Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise

Lore & Background

The origins of RTS trace to Radio-Dakar, created in 1950, broadcasting eight hours per day. In 1951 two channels appeared: Dakar Inter and Dakar Afrique, reaching listeners across western Africa.

Following the 1959 fusion of Mali and Senegal into the Mali Federation, Radio Mali was created with bases in Radio Inter. When Senegal separated from the Mali Federation on August 20, 1960, Radio Mali became Radio Senegal with one national and one international channel. In 1962, Radio Senegal became the flagship member of the Union of African National Television and Radio Organizations and its successor, the African Union of Broadcasting.

Television broadcasts began in February 1965 with health and nutrition programmes, and experimental programmes ended in 1969. The Munich Olympics created demand that led to the creation of the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision du Sénégal (ORTS) in 1973, operating two radio channels and a national television channel (channel 7 in Dakar). On 4 October 1973, ORTS and Radio Gambia agreed to produce a joint programme, Chossani Senegambia, on Senegambian history broadcast in local languages. The programme was pre-recorded and scheduled to air simultaneously on Tuesdays in both countries, featuring historians and griots from both Senegal and the Gambia.

In 1992, ORTS changed its name to the Société Nationale de Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS), shifting from government direction to a publicly funded, independently managed corporation. RTS1 introduced a new schedule in July 2001, increasing news editions in French from two to three, extending programming hours, and improving sports coverage. RTS later launched language-based television channels: RTS3 from Tambacounda in 2013, RTS4 from Ziguinchor in 2014, and RTS5 from Matam in 2021.

Reader's Guide

RTS stands as a key institution in Senegalese broadcasting, with a history that reflects the country's political evolution from colonial rule through federation and independence. Its roots in Radio-Dakar and subsequent transformations—from Radio Senegal to ORTS to RTS—illustrate the development of public service media in West Africa. The joint programme Chossani Senegambia with Radio Gambia in 1973 exemplifies cross-border cultural cooperation, using local languages and traditional music to document regional history.

RTS's expansion into multiple television channels, including region-specific language services, demonstrates its ongoing adaptation to serve diverse linguistic communities. As a member of the African Union of Broadcasting, RTS maintains its role within continental broadcasting networks. The 2001 schedule changes, including increased news and film programming, show its efforts to modernize and compete with evolving media landscapes.

Did You Know?

• The first radio broadcasting station in Dakar was opened by the French military in 1932, with civilian programming beginning in 1939.
• RTS1 introduced a new schedule in July 2001 that included a package of 52 feature films, mostly American and released less than two years before showing.