ETB 2

ETB 2, also styled ETB Bi, is the second television channel operated by Euskal Irrati Telebista, the public broadcasting group associated with the Basque Country. Unlike ETB 1, whose programming is centered on Basque-language broadcasting, ETB 2 broadcasts entirely in Spanish. Its principal reception area covers the Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre in Spain, as well as the Northern Basque Country in France and some adjacent areas. The channel began broadcasting on 31 May 1986. Its launch was historically significant because it made Euskal Irrati Telebista the first Spanish regional television network to operate two channels and created one of the first Spanish-language television services outside the national broadcasting monopoly then dominated by RTVE. The channel's initial establishment took place in a legally contentious environment: the installation process was conducted secretly and without authorization from the national government, and ETB 2 initially operated under that disputed status. ETB 2's programming is designed for a broad Spanish-speaking audience in and around the Basque region. Its schedule includes news, interviews, films, documentaries, and other general-interest programming. The channel places particular emphasis on news and premiere cinema as part of its competition with national Spanish-language broadcasters. Sporting events are generally not a central part of ETB 2's schedule because Euskal Irrati Telebista has directed much of its sports programming to other channels in the group, helping preserve space for Basque-language broadcasts elsewhere in the network. The channel has also served as a complementary service within the wider ETB portfolio. Its Spanish-language output enables the group to reach viewers who may not primarily consume Basque-language television, while its regional news and current-affairs role gives it a distinct identity from national commercial and public broadcasters. ETB 2 is described in reference material as the highest-audience channel in the ETB group. On 21 December 2016, an HD version of ETB 2 was introduced, marking a technical upgrade to the service while retaining its Spanish-language and regional remit. ETB 2 remains an active regional television brand under Euskal Irrati Telebista. Its identity is closely linked to the Basque broadcasting system: it combines Spanish-language accessibility with regional news, culture, and public-service programming aimed at audiences across the Basque territories.

ETB 2 was launched on 31 May 1986 as the second television service of Euskal Irrati Telebista. Its creation expanded ETB from a single-channel operation into a two-channel regional network and gave the group a Spanish-language service alongside its Basque-language broadcasting. The launch was notable within Spanish broadcasting history because ETB became the first regional Spanish network to operate two television channels and because ETB 2 represented a Spanish-language channel outside the national television monopoly associated with RTVE. The channel's establishment occurred during a dispute over regulatory authority. The procedures for installing the service were carried out secretly and without authorization from the Spanish national government. As a result, ETB 2 initially broadcast in a legally irregular or unauthorized situation. Despite that controversy, the channel developed into a continuing part of the Basque public broadcasting system and established a reception area extending beyond the Basque Autonomous Community to Navarre, the Northern Basque Country in France, and certain surrounding locations. ETB 2's editorial and commercial role has been distinct from that of the other ETB channels. It broadcasts entirely in Spanish and is intended to serve the large Spanish-speaking audience within the region. Its programming has included news, interviews, films, and documentaries, with an emphasis on news and premiere cinema as it competes with national Spanish-language channels. Sports have generally been assigned to other services within the ETB network, particularly to support Basque-language broadcasting on those channels. This scheduling policy has contributed to ETB 2's general-interest and information-led profile. The channel's audience performance has been described as the strongest among ETB services. That position reflects its language reach as well as its regional programming remit. ETB 2 provides a channel through which Euskal Irrati Telebista can deliver regional information and public-service content to viewers who prefer Spanish, while the wider group maintains dedicated Basque-language output. A major technical milestone occurred on 21 December 2016, when an HD feed of ETB 2 was launched. The introduction of high-definition transmission modernized the channel's delivery without changing its core role. ETB 2 continues as an active Spanish-language regional television service within the Euskal Irrati Telebista group.

• 2016

  ETB 2 HD feed launches

  [1]ETB 2en.wikipedia.org

  An HD version of ETB 2 was introduced on 21 December 2016.

• 1986

  ETB 2 launches

  [1]ETB 2en.wikipedia.org

  ETB 2 began broadcasting on 31 May 1986 as the second television channel of Euskal Irrati Telebista. Its launch expanded ETB into a two-channel regional network and created a Spanish-language service outside the national RTVE monopoly.

• 1986

  Initial unauthorized operating period

  [1]ETB 2en.wikipedia.org

  The channel's installation procedures were carried out secretly and without authorization from the national government, so its first period of broadcasting took place in a legally disputed environment.

A Spanish-language regional public-service television channel serving audiences across the Basque territories and complementing Euskal Irrati Telebista's Basque-language services.

• Regional television channel · 1986

  ETB 2

  The core ETB 2 service is a Spanish-language regional television channel serving the Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre, the Northern Basque Country, and some surrounding areas. Its schedule combines regional and general-interest news, interviews, documentaries, films, and other programming. The channel is positioned as a Spanish-language complement to Euskal Irrati Telebista's Basque-language services.

• High-definition television feed · 2016

  ETB 2 HD

  ETB 2 HD is the high-definition transmission of the ETB 2 service. It was introduced in December 2016 as a technical upgrade to the channel's distribution, carrying the same Spanish-language regional broadcasting identity in a higher-resolution format.

• 2016

  Launch of the ETB 2 HD feedProduct launch

  Background

  The channel modernized its technical distribution after three decades of broadcasting.

  Action taken

  Euskal Irrati Telebista introduced an HD feed of ETB 2 on 21 December 2016.

  Aftermath

  ETB 2 continued its Spanish-language regional service with high-definition distribution.

  Source

• 1986

  Creation of a Spanish-language second channelStrategy

  Background

  Euskal Irrati Telebista expanded beyond its initial television service to reach Spanish-speaking viewers across the Basque territories.

  Action taken

  The group launched ETB 2 as an entirely Spanish-language channel, complementing its Basque-language broadcasting.

  Aftermath

  The launch made ETB the first Spanish regional network with two television channels and established ETB 2 as a major general-interest service within the group.

  Source

1. 1ETB 2en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official ETB 2 websiteeitb.eus