RTB Perdana

ڤردان RTB
RTB Perdana

Country	Brunei
Network	Radio Televisyen Brunei
Headquarters	Jalan Elizabeth II, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei-Muara District BS8610, Brunei Darussalam
Programming
Language(s)	Malay (main) English (secondary)
Ownership
Owner	Radio Televisyen Brunei

RTB Perdana (Jawi: ڤردان RTB ‬) (formerly known as RTB1) is the oldest free-to-air terrestrial television channel in Brunei. The channel officially began broadcasting on 1 March 1975.

RTB Perdana broadcasts for 18-hours from 06:00 until 00:00 BST followed by a satellite simulcast of RTB Sukmaindera filling the rest of its broadcasting time.

During non-operating hours RTB Perdana simulcasts with RTB Sukmaindera from 00:00 until 06:00 BST.

RTB Perdana mainly shows documentaries, educational programs and news in its 18-hour broadcast to programs from RTB Sukmaindera which are usually relayed for other times when it is not broadcasting.

On April 11, 2017, RTB1 along with sister station, RTB5 merged and renamed RTB Perdana as part of RTB's rebranding project as well as broadcaster's shift from analogue into digital broadcasting.

History

Radio

Radio Brunei was launched on 2 May 1957, and officially opened on 28 May. At the time, Radio Brunei broadcast for 45 minutes each evening, from 20:00 until 20:45 BST. The range of the single 1.2Kw transmitter was only five miles, which covered the capital and some surrounding areas.

As of 1974, RTB had increased its staff to 171 employees, and had a total of three transmitting sites. This gave near total coverage of the country and beyond.

Television

Televisyen Brunei was officially launched on 1 February 1975 as Channel 5 and Channel 8.

On 1 March 1976, two high-power medium-wave stations in the Brunei-Muara District began transmission, expanding the coverage of radio and television services to almost 100% of the country.