This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(June 2012) |
Television in Cyprus was introduced in 1956. In 1957, CyBC was created. [1] Private TV was introduced on 26 April 1992, by the church owned Logos TV which started its transmissions in stereo and Teletext from day one. In August 1995, Logos also introduced the first internet service provider in Cyprus, LOGOSNET. By the mid-1990s, Cyprus had five free-to-air television channels, with the appearance of ANT1 Cyprus and Sigma TV. [2] The Republic of Cyprus currently uses the PAL colour system and has converted terrestrial transmissions to digital on 1 July 2011, in line with EU policy. Because of the political division of the island, television companies are also divided.
Terrestrial digital transmission is now available in Cyprus (parallel analogue transmissions ended finally on 1 July 2011). [3] Satellite digital transmission is available through Nova platform. Athina Sat, another provider, was launched in May 2005 but ceased operations in 2008. CytaVision and PrimeTel both offer digital TV through IPTV transmission and Cablenet through its privately owned cable network (in certain urban areas).
The private channels ANT1 Cyprus, Plus TV, Omega, Sigma and New Extra (a predecessor of One Channel) formed Velister which carries their digital programming. It's thought that Velister covered the whole south region of Cyprus before the analogue switch off on 1 July 2011. Reception of free to air digital channels varies across the country.
Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) is a set of international open standards for digital television. DVB standards are maintained by the DVB Project, an international industry consortium, and are published by a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Television broadcasting in Greece began in 1966, preceded in 1951 by statute 1963 permitting television broadcasting.
The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, commonly shortened to ERT, is the state-owned public radio and television broadcaster of Greece.
Alpha TV is a Greek free-to-air channel, one of the biggest stations in Greece. The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on information. The studios are located in Kifissia and Pallini. Alpha TV is owned by Alpha Satellite Television S.A. In Cyprus, private broadcaster Sigma TV used to broadcast a number of Alpha's programs. In the past, public service broadcaster CyBC used to broadcast Alpha TV programs. In 2015, Alpha TV Cyprus was founded, and broadcast the Alpha TV Programs and others of its own. Alpha Cyprus is now one of the highest-rated Cypriot channels.
Digital terrestrial television is a technology for terrestrial television, in which television stations broadcast television content in a digital format. Digital terrestrial television is a major technological advancement over analog television, and has largely replaced analog television broadcasting, which was previously in common use since the middle of the 20th century.
Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, or CyBC, is Cyprus' public broadcasting service. It transmits island-wide on four radio and two domestic television channels, and uses one satellite channel for the Cypriot diaspora. It also transmits on a separate high definition channel.
Alfa TV was a pay television service available in Cyprus, that broadcast sports and children's programming as well as the odd film. It was owned by Alfa TV Ltd. and was launched in 1998. Alfa TV was one of only 2 pay-TV services in Cyprus, the other being Lumiere TV with whom Alfa TV had a programming agreement. Some of the programs on Alfa TV were broadcast incorporation with well-known pay-TV channels, and specifically with those of MultiChoice.
Nova Telecommunications & Media S.M.S.A. is a telecommunications company in Greece which provides broadband, television, mobile and fixed services. It also offers satellite services in Cyprus. It was traded on the Athens Exchange until its delisting in 2021.
Fame Story is a Greek reality TV show that was a licensed version of Endemol's Star Academy originally broadcast on the ANT1 network. It has been one of the most successful Greek television shows and is credited for having helped foster the careers of some of the show's contestants, which have gone on to produce chart topping hits in the Greek market.
RIK 1 is a Cypriot television channel owned and operated by Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation. It was launched in 1957.
The mass media in Cyprus refers to mass media outlets based on the island of Cyprus, including both the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Television, magazines, and newspapers are all operated by both state-owned and for-profit corporations which depend on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues.
Telecommunications in Cyprus includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet, in the Republic of Cyprus.
National Geographic is a subscription television network, launched in Greece in 2001 by the Fox Networks Group. The channel features documentaries with factual content involving nature, science, culture, and history. Shows can be watched in English with Greek subtitles.
Cyta is a semi-governmental company incorporated by law, it is the leading provider of integrated electronic communications in Cyprus. It is the dominant provider of fixed-line telecommunications, mobile telecommunications and Internet access in Cyprus.
MAD TV Cyprus is a digital music channel and the Cypriot version of the Greek MAD TV, launched on July 1, 2011.
New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television or NERIT (ΝΕΡΙΤ) was the state-owned public broadcaster for Greece from 4 May 2014 to 11 June 2015. Antonis Samaras' coalition government established NERIT to replace the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) in 2013: NERIT began broadcasting under their identity on 4 May 2014, replacing the transitional service Dimosia Tileorasi.
Digital terrestrial television is the only means of watching terrestrial TV in Cyprus. The switch-over from analogue to digital TV was completed on 11 July 2011, in line with Cyprus's commitments as a European Union Member State. Transmission is on the DVB-T MPEG-4 standard and covers both standard and high definition channels. Currently there are two licensed platforms: CyBC and Vellister.
Cyprus was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Liar", composed by Dimitris Kontopoulos, with lyrics by Elke Tiel, and performed by Silia Kapsis. The Cypriot participating broadcaster Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) originally intended to select its entrant through the fifth season of the reality show Fame Story, produced in collaboration with the Greek channel Star. However, this plan was later cancelled after the Greek broadcaster ERT raised objections to the Cypriot selection process being aired in Greece by another broadcaster, and CyBC ultimately reverted to an internal selection for its entrant.