RTV BK Telecom

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Radio Televizija Braća Karić Telekom (RTV BK Telecom) is a privately-owned independent radio-television company based in Belgrade, Serbia. It is a privately-owned, revenue generating media house with a "G" rating (general audiences or general interest station) and without editorial or content restrictions.

BK Telecom owns up-to-date television technology, modern working environments, four TV studios, numerous edit suites and master controls, SNG vehicles, satellite connections

1 History
2 Channels
3 BK TV Live Internet
4 License Revocation and Shutdown Controversy
5 External links

[edit] History

The company started operating on 5 December 1994.

As of April 2004, BKTV covered more than 90% of the territory and reached about 90% of the entire population.

It aired the Serbian versions of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? quiz ("Želite li da postanete milioner?"), The Weakest Link ("Najslabija karika"), as well as two seasons of the local Idol series - Idol that also included contestants from Macedonia.

Telefakt, BKTV's main news programme is shown several times a day, while a shorter news bulletin programme Naslovi runs every hour on the hour. BKTV's morning show is named Budilnik.

[edit] Channels

Budilnik, BKTV's morning programme

BKTV (BK 063)
BK Sat - Available in the USA via GlobeCast World TV (uses Intelsat Americas 5 satellite) and Dish Network, Canada via Intelsat Americas 5 satellite, Australia via TV Plus, and Europe via Hot Bird 3, Atlantic Bird 2, and Euroasiasat 1 satellites. (BKTV Sat is broadcasting FTA (unencrypted) via Hot Bird)
DTV (Dečija Televizija, in English: Kids TV); this channel was originally called Eksperimentalni (Experimental) and was the first channel oriented towards kids in Eastern Europe.

[edit] BK TV Live Internet

RTV BK Telecom introduced the BK Player, a media player designed play BK TV programs live on the internet. Currently, there is a new BK Player, now version 2.

[edit] License Revocation and Shutdown Controversy

On April 25, 2006, the Serbian state agency for airwaves control (Republički radiodifuzni savet) decided to revoke BKTV's broadcasting license for violation of broadcasting regulations for 30 days. Shortly after midnight on April 26, BKTV's physical location was raided by the police and the station ceased the broadcast. Around 11 a.m. the same day, most of the cable operators stopped transmitting the station. It nevertheless continues to broadcast via satellite, and television sets have been set out televising the channel in Knez Mihailova Street in Belgrade for passers-by to watch.

Recent allocations of broadcasting frequencies by the Republican Broadcasting Agency's (RBA) of Serbia sparked a national controversy, and many call foul play. RBA did not award a frequency to several companies, including RTV BK Telecom. The company's bank accounts were blocked and BKTV had been taken off the air.

As of January 2007, BKTV is still off the air, only being transmitted over satellite.