TV channels Kazakhstan

Kazakh television speaks two languages at once - Kazakh and Russian - and mixes a state corporation born in the Soviet era with private networks that grew up in Almaty, the country's media capital.

The State Pillar

The Qazaqstan Radio and Television Corporation anchors the national lineup. Qazaqstan TV itself began broadcasting on 8 March 1958 and today works around the clock in Kazakh. Its sister services fill the thematic niches: Qazsport TV, the country's first national sports channel, launched on 1 July 2013, and Balapan TV has served young viewers since 27 September 2010.

News and the Khabar Empire

The Khabar Agency, established in 1995 as the National Television News Agency, grew into one of the largest networks in the country. Its flagship Khabar 24 runs a round-the-clock news service from Astana, while the satellite channel Kazakh TV - Jibek Joly TV - a family entertainment project of the presidential TV and radio complex - reaches audiences far beyond Kazakhstan in Kazakh, Russian, English, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Turkish. Its international feed Kazakh TV - Jibek Joly World extends that reach further.

Almaty's Private Networks

Kazakhstan's biggest city raised its own broadcasters. Channel 31, a nationwide station based in Almaty, built its name on entertainment and family programming. KTK was the country's first private television channel, and NTK adds music, humor and youth shows in Kazakh and Russian. Astana TV, launched in March 1993 as Tsesna, now broadcasts from the capital under Nur Media.

Music and Entertainment Screens

Hit TV plays the latest music videos from Kazakhstan and abroad, and Muzzone TV has carried the country's music television since 2006 as its first dedicated music channel. El Arna, which began as Khabar 2 in 2000, has lived through several relaunches as an entertainment service, and 1 First channel Eurasia - on air since October 1997 - adapts programs from Russia's Channel One into Kazakh alongside its own production.

Regional Voices

Almaty TV broadcasts from the southern capital, Otyrar TV serves the Shymkent region, and TDK 42 covers its home city with news, shows and series.