History .: BRTBC | Belarusian Radio-Television Broadcasting Center

Electricity laws learning and creation of electric communication equipment in XIX century was a powerful progress accelerator. Due to enormous world achievements in microelectronics at the past century end the main technical and technological problems connected with electric communication switch to digital technologies were overcome.

The Republic of Belarus also had its own historical process of broadcasting equipment development.

On November 15, 1925 the first broadcasting station at long waves and 1.2 kW transmitter power was put in operation.

In 1926-1927 this radio station reconstruction was carried out: a radio mast of 100 m height with a more effective antenna arrangement was installed. The radio mast located in the territory of the present Stadium Dinamo. At the same time installation of wired radio units in clubs, propaganda rooms and parks in Minsk began. In 1928 installation of wired radio outlets in the flats of Minsk citizens commenced. For the translating centre a new more powerful amplifier was assembled and 40 km of translating lines were run, which allowed to install 400 individual wired radio outlets. In 1936 in Kolodishchi Township a transmitting radio centre with antenna supports of 200 m height was put in operation.

In October 1939 upon West Belarus liberation a radio broadcasting station with 50 kW transmitter power was put in operation in Baranovichi.

The Great Patriotic War stopped the radio broadcast development in Belarus. But by the end of 1945 the radio centre in Kolodishchi Township had been renovated and since then a planned on-air radio broadcast at long, medium and short waves has began. Installation of wired radio units was performed along with the renovation of on-air broadcasting facilities in the Republic.

After the Great Patriotic War a rapid development of other radio technique branches began. One of them is on-air television, which is a unique scientific and technological achievement. Since January 1, 1956 test television programs in Minsk began. But by the end of 1960 18% of the Republic’s territory with 30% of population had been provided with TV broadcast. Construction of multiprogram broadcast transmitting stations began. TV receiver quantity amounted to 75 thousand, radio receivers – 633 thousand, radio outlets – more than 1 million.

In the sixties a wide learning of ultrashort waves for radio broadcasting began.

By early seventies about 80% of the Republic’s territory had been covered with ultrashort wave radio broadcast.

The seventies were marked with adoption of color television, ultrashort wave stereophonic radio broadcast and medium wave synchronous radio broadcast in Belarus. By early eighties 10 high-power TV transmitters, 11 medium-power transmitters and 12 TV repeaters had operated in the transmitting network of Belarusian TV. One TV program covered 92% of the Republic’s territory, two programs – 65%, three – 7.5%. 38 transmitters of different power operated in the broadcasting network of the Republic including 9 transmitters at long and medium waves, 10 at short waves and 19 at ultrashort ones. Due to these transmitters the population of Belarus had the opportunity to listen to the programs of four radio broadcastings.

Rapid development of transmitting network, demands for TV and radio quality improvement and economical efficiency required new approaches to the facilities maintenance and control, execution of measurements, preventive maintenance inspections and broadcasting facilities operation quality improvement. In response to these problems different structural transformations were carried out till 1995.

Since January 1, 1996 transmitting TV and radio broadcast facilities, as well as wire broadcasting network were transferred to Belarusian Broadcasting Centre RUE. From 1996 to 2006 Belarusian Broadcasting Centre RUE performed a large scope of work in respect of transmitting TV and radio broadcast network development. 88 TV stations and 119 radio broadcast stations were put in operation. Updating of facilities and on-air television and radio broadcasting infrastructure as well as adoption of new technologies was carried out. Since July 1, 2005 the permanent on-air digital TV broadcast of DVB-T standard has begun in Belarus.

At present 197 TV transmitters (134 units with a capacity of 1.0 kW and higher, 63 units with a capacity of less than 1.0 kW) with total capacity of 1030.98 kW, 292 radio broadcast transmitter with total capacity of 3003.71 kW operate in Belarusian Broadcasting Centre RUE network.

Belarusian Broadcasting Centre RUE serves 1309470 radio outlets in the wire broadcasting network.

At present 18 TV programs and 22 radio broadcast programs, of which 14 commercial in VHF range are being broadcast in the territory of our country.