Radio Belgrade

What Radio Belgrade does

Radio Belgrade is the radio division of RTS (Radio Television of Serbia), the national public broadcaster owned by the Republic of Serbia, operating from its headquarters at Francuska 7 in Belgrade. Established in 1924, it is the oldest electronic media institution in the Balkans and one of the oldest radio stations in Europe, having celebrated its centennial in 2024. The station delivers four main radio programs (Radio Beograd 1 news/information, Radio Beograd 2 culture and society, Radio Beograd 3 classical music and opera, and Beograd 202 youth-oriented music) plus a Drama Program, and since 2019-2022 has expanded into five thematic digital channels (RTS Pletenica for folk music, RTS Rokeneroler for pop/rock, RTS Džuboks for evergreen, RTS Vrtéška for children, and RTS Džezer for jazz).

The underlying technology stack combines traditional FM (UKT) and AM (MW) terrestrial transmission across 49+ locations in Serbia with DAB+ digital terrestrial broadcasting (available since April 2023), internet streaming via the RTS Planeta OTT platform, and the RTS Zvuk mobile and web application. Since March 2024, all programs are additionally distributed on Telekom Srbija TV platforms. A foundational asset is the Sound Archive of Radio Belgrade, a nearly 99-year-old collection spanning 1924 to the present — one of the richest audio archives in Europe — which is being digitized with support from the Government of Serbia and underpins the thematic channel content.

Radio Belgrade operates as a public service broadcaster funded primarily through Serbia's public broadcasting license fees, with no direct subscription charge for the main programs. The newer thematic channel RTS Džezer is financed as a separate paid distribution service outside the basic channel package. It serves the general Serbian population (primary segment), the Serbian diaspora worldwide via RTS Planeta, and specialized audiences including music enthusiasts, culture and arts listeners, and children. As a state-mandated public broadcaster within RTS, it has no independent ownership or capital structure and operates under Serbia's Law on Public Media Services.

Name

Radio Belgrade

Legal name

Javna medijska ustanova Radio Television of Serbia (JMU RTS)

Website

https://radiobeograd.rs

Company type

Public

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Radio Belgrade is the national public service radio broadcaster of Serbia, part of state-owned RTS, operating four main programs and five thematic digital channels across FM/AM, DAB+, internet, and TV platforms to serve the Serbian public and diaspora.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG), Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL), Radio Program Syndication (Talk, Music, Sports) (MPABAMAE)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• Radio programming services
• Cultural broadcasting
• Music broadcasting
• News broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgrade

HQ country

Serbia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Broadcasting License Fee: As part of the public broadcaster RTS (Radio Television of Serbia), Radio Belgrade is funded through public broadcasting license fees collected from citizens. This is a recurring, mandated funding mechanism typical for public service media.
2. Thematic Channel Subscription (RTS Džezer): The new thematic channel RTS Džezer is financed through revenue from channel distribution to users and is distributed as a separate service that is not part of the basic channel package. Revenue from the RTS Package covers operational costs and enables reinvestment in new content production and archiving.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Radio Belgrade is a public service radio broadcaster that produces and distributes news, cultural, music, drama, and educational programming across four main radio channels (Radio Beograd 1, 2, 3, and Beograd 202) and five thematic digital channels covering folk, rock/pop, evergreen, children's, and jazz music. The station distributes its content free of charge via FM/AM terrestrial radio, DAB+ digital broadcasting, internet streaming (RTS Planeta), mobile apps (RTS Zvuk), and TV platforms (Telekom Srbija), targeting both domestic Serbian audiences and the global Serbian diaspora.

Product overview

Radio Belgrade is a multi-platform public radio broadcaster offering five main radio programs (Radio Beograd 1, 2, 3, Beograd 202, and Drama Program) plus five thematic music channels (RTS Плетеница, RTS Рокенролер, RTS Џубокс, RTS Вртешка, and RTS Џезер). The station distributes content via traditional FM/MW radio frequencies, DAB+ digital broadcasting, TV platforms (Telekom Srbija), and digital platforms including RTS Planeta streaming platform and RTS Zvuk mobile/web application. The programming spans news/information, culture, classical music, jazz, folk, pop/rock, evergreen music, and children's content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Timočka lira: Literary award for young poets up to 30 years old, awarded at the Festival of Youth Culture in Knjaževac, co-sponsored by Radio Belgrade 2 since 1994
• RTS Džezer
• RTS Pletenica
• RTS Rokeneroler
• RTS Džuboks
• RTS Vrtěška

Products and services

• Radio Beograd 1 (Радио Београд 1)
• Radio Beograd 2 (Радио Београд 2)
• Radio Beograd 3 (Радио Београд 3)
• Beograd 202 (Београд 202)
• Drama Program (Драмски програм)
• RTS Pletenica (РТС Плетеница)
• RTS Rokeneroler (РТС Рокенролер)
• RTS Džuboks (РТС Џубокс)
• RTS Vrtéška (РТС Вртешка)
• RTS Džezer (РТС Џезер)
• RTS Planeta (РТС Планета)
• RTS Zvuk (РТС Звук)

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, minor and flagship.

• Telekom SrbijamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2024Since March 1, 2024, all Radio Belgrade programs (Radio Beograd 1, 2, 3, and Beograd 202) as well as thematic channels (RTS Pletenica, RTS Rokeneroler, RTS Džuboks, RTS Vrtéška) became available on all TV platforms of Telekom Srbija in Serbia and abroad. This partnership enables listeners to access Radio Belgrade content via TV screens, significantly expanding reach.
• Government of the Republic of SerbiacoreOthers · 1 January 2024The digitization of the Sound Archive of Radio Belgrade is being carried out with the support of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. This project preserves nearly 99 years of cultural heritage for future generations and enables content sharing through thematic digital channels.
• COPEAM (Conference of Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Radio Belgrade participated in the COPEAM regional competition 'Create Program Using Archive' with the audio-visual work 'Sefardijada – Nit Mediterana' by Marija Vitas, winning the competition. The theme was relations among Mediterranean countries from a historical perspective.
• PGP RTS (Record Label)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2022PGP RTS, the oldest record label in the Balkans, is an integral partner providing archival and new audio recordings for Radio Belgrade's thematic channels. Jazz releases from PGP RTS are featured on RTS Džezer, folk music on RTS Pletenica, and children's music on RTS Vrtéška. The label is a key source of content for thematic channel playlists.
• Musical Production of RTScoreTechnology or Integration · 18 July 2022The Musical Production of RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) provides archival and new audio recordings for Radio Belgrade's thematic channels. Its content forms the backbone of RTS Džezer (jazz) and other thematic channels, including recordings of the Big Band RTS.
• Kolarcareva zadužbina (Kolarac Endowment)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2022Radio Beograd 2 partners with the Kolarcareva zadužbina for the 'Poetry Live!' (Poeizija uživo!) program cycle, hosting young poets who are winners of the Timočka lira award in live events at the Kolarac Endowment venue.
• Festival of Youth Culture of Serbia, KňajevoflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Since 1994, Radio Beograd 2 has partnered with the Festival of Youth Culture of Serbia in Kňajevo to present the 'Timočka lira' award, recognizing the best young poet under 30 years through an anonymous literary competition culminating in a final poetry evening. The winner receives publication of their first poetry book by Radio Beograd 2.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NPR (National Public Radio): NPR is the United States' major public radio network, funded through membership and underwriting. While structurally different (membership-based vs. license-fee), NPR is comparable in its public service mission, cultural programming, and digital distribution (podcasts, streaming apps) approach relevant to Radio Belgrade's modernization trajectory.
• Radio France: Radio France is France's national public radio broadcaster, operating seven thematic channels (France Inter, France Culture, France Musique, Fip, etc.) funded through public broadcasting fees. It is highly comparable as a multi-channel public radio broadcaster with strong cultural and music programming mandates.
• BBC Radio: BBC Radio is the United Kingdom's public service radio broadcaster, operating multiple national and regional stations (Radio 1-4, Radio 5 Live, plus digital stations). It is structurally comparable as a publicly funded multi-channel radio network with cultural programming, news, drama, and music content funded by license fees.

Emerging players

• Deutsche Welle: Deutsche Welle is Germany's international public broadcaster, producing radio and digital content in multiple languages. While focused internationally rather than domestically, it shares the public broadcaster DNA, multi-language programming, and global streaming distribution model relevant to Radio Belgrade's diaspora strategy.

Regional players

• RTV Slovenia: RTV Slovenia is Slovenia's national public broadcaster, operating Radio Slovenia with multiple channels (Prvi, Val 202, ARS, Radio SI). It is a regional public radio peer in the same geographic market (former Yugoslavia), with comparable scale, mandate, and cultural programming focus.
• Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG): RTCG is the national public broadcaster of Montenegro, operating Radio Montenegro alongside television channels. It is a regional public broadcaster in the same Balkan market with similar scale, funding, and mandate structure as Radio Belgrade.
• Radio Romania: Radio Romania is the national public radio broadcaster of Romania, operating multiple channels covering news, culture, music, and youth. It is a regional peer in the Eastern European public broadcaster landscape with similar mandate, funding model, and multi-channel structure.
• Croatian Radio (HRT): Croatian Radio is the public radio broadcaster of Croatia, part of HRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija), operating multiple radio channels (HR1, HR2, HR3) and a regional public broadcaster structurally equivalent to Radio Belgrade. It serves a similar Balkan market with comparable public service mandate and language considerations.

Direct peers

• Czech Radio (Český rozhlas): Czech Radio is the Czech Republic's public service radio broadcaster, operating multiple national channels (Radiožurnál, Dvojka, Trojka, Plus, Wave, D-dur, Jazz, Pohoda, Rádio Junior, Regionální) and a thematic digital strategy. Highly comparable as a multi-channel public radio operator with cultural programming and jazz/genre-specific channels.
• RTS (Radio Television of Serbia): RTS is the parent public broadcaster of Radio Belgrade. While Radio Belgrade is the radio division of RTS, RTS itself operates the broader national television and digital platforms (RTS Planeta, RTS Zvuk) that distribute Radio Belgrade's content, making it the most direct operational peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/rts
• Facebookfacebook.com/rts
• Instagraminstagram.com/rts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/radio-belgrade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Radio Belgrade