Radio-Télévision nationale congolaise

Radio Télévision nationale congolaise (RTNC) is the national broadcaster of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is government controlled in a country with a poor record on press freedom. Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise currently broadcasts in Lingala, French, and English.

Radio-Télévision nationale congolaise
TypeBroadcast
Country
 DR Congo
AvailabilityNational
OwnerGovernment of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Launch date
1971 (1971)[1]
Former names
Office Zaïrois de Radio Télévision (1981–1997)
Official website
rtnc.cd

History

Radio Congo Belge (RCB) was created in 1940 by the general government of the Belgian Congo . After the country gained independence, Radio du Congo Belge (RCB) became Radiodiffusion Nationale Congolaise (RNC).

RTNC started television broadcasts in Kinshasa on November 24, 1966,[2] three hours a day (7pm to 10pm), on VHF channel 5.[3] By the mid-1970s, following the rename of the country to Zaire, the television station was known as Télé-Zaire, and had its broadcasting hours extended (6pm to 11pm weekdays and 10am or 1pm to 11pm weekends). A second station in Lubumbashi started in 1967, on channel 9.[4]

Between 1981 and 1997, it was known as the Office Zaïrois de Radio Télévision (OZRT) at the time of Zaire[5], it was also the only Zairian agency to broadcast on the airwaves since the 1972 law. Since political liberalization in the 1990s, other private companies have broadcast audiovisual media. It took its current name on May 17, 1997, following the coming to power of the AFDL, the party of Laurent-Désiré Kabila.

Operations

Radio
  • RTNC Chaîne nationale
  • RTNC Kinshasa
  • RTNC Bandundu
  • RTNC Bukavu
  • RTNC Goma
  • RTNC Kat (Lubumbashi)
  • RTNC Kindu
  • RTNC Kisangani
  • RTNC MbujiMayi
  • RTNC Mbandaka

Television

RTNC covers 70% of the Congolese territory and operates two television channels:

  • RTNC1: general channel with national coverage;
  • RTNC2: public provincial commercial and entertainment channel in Kinshasa.

References
  1. Advertising World. Directories International. 1979. p. 29.
  2. Times, Special to The New York (1966-11-25). "Congo Celebration Marks Year of Rule by Mobuto". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  3. "Television Factbook" (PDF). 1972. p. 1099. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  4. "Television Factbook" (PDF). 1976. p. 1119. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  5. Presidential Ordinance no. 81-050 of 2 April 1981


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