First Baltic channel

First Baltic channel
Pirmais Baltijas kanāls
Первый Балтийский канал
CountryLatvia
Broadcast area
  • Estonia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
HeadquartersRiga, Latvia[1]
Programming
Language(s)
  • Latvian[2]
  • Russian
Picture format16:9 576i
Ownership
OwnerBaltic Media Alliance
Sister channels
History
Launched4 September 2002 (2002-09-04)
ReplacedORT TEM
Closed
  • 26 October 2021 (2021-10-26) (Latvia)
  • 25 February 2022 (2022-02-25) (Lithuania)
  • 2 March 2022 (2022-03-02) (as PBK Estonia in Latvia)

First Baltic channel (Latvian: Pirmais Baltijas kanāls; abbreviated PBK; Russian: Первый Балтийский канал, romanized: Pervyy Baltiyskiy kanal) was a Baltic pay television channel based on the largest Russian Channel One to broadcast its programs in the Baltic states. It was launched on 4 September 2002.[3][4] The channel had also broadcast the local news programme Latvian time (Russian: Латвийское время) since June 2003.[5]

The channel was closed in Latvia on 26 October 2021 due to misinformation about COVID-19 and two other violations.[6] Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, its license was revoked and the channel was effectively banned in all three Baltic States.[7][8][9]

Other channels

First Baltic music channel

First Baltic music channel[10] (Latvian: Pirmais Baltijas muzikālais kanāls; Russian: Первый Балтийский музыкальный канал) was a Russian-language music television channel launched in 2005.[11] The channel broadcast in Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. The channel ceased broadcasting on 1 November 2017 and was replaced by Dom Kino [ru].[12]

First Baltic channel Estonia

First Baltic channel Estonia (Estonian: Pervõi Baltiiski Kanal; Russian: Первый Балтийский канал Эстония) was an Estonian Russian-language television channel launched in 2002.[3][4]

First Baltic channel Estonia co-operated with the news portal Delfi and the newspaper MK-Estonia. Delfi portal also offered news bulletins of the programme Estonian News (Russian: Новости Эстонии) for viewing.[13]

On 20 April 2021, the Latvian version of PBK Estonia was launched.[14]

The Latvian version of PBK Estonia ceased broadcasting on 2 March 2022 due to the revocation of its broadcasting licence.[8][7]

First Baltic channel Lithuania

First Baltic channel Lithuania (Lithuanian: Pirmasis Baltijos kanalas; Russian: Первый Балтийский канал Литва) was a Lithuanian Russian-language television channel launched in 2002.[3][4]

On 15 October 2013, broadcasting of this channel in Lithuania was suspended by court decision for three months due to broadcasting of the program "Man and the Law" (in Russian: Человек и закон) with a report on January events of 1991 in which the attack by the Soviet army and special units was denied. Jolanta Butkevičienė, chairman of the board of BMA Lietuva apologised to residents of Lithuania for "a program about the bitter events of 13 January 1991 that offended the civil feelings of every Lithuanian for the whole country".[15][16] Channel broadcasting in Lithuania was resumed on 15 January 2014, but the program "Man and the Law" is no longer broadcast in Lithuania and other Baltic countries.[17]

On 25 February 2022, the channel broadcasting in Lithuania was suspended for a period of three years due to warmongering and spreading Russian propaganda.[9]

The Latvian version of PBK Lithuania was launched on 1 October 2021 to broadcast its programs from Russian NTV channel, however the channel ceased broadcasting on 2 March 2022 due to revocation of its broadcasting licence.[7][18]

References

  1. ^ "BMA Group". 1bma.lv (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Первый Балтийский канал «заговорит» по-латышски" [First Baltic channel will broadcast in Latvian]. Teleservis (in Russian). 26 July 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Вещание Первого Балтийского канала в Литве могут перевести с русского на государственный язык » Литва на русском языке (новости в Литве)" [First Baltic channel in Lithuania may switch from Russian to the national language]. nedelia.lt (in Russian). Экспресс-неделя. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "архив газеты "Молодежь Эстонии"". www.moles.ee (in Russian). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Первый Балтийский канал запускает новости" [First Baltic channel launches news]. delfi.lv (in Russian). Delfi. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Broadcaster PBK has its license revoked by regulator". eng.lsm.lv. 21 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "NEPLP anulē atļauju Latvijā retranslēt "PBK Igaunija" un "PBK Lietuva"" [NEPLP cancels the licence to rebroadcast "PBK Estonia" and "PBK Lithuania" in Latvia]. tv3.lv (in Latvian). 25 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b Chris, Dziadul (13 June 2022). "PBK channel ban continues in Latvia". Broadband TV News.
  9. ^ a b "Lithuania bans Russian, Belarusian TV channels over war incitement". Lithuanian National Radio and Television. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Первый Балтийский Музыкальный" [First Baltic music channel]. www.1music.tv. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012.
  11. ^ КАРАСЕВ, Герман (26 January 2005). "Первый балтийский — музыкальный". rus.delfi.lv (in Russian). DELFI. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  12. ^ Puriņa, Eva (27 October 2017). "Izmaiņas Baltcom kanālu piedāvājumā no 2017.gada 1.novembra" [Changes in Baltcom channel offer from 1 November 2017]. Baltcom (in Latvian).
  13. ^ ""Новости Эстонии" ПБК можно посмотреть на Delfi" [Estonian News can be seen on Delfi]. Delfi RUS (in Russian). 12 January 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  14. ^ Ivanova, Jekaterina (20 April 2021). "Baltcom televīzijas abonentiem ir pieejams Pirmais Baltijas kanāls Igaunija" [PBK Estonia available for Baltcom subscribers]. Baltcom (in Latvian).
  15. ^ "Латвийский холдинг извинился за программу, отрицающую преступления советских войск в Вильнюсе" [Latvian holding apologises for programme denying Soviet crimes in Vilnius]. kp.ru (in Russian). 8 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Nubaudė "Pervyj Baltiskij" dėl laidos apie sausio 13-ąją" [First Baltic channel fined for a programme about 13 January events]. DELFI (in Lithuanian). 22 November 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Po skandalo prie įprastos programos grįžtanti PBK televizija: laidos "Žmogus ir įstatymas" eteryje nebus" [First Baltic channel returns to normal programming after the scandal: "Man and the Law" will not be broadcast]. 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 8 January 2014.
  18. ^ "PBK Lietuva: Осень будет интересной!" [PBK Lithuania: The fall will be interesting!]. www.mklat.lv (in Russian). 28 November 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2023.