List of television stations in Samoa

When television was introduced to American Samoa in October 1964, KVZK-TV was easily received, though the local radio station 2AP would lose listeners because of the Pago station's influence. Plans to launch a television station on the western side were discarded. At the time, KVZK-TV broadcast from 7pm to 10pm every evening except on Sundays, with a chiefly educational line-up.^[1] A proposal was made by KVZK to gift one of its surplus television transmitters (entirely in black and white) to Samoa (and another one to Tonga) in 1976,^[2] which was to be used for the country's first television station.^[3]

Television was introduced in 1993, under the auspices of the Samoa Broadcasting Corporation. Until then, the American side of the islands had television stations operational since 1964 (KVZK-TV). The analog network was switched off on August 31, 2020.^[4]

Digital terrestrial television broadcasts were first outlined in 2018, announcing a service of sixteen free-to-air channels, eight TV channels and eight radio stations. The network was built by Samoa Digital Communication Limited (SDCL).^[5] Regular broadcasts began on 9 October 2019.^[6] SDCL employs the DVB-T2 standard to deliver its signals and covers virtually the entire country.^[7]

A ceremony to launch the NUS TV broadcast and the NUS lifelong learning initiative was held at the School of Maritime Training on 29 March 2021. The new station launched alongside the National University of Samoa's NUS Lifelong scholarship initiative. Before the launch of the television station, NUS TV was limited to Facebook livestreams.^[8]

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.^[9]

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.

The station opened with funds from the Singapore and London branches of Council for World Mission, and within its first year, it had been operating at a loss, with CCCS members raising concerns at the costs, and recommending a cut in its staff.^[10] In 2017, the network reported losses of 3.6 million tala in the period ending December 31, 2016, which would possibly lead to a sale.^[11]

The Keil family privately owned TV station established its presence in the air in May 2006 and is part of the Apia Broadcasting Corporation.^[12]’

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.^[12]

In May 2024, RNZ reported that TV3 had moved its station completely online since it was unable to afford to broadcast traditionally, coupled by the high number of channels in such a small market like Samoa.^[13] In the next month, however, it had reverted its decision and resumed terrestrial broadcasts. At the time, it had a staff of 18.^[14]

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 (formerly CCTV-9), rebroadcasts 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.^[15] TV1 Samoa, through its parent company Samoa Quality Broadcasting, is still responsible for the relay.^[16]

TV9 was approved in 2019 and is owned by the government of Samoa's Broadcasting Services Division, long after the 2008 privatization of SBC.^[17] As of September 2024, TV9 airs local programmes, news from Australia's ABC, music videos and feature films.^[18] The channel was responsible for the television production of CHOGM 2024.^[19]