RIK 1

RIK 1, known in Greek as ΡΙΚ 1, is a Cypriot television channel owned and operated by the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, commonly abbreviated as CyBC and known in Greek as RIK. It traces its origin to the launch of Cyprus’s first television service on 1 October 1957. The service initially operated under the name CBS TV and transmitted from Nicosia on VHF channel 2. In 1959, the broadcasting corporation adopted the CyBC name in English and the RIK designation in Greek, establishing the institutional identity associated with the channel today. For more than three decades, RIK 1 occupied a uniquely central position in Cyprus’s television system. It was the country’s only television channel until the launch of RIK 2 in March 1992, followed the next month by the arrival of the private channel O Logos. This long period of exclusivity made the service a principal source of news, public information, entertainment, and locally relevant programming for television audiences across Cyprus. By the early 1990s, the channel generally began broadcasting at about 5 p.m., and its schedule remained comparatively limited by later commercial television standards. RIK 1’s programming has historically combined Greek- and English-language content, imported programs, news, current affairs, and other public-service broadcasting. The channel’s language policy also reflected the island’s divided linguistic and political context. Foreign imports were subtitled in Greek rather than Turkish, while Turkish-language output was historically limited to daily news bulletins and a current-affairs magazine broadcast twice each week. Turkish-language programming is now carried on RIK 2, the corporation’s second television service. As Cyprus’s broadcasting market became more competitive, RIK 1 no longer held the audience dominance associated with its monopoly era. Private channels including Omega TV Cyprus, ANT1 Cyprus, and Alpha TV Cyprus compete for viewers. In the final week of 2023, RIK 1 recorded a 9.2 percent audience share, ranking behind those three commercial competitors. Despite this reduced relative share, the channel remains an active national television service and an important part of CyBC’s public broadcasting portfolio. Its brand is principally associated with Cyprus-wide television transmission, public-interest information, news, current affairs, and programming in or serving the languages used by the corporation.

RIK 1 began broadcasting on 1 October 1957 as CBS TV, Cyprus’s first television service. The station transmitted from Nicosia on VHF channel 2. Two years later, in 1959, the broadcasting corporation changed its institutional name to the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation in English and RIK in Greek. The channel subsequently became identified as RIK 1, distinguishing it from the corporation’s later services. The channel was the sole television outlet in Cyprus for more than 34 years. Its exclusive position ended in March 1992, when RIK 2 began broadcasting. A private competitor, O Logos, followed in April of the same year. The emergence of these services marked the transition from a single-channel environment to a more competitive television market. Before that change, RIK 1 had served as the country’s principal television source for national information and general programming. During the early 1990s, the channel’s schedule was still relatively limited, with broadcasting typically beginning around 5 p.m. Its programming history included Greek- and English-language material, foreign imports, news, and current affairs. The channel used Greek subtitles for imported programs. According to the cited account, RIK did not add Turkish subtitles because it considered that doing so would place too many lines of text on screen. In 1979, most programming was in English and Greek, while Turkish-language output consisted of daily news bulletins and a current-affairs magazine broadcast twice weekly. Turkish-language programming is now carried on RIK 2. RIK 1 has continued as one of CyBC’s principal television services while operating in a substantially more competitive market. Commercial broadcasters such as Omega TV Cyprus, ANT1 Cyprus, and Alpha TV Cyprus compete for the same national audience. In the final week of 2023, RIK 1 had a reported audience share of 9.2 percent, below those three channels. The figure illustrates the channel’s position in the contemporary Cypriot television landscape, but does not alter its continuing status as an active CyBC service.

• 2023

  Channel reports a 9.2% audience share

  [1]RIK 1en.wikipedia.org

  RIK 1 recorded a 9.2 percent audience share in the final week of the year, ranking behind Omega TV Cyprus, ANT1 Cyprus, and Alpha TV Cyprus.

• 1992

  RIK 1 loses its national television monopoly

  [1]RIK 1en.wikipedia.org

  RIK 2 launched in March, followed by the private channel O Logos in April, ending RIK 1’s position as Cyprus’s only television channel.

• 1979

  Programming language profile documented

  [1]RIK 1en.wikipedia.org

  The channel’s programming was predominantly in English and Greek, with Turkish-language output limited to daily news and a twice-weekly current-affairs magazine.

• 1959

  Broadcasting corporation adopts the CyBC and RIK identities

  [1]RIK 1en.wikipedia.org

  The broadcasting corporation changed its English name to Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation and its Greek designation to RIK, forming the institutional identity behind RIK 1.

• 1957

  Television service launches as CBS TV

  [1]RIK 1en.wikipedia.org

  Cyprus’s first television service opened on 1 October 1957 as CBS TV, transmitting from Nicosia on VHF channel 2.

A national public-service television channel within Cyprus’s state broadcasting system, combining news, current affairs, entertainment, and imported programming for a broad Cypriot audience.

• Television channel · 1957

  RIK 1

  RIK 1 is the principal television brand described in this entry and one of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation’s television services. Its schedule has included national news, current affairs, Greek- and English-language programming, public-interest content, and imported television programs. The channel historically served the entire Cypriot television audience during the period when it was the country’s only television station.

1. 1RIK 1en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation official websitecybc.com.cy