| Type | Broadcast radio and television |
|---|---|
| Country | Cyprus |
| Availability | Europe and the US |
| Key people | Themis Themistocleous (Director General) Makis Keravnos (President) |
| Launch date | 1953 (radio) 1957 (television) |
| Former names | Cyprus Broadcasting Service (1953-1959) |
| Official website | http://www.cybc.com.cy/ |
The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation Greek: Ραδιοφωνικό Ίδρυμα Κύπρου, Turkish: Kıbrıs Radyo Yayın Kurumu) or CyBC (ΡΙΚ, KRYK) is Cyprus's public broadcasting service, transmitting island-wide on four radio and two television channels. CyBC is a non-profit organization that utilises its entire income for the promotion of its main mission, which is the objective provision of information, culture and entertainment for the people of Cyprus. CyBC was partly funded by a tax added to electricity bills. The amount paid depended on the size of the home. As it was a hypothecated tax for public television, it was very similar in principle to the television licence systems that operate in many other countries.
CyBC is a member of the international broadcasting community, belonging to most major organisations including the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Broadcasting Organisation of Non-Aligned Countries (BONAC) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA).
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The Cyprus Broadcasting Service commenced radiobroadcasts at 17.00pm on Sunday the 4th October 1953. Programmes where broadcast in Greek, Turkish and English. Transmission was on medium wave 434 and 495 metres. The station produced a weekly publication called "Radio Cyprus" and was available free.[1]
The First Television broadcast began on the 1st October 1957 it operated 5 days a week averaging daily broadcasts of 3 hours. The service covered a radius of 20 miles from Nicosia.
On the 1st January 1959 the CBS ceased to be a government department and was renamed the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation under "The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation Act 300A".[2]
CyBC was admitted as an associate member of the European Broadcasting Union on 1 January 1964 and became an active member five years later.
CyBC operates 2 domestic channels (PIK1 & PIK2) and an international service (PIK Sat) that is directed at the Cypriot diaspora:
CyBC 1 (also RIK 1) features news and current affairs programming, including news bulletins, in Greek. It also airs political, financial, social and cultural programmes as well as the latest sports news.
Among its programmes are documentaries and feature films, series based on actual events and acclaimed literature, operas, concerts, ballets, theatre performances and culture programmes.
CyBC 2 (also RIK 2) features primarily entertainment programming including Cypriot and foreign series, high quality feature films, Cypriot and foreign television movies, music and children's programmes. It also transmits news in Greek, Turkish and English. Since 1st February 1992, PIK2 has carried a daily re-broadcast of part of the Euronews programme (approximately 80 hours per week).
RIK Sat is the international network of RIK TV that broadcasts RIK programming to audiences in Europe. It is currently available as an FTA service in Europe. In May 2011, it officially launched in North America as a pay service via the Home2US platform. RIK Sat currently operates on a 24 hour schedule.
As of March's 2nd, CyBC entered the first phase of the Digital Transition Project (Ψηφιακή Μετάβαση) by launching the CyBC Digital Platform (Ψηφιακή Πλατφόρμα ΡΙΚ) at UHF 33 with the signal covering nearly the 70% of the island. The emission follows the DVB-T standard and the video stream is encoded in MPEG-4 AVC. It carries CyBC 1 and 2, ERT World, Euronews and CyBC HD.
In addition to the television channels, CyBC broadcasts four radio channels. The four stations (First, Second, Third and Fourth) aim to transmit quality programmes and provide information, culture and entertainment to the public, taking into consideration the needs and preferences of all the communities in Cyprus. Programmes are broadcast in various languages. They transmit on a 24-hour basis and are also available via satellite and the internet.
The First Channel transmits on a 24-hour basis featuring news, current affairs, education and cultural programmes. It airs programmes for children and young adults, history and tradition and programmes of classical, modern and traditional music.
Since the 27th of June 1999 CyBC has also transmitted a special programme for Maronites, titled 'The Voice of Maronites'. In addition, a special programme for the Latin community started on the 13th November 1999.
The First Programme transmits at 963, 693, 558 kHz on AM and 97.2, 90.2, 93.3 and 91.4 MHz on FM
This channel, known as CyBC Radio Two, transmits programmes in various languages on a 24-hour basis: in Turkish for the Turkish Cypriots (06.00-17.00), in Armenian for the Armenians (17.00-18.00) and English for foreign visitors and permanent non-Greek-speaking residents (18.00-06.00).
The transmission to the Turkish Cypriots aims at maintaining communication with them. Among other programmes, three news bulletins every day (at 07.30, 13.15 and 18.50). The English-speaking programmes are mainly for entertainment, music and culture, with emphasis on providing information on national issues and promoting cultural heritage. Three English news bulletins are transmitted every day (at 13.30, 20.00 and 22.00). Other English language programmes include a live evening magazine programme and music and chat from DJ shows throughout the evening.
The Second Programme transmits at 91.1, 94.2 and 97.9 MHz FM. It is streamed online at www.cybc.com.cy and is also available to 70% of the population on the Cyprus national digital TV multiplex as 'Deftero Programma'. The station can also be heard on Hellas-Sat in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The Third Radio Channel, which is the most popular network in Cyprus, acts mainly as an entertainment and information channel for listeners in Cyprus and for Greek immigrants in Germany, the United Kingdom a.
The Fourth Radio Channel airs music, featuring an adult-contemporary format. It is similar to BBC Radio 1.
CyBC Greek-language programming is also available for Greek Cypriot expatriates in the UK through SW, on the weekends. It uses a transmitter, operated by VT Communications, which is also used for BBC World Service programming for the area.
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