Syrian News Channel
 The current logo as of 2025. | |
| Country | Syria |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Network | ORTAS |
| Headquarters | Damascus, Syria |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Arabic |
| Picture format | 16:9 1080i (HD) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | ORTAS |
| Key people | Mokhles al-Warar (director) |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | 15 December 2010 (original) 5 May 2025 (relaunch) |
| Closed | 8 December 2024 (original) |
| Links | |
| Website | alikhbariah |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Syrian News Channel Live | Free |
Syrian News Channel (Arabic: الإخبارية السورية), also known as Alikhbaria Syria or Al-Ikhbariyah Syria, is a public television[1] news channel, owned by the Syrian General Organization of Radio and TV based in Damascus, Syria, launched on 15 December 2010.[2] The channel relaunched alongside a new identity on 5 May 2025,[3] after its broadcasts were suspended for a few months following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
History
[edit]During the Syrian civil war
[edit]On 12 June 2012, a car of the Syrian News Channel became the target of an armed attack by a group of gunmen in the town of Al-Haffa near the city of Latakia. Syrian News Channel correspondent Mazen Mohammad was hit in his hand while cameraman Fadi Yakoub was hit in his chest. Both journalists were immediately admitted to the National Hospital in Latakia. According to journalist Mazen Mohammad, an armed group opened fire towards their car while trying to cover the events in Al-Haffa near the National Hospital.[4]
In the early morning of 27 June 2012, a group of gunmen attacked the main building of the Syrian News Channel in Damascus countryside.[5] Three staff members of the Syrian News Channel and four security guards were killed during the attack on the headquarters of the TV station.[6][7] The three killed staff members are, Zaid Kahel, Mohammad Shamma and Sami Abu Amin. The official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) announced that the assailants had also ransacked the offices of the TV station during the attack that was carried out at the early hours of the day. The assailants stormed the offices of Syrian News Channel, planted explosives in the studios and blew them up along with the equipment.[citation needed] Five buildings in the complex were destroyed in the attack.[2] The attacks have been attributed to al Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliated extremist group.
An armed group kidnapped on 10 August 2012, four team members of the Syrian News Channel in al-Tall area of Damascus Countryside. The crew members are, Journalist Yara Saleh, Cameraman Abdullah Tabreh, Cameraman Assistant Hatem Abu Yehya and the driver Hussam Imad. However, the armed forces freed the team seven days later. Three colleagues were released except of Hatem Abu Yehya who was killed by the armed groups.[8]
On 5 September 2012, Syrian Television Channels broadcast were broken off on Arabsat and Nilesat, including Syrian News Channel.
On 27 September 2012, the Syrian News Channel was hijacked for about 90 seconds by unknown sides.[citation needed]
Mohammed al-Ashram, cameraman for Syrian News Channel was shot dead in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on 10 October 2012.[9]
President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview on 17 April 2013, to Syrian News Channel.[10]
On 27 May 2013, Yara Abbas, a prominent female Syrian war reporter for the Syrian News Channel, was killed by rebels near the military air base of al-Dabaa in the central province of Homs. The cameraman Osama Dayoub and driver Badr Awad were injured in the attack.[11][12]
Post-Assad
[edit]The channel suspended all of its broadcasts after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
On 20 April, Ministry of Information minister Hamza al-Mustafa announced that the channel would be returning on 5 May 2025 after getting the "support and guidance" from president Ahmed al-Sharaa.[13] Head of the Syrian News Channel, Jamil Srur, said that the channel wanted to return on the 13th of March to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Syrian Revolution but couldn't because of sanctions against the General Organization of Radio and TV (ORTAS). On 22 April 2025, ORTAS signed the contract with Nilesat to bring the Syrian News Channel back to the Egyptian satellites,[14] one day after signing the contract with ِQatari Es'hailSat.[15]
On 5 May 2025, the channel relaunched at 5:00 PM.[3]
Headquarters
[edit]A large studio in Drousha and a smaller studio, which can be hooked up to the headquarters for down-the-line interviews, is located in Gomarek Square in Damascus to accommodate live guests.[16]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "الهيئة العامة للإذاعة والتلفزيون - سورية". www.ortas.gov.sy. Retrieved 2018-05-22.
- ^ a b "Seven staffers die in TV station 'massacre'". www.heraldsun.com.au. 27 June 2012.
- ^ a b "Syria state TV relaunches, months after Assad's ouster". The New Arab. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Two journalists from al-Ikhbariya TV injured by armed group's fire in Al-Haffa". Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Armed Terrorist Group Attacks al-Ikhbariya TV Channel, Three Journalists Martyred". Archived from the original on 4 July 2012.
- ^ Nordland, Rod; Cowell, Alan (June 27, 2012). "Attack Destroys Pro-Government TV Station Near Damascus". The New York Times.
- ^ "Gunmen storm pro-Assad Syria TV". BBC News. 27 June 2012.
- ^ "Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::". Archived from the original on 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
- ^ "Al-Ikhbariya cameraman killed after Black September for citizen journalists | Reporters without borders". RSF. 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::". Archived from the original on 2013-05-06. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
- ^ "Syrian female TV correspondent Yara Abbas killed in Homs". The Independent. 27 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2022-05-26.
- ^ Greenslade, Roy (May 29, 2013). "Syrian TV reporter killed in sniper attack". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "وزير الإعلام يكشف عن موعد إطلاق قناة الإخبارية السورية بحلتها الجديدة". Syria TV. 20 April 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "بعد التوقيع مع سهيل سات.. الإخبارية السورية على نايل سات بعقد جديد". Syria TV. 22 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "هيئة الإذاعة توقّع عقداً لبث "الإخبارية السورية" على قمر "سهيل سات" القطري". Syria TV. 21 April 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ "Broadcast media: Open to new players? - Forward Syria". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2012.