bTV (Bulgaria)

BTV (stylised as bTV) is the first private national television channel in Bulgaria. Owned by bTV Media Group, part of Central European Media Enterprises, and commanding a 37% market share, it is reportedly the television channel with the largest viewing audience in the country.

The network was previously owned by Balkan News Corporation, part of News Corporation. On February 18, 2010, after months of negotiations, News Corp announced that it would sell 94% of bTV (along with bTV Comedy and bTV Cinema) to Central European Media Enterprises. The US$400M deal was completed in the second quarter of 2010.

bTV is broadcast terrestrially in Bulgaria and by satellite internationally. Most of the channel's original content is available on its Internet site. bTV's first broadcast was on 1 June 2000 using BNT transmitters for Efir 2. The channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day on February 18, 2001, after having gradually extended its programming. On October 7, 2012, the channel began broadcasting in HD, while the old SD channel converted to a 16:9 format for most programs.

bTV is the leading channel in the bTV Media Group family, which includes bTV Comedy, bTV Cinema, bTV Action, bTV Story, and RING. The company also owns five local radio stations: bTV Radio, N-JOY, Z-Rock, Classic FM, and Jazz FM.