The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU), Arabic: اتحاد الاذاعة و التليفزيون المصريIttihād al-Idhā‘ah wal-Tilīfizyūn al-Miṣrī), formerly the Arab Radio and Television Union, is the public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government. It is a member of the European Broadcasting Union.
ERTU Building in Cairo
History
Egyptian Radio began broadcasting on 31 May 1934 in agreement with the Marconi Company. The General Manager of the station was Said Basha Lotfi from May 1934 to December 1947. In December 1947, the contract with Marconi was suspended in favour of an Egyptian national broadcasting station. The station is known also for its call "This is Cairo" (in Arabic هنا القاهرة pronounced Houna al Qaahira). It is considered the First Program (in Arabic البرنامج الأول) of the ERTU.
Later on three main new radio channels were added, the pan-Arab The Voice of the Arabs (صوت العرب) in 1953, Egyptian Radio's Second Programme (البرنامج الثاني) in 1957 and the pan-Arab Middle East Radio (إذاعة الشرق الأوسط) in 1964. All four stations broadcast on high powered medium wave transmitters covering most of the Middle East and North and East Africa.
ERTU Radio Networks
General stations
Egyptian Radio|General Programme Radio (إذاعة البرنامج العام) or Egyptian Radio (established 1934) - main channel of the network
Voice of the Arabs (إذاعة صوت العرب) (established 1953 as a pan-Arab station)
The Second Program (البرنامج الثاني) (established in 1957)
Now converted into the Cultural Radio (إذاعة البرنامج الثقافي) (replacing The Second Program)
Middle East Radio (إذاعة الشرق الأوسط) (established 1964 as a pan-Arab station)
European Program Radio (إذاعة البرنامج الأوربي) broadcasting in English, French, Greek, Italian, German
Specialized (thematic) stations
Cultural Radio (إذاعة البرنامج الثقافي) (replacing The Second Program)
Youth and Sports Radio (إذاعة الشباب والرياضة) (established 1975)
Delta Channel: broadcasting from Tanta and covering Central Delta governorates, i.e. Gharbia Al Gharbiyah, Al Minufiyah, Ad Daqahliyah, Kafr ash Shaykh and Dimyat.
Upper Channel: broadcasting from Minya and covering Northern Upper Egypt governorates, i.e. Minya, El-Fayoum, Beni Suef and Asiut.
Thebes Channel: broadcasting from Aswan and covering Southern Upper Egypt governorates, i.e. Suhag, Qena, Al Uqsur and Aswan.
Nile Television Network
Nilesat allowed for the launch of several specialized TV channels in addition to Egyptian Satellite Channel (ESC) and Nile TV. All are owned by the Egyptian state.
Specialized channels include:
Al Nile
Nile Culture channel
Nile Comedy channel
Nile Drama channel, specialized in Drama, mainly movies and TV series.
Nile Educational channels, several channels for primary, preparatory, secondary, medical and language education.
Nile Family channel
Nile Sports channel
Nile Variety channel, specialized in various forms of entertainment mainly concerts, music videos, contests and some talk shows.
