expansion of national radio coverage. By the late 1980s, the broadcaster had at least two television transmitters, serving Cotonou on channel 4 and Parakou on channel 6, each reported with an effective radiated power of 10 kilowatts. The organization later operated three radio stations and two television channels, identified in the contemporary SRTB description as Bénin TV and Bénin TV Junior. The transition from ORTB to Société de radio et de télévision du Bénin reflects a change from a traditional state office structure toward a société anonyme corporate form while preserving its role as a national broadcaster. The organization remains focused on Benin rather than functioning as an international commercial media group. Publicly available reference material does not establish a complete list of current executives, detailed revenue figures, or a separately reported share-market listing.

The development of Benin's national broadcaster was closely tied to the country's post-independence state-building and political history. The first serious planning for a national television service began in 1964, when the government reached an agreement with France's Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française to train Beninese technical personnel in Paris. The intention was to create the institutional and engineering capacity required for television production and transmission. A more concrete experimental project emerged in 1969. With financial support from the national lottery and French cooperation, officials planned a small service known as “mini-télévision” at the offices of the Office de Postes et Téléphones in Cotonou. Political instability interrupted the initiative after President Émile Derlin Zinsou was removed from office on 10 December 1969. The project was revived in 1972 as French cooperation provided television production and broadcasting infrastructure to Cotonou. On 20 October 1972, the Dahomean government created the Dahomey Radio and Television Office, or ORTD, under Law 72-43. The office's structure and operating model drew on the French ORTF. The military coup of 26 October 1972, however, froze the planned television launch. The government led by Mathieu Kérékou regarded television as a medium that could primarily benefit privileged groups and instead placed greater emphasis on using radio to extend access to information across the country. An order issued by the military council in 1975 reorganized the ORTD as the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin, abbreviated ORTB. Despite its name, the institution's early priority under the new political orientation was the expansion of national radio coverage. Television infrastructure gradually developed, and by the late 1980s the broadcaster had transmitters in Cotonou and Parakou. The Cotonou transmitter operated on channel 4 and the Parakou transmitter on channel 6; both were reported with an effective radiated power of 10 kilowatts. Over time, ORTB became the principal national radio and television operator in Benin. Its activities included general-interest programming, national news, public information, cultural content, and other programming intended for a domestic audience. The organization eventually operated three radio stations and two television channels. The television services identified in current reference material are Bénin TV and Bénin TV Junior, the latter indicating an explicit youth-oriented offer. In 2025, reference material records a transition from the ORTB name to Société de radio et de télévision du Bénin, commonly abbreviated SRTB. The new designation presents the broadcaster as a société anonyme while continuing its national broadcasting function. The same material reports that the organization's headquarters were seized on 7 December 2025 during an unsuccessful coup attempt involving members of the Benin Armed Forces. Because the available material is limited, details about the broadcaster's governance, financing, audience figures, digital services, and current management are not established here.

• 2025

  Transition to SRTB

  [1]Société de radio et de télévision du Béninen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports that ORTB adopted the name Société de radio et de télévision du Bénin, or SRTB.

• 1975

  ORTD becomes ORTB

  [1]Société de radio et de télévision du Béninen.wikipedia.org

  A military-council order transformed the ORTD into the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin and emphasized expansion of national radio coverage.

• 1972

  Creation of the Dahomey Radio and Television Office

  [1]Société de radio et de télévision du Béninen.wikipedia.org

  Law 72-43 of 20 October 1972 established the ORTD after television infrastructure had been supplied to Cotonou.

• 1969

  Experimental mini-television project proposed

  [1]Société de radio et de télévision du Béninen.wikipedia.org

  A small experimental television service was planned in Cotonou with support from the national lottery and French cooperation, but political upheaval halted the initiative.

• 1964

  National television planning begins

  [1]Société de radio et de télévision du Béninen.wikipedia.org

  Benin began planning a national television network and arranged technical training in Paris through cooperation with France's ORTF.

A national public-service broadcaster serving Benin through terrestrial television and radio, with an emphasis on nationwide information, news, culture, and general-interest programming.

• Television channel

  Bénin TV

  A mainstream terrestrial television service associated with Benin's national broadcaster. It serves the domestic market with general-interest programming, news, public information, and cultural content. Available reference material identifies it as one of the broadcaster's two television channels but does not provide a complete schedule or separate commercial operating information.

• Children's television channel

  Bénin TV Junior

  A youth-oriented television service operated within the national broadcasting portfolio. Its name indicates a focus on children or younger audiences, although the available reference material does not specify its launch date, distribution technology, programming hours, or detailed content strategy.

• Radio broadcasting

  National radio services

  The broadcaster operates three radio stations serving Benin. Radio was historically central to the organization's mission because the government prioritized broad territorial access to information when television was still viewed as less universally accessible. The available sources do not identify all three stations by name.

• 2025

  Corporate-name transition to SRTBStrategy

  Background

  The national broadcaster moved from the long-standing ORTB identity to the name Société de radio et de télévision du Bénin.

  Action taken

  The organization adopted the SRTB name and société anonyme designation while continuing to operate national radio and television services.

  Aftermath

  The broadcaster is now described under the SRTB identity, with Bénin TV, Bénin TV Junior, and three radio stations listed in the available reference material.

  Source

• 1975

  Prioritization of national radio coverageStrategy

  Background

  Following the 1972 change of government, the planned television launch was viewed by the military authorities as insufficiently accessible to the wider population.

  Action taken

  The ORTD was reorganized as ORTB, with expansion of national radio coverage established as the immediate central mission.

  Aftermath

  Television development continued later, while radio remained a foundational part of the broadcaster's nationwide public-service role.

  Source

1. 1Société de radio et de télévision du Béninen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Société de radio et de télévision du Bénin official websitesrtb.bj