Qatar TV: 52 Years of Giving and Creativity

Qatar TV

Qatar TV celebrated Monday the 52nd anniversary of the launch of its official broadcast which falls on Aug. 15, 1970, around two years after the launch of Qatar Radio broadcasting in 1968.

On that day, Arab viewers were on time with a new Arabic screen that would join the list of Arabic and international channels to convey an integrated and honest image of Qatar to its viewers. In addition to conveying the aspirations and ambitions of its citizens, their past, present, culture, and heritage of their ancestors.

This date represents a proud memory for every citizen and media person in Qatar. It is also a dear and precious occasion in the hearts of everyone who lives in Qatar, especially those who witnessed the launch of the Qatari screen and its broadcast to the Arab viewer for the first time, in a journey that is more than five decades now, of giving, loyalty, brilliance, and success.

The launch of Qatar TV came with the increasing importance of the media and its emergence as a means, message, and content, as well as its role in promoting societies by connecting them with sound, image, and word to various events, and developments in all parts of the earth.

Since that day, 52 years ago, Qatar TV has become a permanent guest in every home across the country through its news bulletins and political, economic, religious, cultural, sports, scientific and medical programs. In addition to Arab and foreign series and films that made Qatar TV a leading and distinguished channel on the region's screens.

Through its various programs and events, Qatar TV has contributed to promoting loyalty and belonging principles, as well as preserving Arab and Islamic identity and the social and cultural values of Qatari society. Also, Qatar TV formed a station for media and journalism students who wish to enter the arenas of video broadcasting and provide them with experiences and training that increase their professional competencies. In addition, Qatar TV represented an active media arena to encourage national cadres and produce dramatic and artistic works and various media programs.

The beginning of Qatar TV was in 1970 when Qatar State TV was established. Qatar TV began its broadcast in black and white, while the first color broadcast was in 1974.

In 1982, Qatar TV launched channel 37 in English broadcast, through which American and Indian series were broadcasted as well as documentary and comedy programs.

Qatar TV channel 37 used to broadcast sports matches and significant events on air and stopped broadcasting on July 27, 2014. in 1981, Studio 4 for the television business was opened on Qatar Tv which was closed after 20 years and became part of the beIN Sports building.

In 1998, the satellite transmission for Qatar TV channel 1 started through Arabsat, Nilesat, and Hotbird satellites.

Qatar TV, like other national media, has received the full sponsorship of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and all officials in charge of the Qatar Media Corporation, to carry out its mission efficiently, and to continue its path and develop its programs and services provided to viewers.

Qatar TV went through many phases of development. The first development was in 2001, when the shape of the television changed in terms of the logo, program pattern, breaks, advertisements, etc., to keep pace with the satellite broadcast. It started producing historical dramas annually during the month of Ramadan, such as the series Omar. In mid-2011, the establishment of a new studio for programs near the TV building was announced, and the first program to broadcast from it before its official opening was the Al Liwan competition program in 2011 during the month of Ramadan, after which work was stopped until it was fully equipped and officially opened and was handed over to the television support and development committee.

The second development for Qatar TV was in 2011, as a comprehensive new development of Qatar TV was announced under the auspices of the television support and development committee, chaired by Talal Al Attiyah. Accordingly, a new building for Qatar TV was constructed adjacent to the program studio that was built at the time, and it was equipped with the latest international broadcasting equipment.

Qatar TV is one of the first Arab channels to include fully modern devices and equipment. Another studio was built inside the new building, dedicated to broadcasting news bulletins.

The new launch of Qatar TV was at 3:30 Doha time on Sunday December 16, 2012. The channel stopped broadcasting from the old building after the news bulletin.

Then, by 7:30 of the same day, the new version of the TV channel went on air for the first time, with the channels third and new logo, graphics, content, and with new faces behind the screen. Qatar TV now broadcasted using a FULL HD 1080i system, making it the first Gulf and Arab channel to utilize this technology, without being encryption.

Qatar TV had three different logos over its history, with the Falcon being the first, designed by the Qatar TV Designer at that time, and the designer of the State of Qatars Coat of Arms, Egyptian Fouad Mohammad Ahmad Al Shibiny.

The first logo was adopted since the TVs establishment until the end of the year 2000. The logos design was distinguished by its compound design including a falcon; being the most prominent expression of Arab heritage, the transmission tower-still in existence- in the center of the logo, with vintage film reels right at the bottom of the logo, which were in use in the past by televisions prior to digital tapes.

The second logo on the other hand was of an Al Dana pearl, designed by the Qatari Visual Artist Mohammed Ali Abdullah. This logo was in use starting early 2001, until December 16, 2012.

The logos design was distinguished by the creative merging of elements together, namely: the circular arched shape, inspired by the traditional motifs used to decorate doors and windows, and the Al Dana -the largest and most expensive type of pearls- in the center of the logo.

Adorning the circular arched shape and surrounding the Al Dana pearl were the nine triangles inspired by the Qatari flag. Finally the Arabic letter (qaf); the first letter in the name of Qatar in Arabic, shown as a result of the space between the circular arched shape, Al Dana, and using two of the nine triangles.

Put together, the design symbolizes the profession of pearl diving practiced by the forefathers in Qatar and the Gulf in general.

As for the third and current Qatar TV logo, it was adopted on December 16, 2012 with the new launch of the TV channel. What distinguishes it is its extremely simple design, where it consists of the word Qatar in Arabic in bold, with Qatar in English underneath it in a small font.

Furthermore, the channel continues to strive in keeping with the latest updates and innovations in the domain, to ensure the Arab viewer with the best and most creative.

The Qatar Media Corporation the umbrella under which Qatar TV falls, is keen on keeping the channel true to its message, to its viewers, and to excellence, where it is under continuous development and modernization of its technologies, content, and approach to the Arab viewer, in service of national and Arab goals, as well as human aspirations.

Moreover, Qatar TV is all set and up for the challenge to provide a quality and excellent media coverage of the biggest sporting event in the history of Qatar and the Arab region; the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The channel will have studios spread across the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) and the various entertainment and event areas (fan zones).

In addition, the channel will begin its exclusive media coverage to promote Qatar, with its tourist and cultural attractions and events, from early October until the end of the World Cup.

It is worth mentioning that TV channels in general are a symbol of connectivity, modernity, and globalization, with an ever increasing viewership by the day, indicating this mediums crucial role in guiding and shaping public opinion, raising awareness of causes and issues of the day, as well as enriching the viewers culture.

(QNA)