Early years (1925–1933) The first service of Belarusian radio went on air on 15 November 1925, at the
RB-10 radio station named after the
Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR. The programs were broadcast for 30 minutes a day within a radius of up to 300 km. Starting in 1926, broadcasts of radio newscasts for workers and peasants started, followed by broadcasts from theaters and clubs and music programs.
Radio Committee of the BSSR (1933–1953) In 1933, the Committee for Radio Information and Radio Broadcasting of the Council of People's Commissars of the
Belarusian SSR was established. Technical advancements, including the construction of a powerful radio station in
Kolodischi, enabled live broadcasting. Sound recording devices were first utilized by Belarusian radio in 1936. By 1938, broadcasting commenced from the new Radio House, which featured three new studios and a workshop for mechanical broadcasting and sound recording. Simultaneously, the German occupation administration launched the "Landessender Minsk" radio station. Initially under the control of the
Reich Broadcasting Corporation, it was subordinated to the
Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda in 1944. This station broadcast in German and Belarusian, with news sometimes also delivered in Russian. The RV-10 radio station resumed broadcasting in 1944, first from liberated
Gomel, and subsequently from Minsk. The 1950s saw the beginning of intensive efforts to improve the quality of radio broadcasting. New equipment was installed in the House of Radio, enhancing the quality of recorded broadcasts. On 1 January 1956, the Radio Directorate of the BSSR launched its television service, "
Belarusian Television" (BT). The inaugural broadcast lasted two hours and was watched by 4,500 viewers. The initial TV schedule primarily featured feature films, newsreels, concerts, and performances, sourced from Moscow and local movie distribution centers. Information programs were often supplemented with film and photographic materials. By the late 1950s, the Directorate had begun live broadcasts and the production of documentaries and television plays.
Gosteleradio of Belarusian SSR (1957–1991) In 1957, the Radio Control of the Belarusian SSR was reorganized into the
State Committee of the Belarusian SSR on Television and Radio Broadcasting (Gosteleradio). In 1960, complete radio coverage of Belarus was completed, "Belarusian Youth" (1963), "Rural Life" (1964). The volume of its own broadcasting was 880 hours a year, with a third of that dedicated to
political education. In the 1970s, 22 radio broadcasting stations operated on the territory of Belarus. During this period, the transition to 3-program wire broadcasting was carried out, stereo broadcasting was formed on ultrashort waves. By the beginning of the 80s, there were 6 regional bureaux, 115 district, 12 city and 32 factory radios.
Belteleradiocompany (since 1994) (2018) , Director General and Chair of Belteleradio since March 2018 In August 1994, the
President of Belarus established Belteleradiocompany. News reporting was then delegated to the newly created Television News Agency in 1995. Television experimented with new modes of reporting, such as debates and talk shows. In 1998, Belteleradio launched the Stolitsa radio station, which was the only Belarusian-language radio station covering all of Belarus. Since 1998, Belarusian radio began broadcasting to Russia and Ukraine. Belarus launched its first family channel, LAD, in 2003, followed by the state satellite international channel, Belarus-TV, in 2005. Since 2005, all channels and radio stations of the Belarusian Radio were now being streamed live on the Internet. From October 2009, to December 2013, Belteleradio was exempt from paying income and
value-added tax. November 2011 saw the rebranding of two channels: Channel One was renamed "
Belarus 1", and LAD was redesignated "Belarus 2". Subsequently, in 2013, "Belarus TV" was renamed "Belarus 24," and the digital socio-cultural TV channel "Belarus 3" was launched. In 2016, Belarus closed down its
cable radio service. In August 2020,
protests and strikes were held against the results of the
2020 presidential elections in Belarus. Hundreds of Belteleradio's 1,500 employees went on strike, demanding the annulment of the election results. In May 2021, the European Broadcasting Union suspended Belteleradio's membership, citing concerns regarding the confession of
Roman Protasevich broadcast by the company, which was reportedly obtained under duress. On 30 June, Belteleradio was expelled from the EBU due to its use as a propaganda tool by the Belarusian government. The proposal for expulsion was put forward by Sweden. Although initial reports mentioned that it would expire after three years, in April 2024 the EBU confirmed that the suspension had been made indefinite. ==Services==