The EiTB group is the leading media group in the Basque Country with four television channels and five radio stations. It has been running since 1982 and during this period it has established itself as a modern efficient media organization that connects up with more than a million people every day who it mainly provides with local news and entertainment. EiTB celebrated the fact that it came of age by showing off its new contemporary, dynamic and attractive image.
On May 20th 1982 the Basque parliament unanimously approved the law that set up Euskal Irrati Telebista and on November 23rd Euskadi Irratia started broadcasting. ETB, for its part, reached Basque households at midnight on December 31st 1982 and its programmes were completely regularized starting from February 16th in the following year. At the time about 30 people worked in the ETB centre in Iurreta to provide programmes exclusively in Basque.
Several years later, ETB-2 commenced operations on 31 May 1986. This channel broadcasts in Spanish, and at the present time it has a further two international channels. Following an agreement between Canal Satélite Digital and EiTB, 87 million households all over Europe have been able to pick up ETB Sat from the ASTRA satellite since May 2001. In the Spanish State, it may be picked up via Canal Satélite Digital and also through the Vía Digital platform. The EiTB Group’s fourth television station is Canal Vasco, a medium specifically geared towards America, where it reaches viewers through American DTH and cable companies.
The EiTB group also has five radio stations with more than 300,000 listeners every day, and Euskadi Irratia, Radio Euskadi, Radio Vitoria, Euskadi Gaztea and Radio EiTB Irratia are a clear model of lively, modern, local radio. Radio EiTB Irratia began broadcasting in June 2001 and mainly offers music and cultural events of general interest.
