Television in Syria was introduced on 23 July 1960 with the launch of Channel 1, during the period in which Syria and Egypt were united as the United Arab Republic.

Syrian television channels are predominantly owned and operated by the Syrian General Authority for Radio and Television (GART), which is affiliated with the Ministry of Information. The organization employs approximately 4,800 staff, including both government employees and freelancers.

Television in Syria is mainly received through free satellite and digital terrestrial.

History Prior to 1976, all television broadcasts were aired in black and white. In 1985 a second channel was established and in 1995 Syrian television rented a channel on Arabsat and it started broadcasting eight hours daily via satellite in 1996.

Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the state has been engaging in a "media war" to combat the criticisms broadcast from other popular media outlets viewed in the Arab world and internationally, such as Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera. In Ba'athist Syria television coverage championed the government against Syrian opposition islamist rebel forces such as Al-Nusra Front, Free Syrian Army and the Islamic Front. According to BBC Arabic, it also tended to omit or downplay reports of civilian casualties in its coverage of confrontations with what the Assadist government labeled as terrorist groups. The Arab League officially asked the satellite operators Arabsat and Nilesat to stop broadcasting Syrian media in June 2012. On 27 April 2013, Al Jazeera Media Network announced that it was suspending indefinitely its activities throughout Syria because of alleged intimidation and threats against its staff.

The collapse of Ba'athist and Assad family rule on 8 December 2024 brought challenges to the media landscape in Syria as it is unclear whether the new Islamist-led Syrian government would relax censorship and allow more press freedom.

National networks

Channel nameOwner/parent companyLaunchedBroadcast hoursAspect ratioNotesAleppo TodayAleppo Today Channel1 December 201124 hours16:9 HDTVAlyaum TVOrbit Communications (original)OSN (current)27 October 200316:9 HDTVSyria TVFadaat MediaMarch 201824 hours16:9 HDTVAl Thania TVFadaat MediaFebruary 202516:9 HDTVSister network to Syria TV.Al-Souriya TVGART1995 (original)19 February 2026 (current form)24 hours16:9 HDTVRelaunched in 2026. Also on digital and satellite.Syrian News ChannelGART15 December 2010 (original)5 May 2025 (current form)24 hours16:9 HDTVRelaunched in 2025. Also on digital and satellite.Massaya TV1 May 200716:9 HDTVPrime TV8 December 202516:9 HDTVOfficial broadcaster of the Syrian Prime Premier LeagueSham TVMohammad Akram Al-Jundi200516:9 HDTVFirst private satellite channel in Syria.Suboro TVSyriac Orthodox Church25 March 201916:9 HDTVClassical Syriac / Turoyo -language TV channel that broadcasts religious topics.Ronahî TV201216:9 HDTVKurdish-language TV channel.Rojava TV19 July 201716:9 HDTVKurdish-language TV channel.Welat TV16:9 HDTVKurdish-language TV channel.

Former channels

Suspended channels Channel nameOwner/parent companyLaunchedSuspendedReason of suspensionNoor Al-ShamORTAS (GART)31 July 20118 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.Syrian Drama TVORTAS (GART)20 August 20098 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.Syrian Education TVORTAS (GART)14 October 20088 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.Sama TV24 January 20138 December 2024Inactive.Drama 24ORTAS (GART)8 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.Sakaker Kids TVORTAS (GART)8 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.Sports TVORTAS (GART)8 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.Syrian Local ChannelORTAS (GART)20228 December 2024Fall of the Assad regime.

Former Channel nameOwner/parent companyLaunchedClosedNotesChannel 1General Organization of Radio and TV23 July 196011 November 2012Channel 2General Organization of Radio and TV13 March 198511 November 2012Manbij TVUnknownUnknownKurdish-language channelNosor TVUnknownUnknownSyria BaladnaUnknownUnknownAl-Jisr TVUnknownUnknownAddounia TVRami Makhlouf23 March 20072015 or 2024Arrai TVMisha'an al-Juburi20074 December 2011Orient NewsGhassan AboudFebruary 200921 November 2023Syrian Medical TVORTASUnknown2016Talaqie TVORTAS6 October 201217 October 2016SpacetoonSpacetoon International15 March 2000UnknownSuriya al-Ghad20112022Syria al-ShaabJuly 2011Unknown

See also Lists of television channels

References