Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), formerly known as Ethiopian Television (ETV), has a rich history and plays a significant role in Ethiopian media. Established during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie with assistance from Thomson Television International, a British firm, ETV aimed to highlight the Organization of African Unity (OAU) meeting in Addis Ababa in 1964. Regular transmissions began on November 2, 1964.
Historical Milestones
- 1962: Ethiopian Television was initially established during Haile Selassie reign era with assistance from the British firm, Thomson Television International.
- 1964: Regular transmission began on 2 November.
- 1979: Color television started on an experimental basis.
- 1984: Regular colour transmissions began in commemoration of the founding of Workers' Party of Ethiopia (WPE).
- 1987: The current structure and goals were established with Proclamation 114/87.
- 1995: ERTA (Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency) was created as a result of the merge between the Ethiopian Radio and the ETV (Ethiopian Television).
- 2014: The channel changed its name from ETV to EBC, also changing its logo in the process.
- 2015: EBC and other regional channels upgraded their news studios with more modern equipment.
Evolution and Structure
In 1995, the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency (ERTA) was created through the merger of Ethiopian Radio and ETV. With the aim of liberalizing the Ethiopian television market, the government upgraded ETV's status to be commercially viable. The current structure and goals were established in 1987 with Proclamation 114/87.
EBC has engaged in a continuous content reform leading under EBC towards content motto. In 2014, the channel changed its name from ETV to EBC, also changing its logo in the process. In 2015, EBC and other regional channels upgraded their news studios with more modern equipment.
Programming and Content
EBC's programming includes news, sport, music, and other entertainment. It is fully owned by the Ethiopian government. The station rearranged its transmissions from 6pm to 10pm in two local languages, two of which allotted to Amharic programming.
News and Information
ETV News (etv ዜና) is the main news channel with 24 hours coverage, with content on culture, politics, documentaries, and economy. Broadcast mostly in Amharic with the exception of some news segments which are broadcast in other languages.
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Entertainment Programs
EBC has entertainment programs like Ethiopian Idol, which features similar content to American got talent show American Idol. ETV Entertainment (ETV መዝናኛ) is a channel which focuses on dramas, as well as lifestyle programming.
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Sports Broadcasting
In recent years, ETV has transmitted a few matches a week from European Football Leagues (Spanish La Liga and English Premier League), plus some international matches.
Availability and Access
They are available on various platforms such as terrestrial TV, radio, cable, satellite, IPTV, mobile and desktop apps. We offer a new route to access emerging television markets around the world, allowing private broadcasters to transcend geographies and reach new audiences. SES's global network allows you to reach national and expat audiences worldwide while fulfilling all your obligations of providing high-quality culturally relevant content.
Where possible, we will provide links to the streaming events available on the platforms provided by the official broadcasters. Please note that in many cases, a digital subscription or user authentication with a TV or internet provider will be required.
Recent Controversies
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, FIFA accused EBC of pirating a large number of matches and threatened to permanently withdraw its broadcasting rights. The Ministry of Technologies said that they are working to restore the page.
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Broadcast Information
We endeavor to provide as accurate and detailed broadcast information as possible. However, broadcast schedules are subject to change at any time.
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