General Organization of Radio and TV (Syria)
33°30′44.4″N 36°16′32.2″E / 33.512333°N 36.275611°E
| Type | Broadcast radio, television and online |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | National |
| Headquarters | Umayyad Square, Damascus |
| Owner | Government of Syria |
Launch date | 3 February 1947 (radio) 23 July 1960 (television) |
Former names |
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Official website | ortas |
The General Organization of Radio and TV (Arabic: الهيئة العامة للإذاعة والتلفزيون), also known in French as Organisation de la Radio et la Télévision Arabe Syrienne (in short ORTAS), is the public broadcaster in Syria and reports to the Ministry of Information. Earlier names were Radio and Television (RTV Syria) and Syrian Radio & Television (SRT). For much of its existence, ORTAS was the Assad regime's propaganda tool until it was taken over by opposition groups in December 2024 amidst the fall of Damascus.
The legal basis is a legislative decree from 2010, which, however, was largely not implemented. Sūmar Wassūf became head of the commission in December 2018.
Several television channels and radio stations are being run by this organization, including Syria TV and Damascus Radio. ORTAS is an active member of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), associate member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and formerly a member of International Radio and Television Organisation (OIRT).