Channel 33 (Israel)

Channel 33 (Hebrew: ערוץ 33; Arutz Shloshim VeShalosh) was an Israeli Arabic-language free-to-air television channel, operated by the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), which was primarily designated for Arabic-speaking viewers.

Before the establishment of Channel 33, Israeli Television had an early evening programming slot in Arabic. By 1971, it did counter-programming with Jordanian TV by airing popular Arabic-language programming when the opposite country's channel was airing the news.

The channel was launched in 1994 as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian peace-process. The Israeli prime-minister Itzhak Rabin decided to establish a government-operated satellite channel in Arabic, which was intended for viewers in neighbouring Arab countries. Soon after the establishment, the channel began to relay broadcasts from the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

In early 1998, in light of the low viewers-rating, the channel had assigned a new brand, in hope that it will attract more viewers. The new brand was "Channel 33" with the slogan "Channel 33 - Much more interesting!".

The name "Channel 33" was chosen since the channel is relayed at station no. 33 in the Israeli cable systems. Before the introduction of digital terrestrial television, the channel's terrestrial footprint was limited to Haifa, on VHF channel 10.

In 2002, the IBA established a third TV channel – IBA Arabic Channel – which was intended for Arabic-speaking viewers in foreign countries (this was the original purpose that Channel 33 was established for) and for Arabic-speaking Israelis. For the latter purpose, the "Israel Television in Arabic" department of the IBA, which until then broadcast on IBA Channel 1 2–4 hours a day, had moved to the new channel, where Channel 1 was left only with Hebrew programming. Some years earlier, in 1985, Israel Television in Arabic had been awarded the prestigious Israel Prize, for its special contribution to society and the State. IBA Arabic Channel was broadcasting via the European Hot Bird satellite.

Due to lack in Arabic programs, the channel also broadcast reruns from IBA's Channel 1 and Channel 33. In a couple of years after the establishment, IBA had realised that it cannot financially support three TV channels, and decided to merge Channel 33 with the Arabic channel into a new IBA "Channel 3 - Middle East" in early 2004.

As a result, Channel 33 replaced IBA Arabic Channel on the European satellite in April 2004, and began an all-Europe coverage. Additionally, Channel 33 began a terrestrial transmission throughout Israel, in order to relay Arabic programming to Arabic-speaking Israelis.