19-09-2011

Bulgarian National Television Reopens Second Channel

By Pavlina Jeleva

    SOFIA: The second channel of public broadcaster Bulgarian National Television (www.bnt.bg) launched in 1975 and cancelled in 2000 for financial reasons will restart on 3 October 2011. Previous known as Efir 2, the channel has be renamed BNT2.

    For the first fortnight it will broadcast only news, then gradually add new content and buildto 24-hour programming.

    The function of the four regional TV centers in Ruse, Varna, Plovdiv and Blagoevgrad in various time zones is the most significant structural element of BNT2. In order to provide local programmes to the audience and "in view of an improvement of the product quality," Bulgaria's Council of Ministers (www.government.bg) recently gave an exclusive grant of nearly €500,000 to the public broadcaster. BNT will spend half of it on new technologies that allow election results to be displayed in real time. Bulgarian National Television announced also that a new TV studio complex is being built in Sofia.

    After technological and structural changes, the public broadcaster will be operating three channels: BNT1 (founded in 1959), BNT2 (founded in 1975) and BNT Sat (founded in 1999).

    The head of BNT Sat Ekaterina Genova is being considered to head of BNT2 as well. If she is officially confirmed she will run both channels.

    Published in Bulgaria
    More in this category:« FNE at Varna Golden Rose FF: The Island FESTIVALS: 30th Bulgarian “Golden Rose” Festival Gets National Funding »