Qaraqalpaqstan
Qaraqalpaqstan is a regional public television channel serving Uzbekistan's autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Qaraqalpaqstan, also known as Karakalpak Television or Qoraqalpogʻiston Televideniyesi, is a regional television channel serving the Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan. It is owned by the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan and operates as a public broadcasting outlet for the autonomous republic. The channel's role combines regional news, cultural programming, public information, entertainment, children's content and locally produced television in the principal languages used across its audience. The service traces its origins to the first Karakalpak television program, broadcast on 5 November 1964. Its earliest regular news service, Tele Janaliq, consisted of five-minute bulletins delivered in Karakalpak and Russian. The station initially operated on a limited schedule, but expanded its daily and weekly broadcasting hours during 1965 and 1966. This early period also saw the emergence of Karakalpak talk shows and locally made children's programs, establishing a programming identity centered on the region's language, society and cultural life. Production capacity gradually developed alongside the expansion of the schedule. A mobile studio was established in 1968, allowing the broadcaster to produce or transmit material beyond a fixed studio setting. Institutional changes followed Uzbekistan's post-Soviet reorganization. In 1992, the Karakalpakstan Television and Radio Broadcasting Committee became a television and radio broadcasting company. In 2002, it was renamed the Republic of Karakalpakstan Television and Radio Company. That year, the channel also introduced the first edition of Assalawma aleykum, Karakalpakstan, a program that became part of its regional broadcast identity. The channel's broadcasting profile is multilingual. Its programming is produced or aired in Karakalpak, Uzbek, Kazakh and Russian, while news bulletins are produced in three languages. This linguistic mix reflects Karakalpakstan's diverse population and the channel's public-service role in communicating regional and national information to different communities. Qaraqalpaqstan broadcasts approximately 18 hours per day and is focused primarily on viewers within the autonomous republic rather than on an international commercial audience. Technical modernization has been an important part of its development. A new studio equipped with Siemens technology began operating in 2007. In 2010, the broadcaster added a mobile studio equipped with four cameras. The channel began digital broadcasting in April 2013, marking a transition from its earlier transmission infrastructure. On 1 June 2013, it opened its first dubbing studio for cartoons, followed by a second dubbing studio in 2014 for films and television programs. These facilities broadened its ability to adapt and present audiovisual content for local-language audiences. Qaraqalpaqstan remains a significant regional media institution rather than a nationwide commercial brand. Its value lies in local news coverage, public communication and the preservation and circulation of Karakalpak-language media, supported by programming in Uzbek, Kazakh and Russian. A reported estimate for 2019 placed viewership among the Karakalpak population at approximately 95% to 98%, indicating the channel's strong regional reach. Current programming and ownership information are presented through the regional broadcaster section of the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan website.
History
Qaraqalpaqstan's history begins with the development of television broadcasting in the Karakalpak region of Uzbekistan. The first Karakalpak television program was transmitted on 5 November 1964. In its initial form, the service had a small schedule and limited production resources. Its first news service, Tele Janaliq, presented five-minute bulletins in both Karakalpak and Russian, establishing the channel's long-standing multilingual orientation. The broadcaster expanded its schedule relatively quickly. From May 1965, daily transmission increased from two hours to two and a half hours, four days each week. Beginning on 1 January 1966, the schedule reached three hours per day on six days each week, with Wednesday as the regular day off. The expansion created space for more varied local programming. Early Karakalpak talk shows appeared during this period, while weekends and public holidays featured children's programs including Jetkinshek bizde qonaqta, Miynet batirliqti qàleydi, Baliqshi balalar and Shayirlar balalarģa. These programs helped establish the channel as a producer of regional rather than solely relay-based content. A mobile studio was introduced in 1968. The facility gave the broadcaster greater flexibility to cover events and produce programming outside its main premises. Over subsequent decades, the television service developed within the institutional structure of the regional television and radio administration. In 1992, the Karakalpakstan Television and Radio Broadcasting Committee was renamed as a television and radio broadcasting company. In 2002, it received the name Republic of Karakalpakstan Television and Radio Company. The same year, the first edition of Assalawma aleykum, Karakalpakstan was broadcast, adding a named program to the channel's continuing regional schedule. Technical development became more visible in the 2000s. A new studio equipped with Siemens technology began operation in 2007. In 2010, the organization established another mobile studio with four cameras, improving its capacity for field production and outside broadcasts. These changes supported a channel that was increasingly expected to provide regular regional news and a broader mix of public, cultural and entertainment programming. The transition to digital transmission began in April 2013. In the same year, on 1 June, Qaraqalpaqstan opened its first dubbing studio, initially intended for cartoons. A second dubbing studio followed in 2014 and was used for films and television programs. The dubbing facilities strengthened the channel's ability to make imported or externally produced audiovisual material accessible to local audiences in relevant languages. Qaraqalpaqstan is owned by the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan and broadcasts to the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. It transmits approximately 18 hours per day and carries programming in Karakalpak, Uzbek, Kazakh and Russian. News bulletins are produced in three languages. The channel's principal function is regional public broadcasting: it supplies news and public information, reflects local culture and language, and provides entertainment and children's programming. A 2019 estimate cited for the service suggested that between 95% and 98% of the Karakalpak population watched the channel, underscoring its importance within its home territory.
- 2014
Second dubbing studio
[1]A second dubbing studio opened for films and television programs.
- 2013
Digital broadcasting and first dubbing studio
[1]Digital broadcasts began in April, followed on 1 June by the opening of the first dubbing studio for cartoons.
- 2010
Four-camera mobile studio
[1]A mobile studio equipped with four cameras was established to improve field production.
- 2007
New Siemens-equipped studio
[1]A new studio equipped with Siemens technology began operation.
- 2002
Current institutional name adopted
[1]The organization was renamed the Republic of Karakalpakstan Television and Radio Company, and the first edition of Assalawma aleykum, Karakalpakstan was broadcast.
- 1992
Institutional reorganization
[1]The Karakalpakstan Television and Radio Broadcasting Committee was renamed as a television and radio broadcasting company.
- 1968
First mobile studio
[1]The broadcaster established a mobile studio, enabling production and coverage outside its principal studio facilities.
- 1966
Further schedule expansion
[1]From 1 January, the service broadcast three hours per day on six days each week, with Wednesday as its day off.
- 1965
Initial schedule expansion
[1]From May, the station expanded from two hours to two and a half hours per day on four days each week.
- 1964
First Karakalpak television program
[1]The first Karakalpak television program was broadcast on 5 November, marking the origin of the regional television service.
Products and positioning
A regional public-service television channel focused on Karakalpakstan, with multilingual news, cultural programming, entertainment and locally relevant information.
News bulletin · 1964
Tele Janaliq
Tele Janaliq was the channel's first news service. It began as five-minute bulletins delivered in Karakalpak and Russian, reflecting the broadcaster's early commitment to multilingual regional information.
Regional television program · 2002
Assalawma aleykum, Karakalpakstan
Assalawma aleykum, Karakalpakstan is a named regional program whose first edition was broadcast in 2002. It forms part of the channel's locally oriented programming identity.
Television programming
Multilingual regional programming
Qaraqalpaqstan broadcasts news and other programming in Karakalpak, Uzbek, Kazakh and Russian. Its output includes regional news, public-affairs content, cultural material, entertainment and children's programming, with news bulletins produced in three languages.
Media localization · 2013
Dubbing services
The channel's dubbing facilities support the adaptation of cartoons, films and television programs for its multilingual audience. The first studio opened in 2013 and a second studio followed in 2014.
Brand decisions
2013
Transition to digital broadcastingGeneration changeBackground
The channel modernized its transmission platform as part of the broader development of its technical infrastructure.
Action taken
Qaraqalpaqstan began digital broadcasts in April 2013.
Aftermath
The transition supported the channel's continued regional distribution and modernization of its broadcast operations.
2013
Launch of dubbing capabilityProduct launchBackground
The broadcaster sought to expand its ability to provide locally accessible audiovisual content.
Action taken
On 1 June 2013, it opened its first dubbing studio for cartoons.
Aftermath
A second studio was opened in 2014 for films and television programs, broadening the service's localization capacity.
Sources2 sources
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