This is a list of the television stations in Samoa.
A ceremony to launch the NUS TV broadcast and the NUS lifelong learning initiative was held at the School of Maritime Training in 2019.
It was attended by the Honourable Minister of Education Loau Keneti Sio, the keynote speaker, CEO of Education, CEO of SQA, --and members of the NUS Council.
The minister praised the launch as a milestone event in his keynote address. He commented that the launch of the two innovative projects by NUS is indeed quite timely, given the restrictions to education delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that the NUS TV will be another valuable tool in delivering educational programs that will benefit students and staff (teachers) with its broad coverage so that no one is left behind.
With the NUS lifelong learning initiative, the minister applauded the joint initiative between NUS and COL, offering much-needed scholarships or learning opportunities from Google, Coursera, and Udemy for Samoan citizens. In addition, he mentioned, “ We are indeed very fortunate that Samoan citizens will have access to learning from these providers of international standing.”
He concluded by congratulating NUS and COL for their vision and foresight and also giving a word of thanks to the people who were the frontrunners in the implementation of both projects.
Since the privatization of the state-owned Samoa Broadcasting Corporation in 2008, TV1 is the new television station under the Samoa Quality Broadcasting Limited company has leased the previous FM frequency (89.1FM) & the UHF frequency and facilities of the former SBC studios at Mulinu'u. The shareholders of the newly formed company consist of a few old staff members of the former SBC with Galumalemana Faiasea Matafeo as the Chief Executive Officer.[1] ’
It continues to offer SBC’s former services such as Tala Fou (News), Lali (National Magazine show), Starsearch (Singing competition), Vaa o Manu (Religious discussion panel) & Faleula o Samoa (Samoan cultural discussion panel). TV1 also carries TVNZ News and live sports feeds.
They commenced broadcasting in May 2013, owned and operated by The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, on channels 10 & 11 above Apia. New transmitters have been added on Savaii. It operates as a conventional commercial station but no advertising on Sundays. Carries TVNZ News at 1 pm and 9 pm.
Samoa’s only 24-hour television station began operations from the former Lau TV studios on March 9, 2009. STAR was owned by George Pitt, part of the Pitt Media Group of the Cook Islands.[2] The station closed in 2011.
The Keil family privately owned TV station established its presence in the air in May 2006 and is part of the Apia Broadcasting Corporation.[3] ’
Its renowned program is TV3 News, which has Samoa’s only outside live broadcasting facilities, which can broadcast news live from any remote location in Samoa as with other international news agencies. TV3 has often been a reliable service provider to overseas media agencies who require a satellite feed for news footage from Samoa.
Other programmes include Manuo (magazine show) and SamoaTel's Showtime (singing competition).The station operates from 6 am to 12 pm and is received by 90% of Samoan households.[3]
In May 2024, RNZ reported that TV3 had moved its station completely online since it was unable to afford to broadcast traditionally.[4]
VBTV Previously (Vaiala Beach Television) is now operated as a Catholic station broadcasting EWTN, the Catholic TV satellite channel.
China's state-run broadcaster, China Global Television Network (China Central Television 9), relays its content on Samoa's free-to-air ultra-high frequency. It carries international and Chinese programs in the English language. It debuted in Samoa in 2005. The retransmission is part of a deal struck with (then) SBC-TV in return for the supply of some satellite reception and transmission equipment to SBC-TV by China.
SBC was Samoa's public television and radio broadcaster created by an act of Parliament in 2003, replacing the old Western Samoa Broadcasting Department. This government entity include both the former Televise Samoa (established in 1993) & Radio 2AP (established in 1929).[5]
The Samoan government then privatized it in late 2008 except the AM station, Radio 2AP.[1]
One of its biggest projects carried out in its short life-span as SBC has been the international television coverage broadcast in cooperation with TVNZ Pacific News Service, Maori TV & TV3 Samoa of the late Royal Highness, Malietoa Tanumafili II's State Funeral[6] as well as the South Pacific Games first live broadcast coverage in Apia 2007.[7]
A new Samoan free to air TV station was established and first aired in early 2006. It ceased operation in October 2007. The channels (10 and 11) are now used by EFKS-TV, a commercial channel operated by The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa.