Television in Tunisia reaches 94% of households. The dominant platform in the market is free satellite, though terrestrial platform reaches around 15% of the households.[1] The country has seventeen free-to-air channels, two of which are owned and operated by the state-owned Télévision Tunisienne (formerly ERTT), El Watania 1 and El Watania 2. The two state-owned channels have undergone management changes since the 2011 revolution, and consequently changes in programming and content.[1]
It was officially introduced to the country on May 31, 1966, with the launch of state-owned Radio Télévision Tunisienne (now El Watania 1), broadcast from its first transmitter in Djebel Zaghouan. The service broadcast in both Arabic and French.[2] By 1971, television became available in all of Tunisia.[3]
Viewing shares, March 2015:[4]
| Position | Channel | Group | Share of total viewing (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asma Fehri | 26.7% | ||
| 2 | Karoui & Karoui World | 18.4% | ||
| 3 | 15.6% | |||
| 4 | Tarek Kadada | 8.1% | ||
| 5 | Établissement de la Télévision Tunisienne | 7.8% |