bTV (Bulgaria)

bTV
Launched	1 June 2000 (2000-06-01)
Network	bTV Media Group
Owned by	News Corporation (2000-2010) CME (Central European Media Enterprises) (2010-present)
Picture format	16:9 576i, 1080i (DVB)
Audience share	21.41% (February 2015, Nielsen Admosphere)
Slogan	"More than television"
Country	Bulgaria
Language	Bulgarian
Broadcast area	Bulgaria
Headquarters	Sofia, Bulgaria
Replaced	Efir 2
Sister channel(s)	bTV Comedy, bTV Cinema, bTV Action, bTV Lady, RING
Website	http://www.btv.bg/
Availability
Terrestrial
MUX 2	Channel 2 (SD)
Satellite
Bulsatcom	Channel 3 (SD)
Bulsatcom	Channel 2 (HD)
Vivacom	Channel 2 (SD)
Vivacom	Channel 31 (HD)
Cable
blizoo	Channel 2 (SD)
blizoo	Channel 157 (HD)
Mtel	Channel ? (SD)

bTV is the first private national-wide broadcasting television channel in Bulgaria. It is operated by bTV Media Group, part of Central European Media Enterprises, and is reportedly the Bulgarian television channel with the largest viewing audience. It was previously owned by Balkan News Corporation, part of News Corporation. On February 18, 2010, News Corp announced that it had agreed to sell 100% of bTV (along with bTV Comedy and bTV Cinema) to Central European Media Enterprises, after many months of negotiations. The US$400M deal was completed in the second quarter of 2010. bTV has a 37% market share in Bulgaria.

bTV is broadcast terrestrially in Bulgaria and by satellite in other parts of Europe. Most of the channel's original content is available on its Internet site. bTV's first broadcast was on 1 June 2000 using BNT transmitters for Efir 2. The channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day in 2001 after having gradually extended its programme. From September 2012 the channel began broadcasting an HD version, and the old SD channel converted to 16:9 for most newer programs.

bTV is the leading channel in bTV Media Group along with - bTV Comedy, bTV Cinema, bTV Action, bTV Lady and RING. bTV also owns six radio stations - bTV Radio, N-JOY, Z-Rock, Classic FM, Jazz FM and Melody radio.

Programmes

bTV airs reality shows like Idol (under the name Music Idol), five seasons of Survivor (see Survivor BG), three seasons of Got Talent (see Balgariya tarsi talant), the first two Bulgarian seasons of Dancing with the Stars (under the name Dancing Stars), one season of Beauty and the Geek, three seasons of Fort Boyard, two seasons of Psychic Challenge(under the name Yasnovidci), one season of Lord of the Chefs, three seasons of The Voice of... (under the name The Voice of Bulgaria), one season of MasterChef, one season of The Farm (under the name Fermata) and TV games like Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (under the name Tova go znae vsjako hlape" "This is known by any kid). bTV also broadcast the Bulgarian version of the ABC`s show The Dating Game under the name Love games. The first season of the Bulgarian version of the slovak TV show - Modre Z Neba(Best wishes) was aired in the fall of 2012 under the name Predaj natatak i.e. Pass it on. The first season of the Bulgarian version of the German comedy show Schillerstraße was aired in 2013, under the name Mladost 5, that is the name of a quarter in Sofia. In the fall of 2013 bTV offered the viewers 4 brand new TV shows in primetime - the first season of the Bulgarian version of Star Safari under the name Afrika: zvezdite sigurno sa poludeli (i.e. Africa: The Stars must be crazy), the Bulgarian version of The Price Is Right - That's the price, a new culinary show A Pinch of Salt (local version of Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live) and the Bulgarian version of the Italian comedy show Striscia la notizia under the name The Naked Truth.

Popular American TV series such as Monk(all the seasons), The O.C.(all the seasons), Desperate Housewives(seasons 1-6), Ghost Whisperer(seasons 1-3), Grey's Anatomy(seasons 1-6), Battlestar Galactica(all the seasons), Alf(all the seasons), Friends(all the seasons), The Unit(season 1), The 4400(season 1), American Heiress(all the episodes), The Middle(seasons 1-3), Nikita(seasons 1-2), Pretty Little Liars(seasons 1-2), The Vampire Diaries(seasons 1-3), The Lying Game(all the seasons), Two and a half men(seasons 1-9), Dallas(all the seasons), Desire(all the episodes) and many others were or are also part of bTV's programme. A lot of Turkish series are still part of the schedule of the television. In the Summer of 2011 bTV first aired a Korean series - Iris and in the Summer of 2013 agin first aired an Indian soap opera - Sapna Babul Ka...Bidaai and Diya aur baati hum .

One of the most popular bTV show is The Slavi's Show. It is being aired since November 27, 2000 till now every workday form 22:30 to 23:30 EET with his host and producer Slavi Trifonov. The show has more than 2 700 episodes. Other popular bTV shows are Let`s talk with Rosen Petrov(a Sunday talk-show), Before Lunch (an everyday talk-show), The Comedians (a comedy show), Zvezdev`s Kitchen and Bon Appetit (culinary shows), Modern(a fashion show), The Spirit of Health(a health show), COOL...T (a lifestyle show) and others. One of the most successful bTV show is the documentary reality - That's life - it has 12 seasons and is broadcast every Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

bTV The News is the most watched newscast in Bulgaria. The first news emission was on the 18th of November 2000. The bTV News is broadcast workdays at 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 12:00, 17:00, 19:00 and 23:30 EET and at 12:00, 19:00 and 22:00 EET during the weekends. The morning information blocs are This morning (Monday-Friday), This Saturday (every Saturday) and This Sunday (every Sunday). bTV The Reporters and bTV The Documents are special shows for in-depth investigation and documentary series. bTV The Reporters is broadcast every weekend after the emission of bTV The News at 19:00 EET and bTV The Documents. Other information shows are Face to Face (workdays, 17:30–18:00 EET) and The Hounds.

The first Bulgarian TV series, produced by bTV was the Bulgarian remake of Un garson, une fille with its local title She and he. It has 3 seasons aired on bTV and its last, fourth season, was produced and aired on Fox Life. bTV also airs other home-made Bulgarian series like Glass Home with its 5 seasons. Its producer was SIA and Dimitar Mitovski. Other Bulgarian TV series, produced by bTV are Citizens in more, Seven Hours Difference, House Arrest, Where is Magi? (a remake of ¿Dónde Está Elisa?), Revolution Z, The Family, Relations and Where is My Elder Brother? and Rakia Sunrise (as part of The Slavi Show).

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