KTV2

Kuwait television channel 2 (KTV2) is Kuwait's governmental television channel dedicated for the English-speaking public. The channel broadcasts English-speaking shows, local programmes, news, English-subtitled local serials, English-speaking international serials, and English-speaking or English-subtitled movies. Kuwait television started its broadcast on November 15, 1961; as the official television of the ministry of information of the state of Kuwait. There are so far five channels: channel 1 (Al-Oula, KTV1), used for Arabic programming; channel 2 (KTV2); channel 3 (KTV3 or sport), for purely sports programming; channel 4 (KTV4), for pre-recorded and re-runs of movies and serials from other channels; and channel 5 (KTV-Plus), Kuwait's official governmental satellite broadcast, currently merged with KTV1. The Kuwait Ministry of Information has an online feed of three of its channels.^[1]

The channel was first conceived in 1971 as part of a plan to convert KTV to color and initiate a three-channel service.^[2]: 235 The station started broadcasting in December 1978. The channel was initially cultural in nature, broadcasting educational and cultural programming, award-winning movies, plays in classical Arabic and discussion of theses. The goal of the service was to be a "people's university", targeting the educated sectors of Kuwait's population.^[3]

Ahead of the launch of the channel, KTV did a survey to ascertain what would viewers see on the new service, the majority of which came from the middle class. During its first month on air, 72% of the content on KTV2 was foreign, in contrast to 18% on KTV1.^[3]