Libya Alhurra TV ( ar, قناة ليبيا الحرة), meaning Free Libya TV, is an Internet television channel founded by Mohamed Nabbous on 19 February 2011 at the start of the

Libyan Civil War Demographics of Libya is the demography of Libya, specifically covering population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, and religious affiliations, as well as other aspects of the Libyan population. The ...

. It was the first private television station in

Benghazi Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη (''Berenice'') and ''Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Ghazi ...

, in the east of the

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

. The channel's purpose is to provide the world with news and exclusive on-ground footage from Benghazi during the civil war. Libya Alhurra TV was the only TV broadcast from Benghazi when

Muammar Gaddafi Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, . Due to the lack of standardization of transcribing written and regionally pronounced Arabic, Gaddafi's name has been romanized in various ways. A 1986 column by ''The Straight Dope'' lists 32 spellin ...

shut down Internet lines as the war began. (A rebel-controlled ''radio'' station,

Voice of Free Libya Voice of Free Libya (Arabic: صوت ليبيا الحرة ''Sawt Libya al-Hurra'') is the name used by three radio stations aligned to the anti-Gaddafi forces that began broadcasting in February 2011, operating from the cities of Benghazi, Bayda ...

, was also broadcasting from Benghazi at that time.) Alhurra TV was able to bypass government blocks on the Internet in order to broadcast live images from Benghazi across the world. On 19 March 2011, Nabbous was killed by pro-Gaddafi troops during the

Second Battle of Benghazi The Second Battle of Benghazi was a battle in the Libyan Civil War between army units and militiamen loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and anti-Gaddafi forces in Benghazi. The battle marked the start of a United Nations-mandated military i ...

. His wife Samra Naas announced his death on the same day and vowed to continue with the channel in his stead. Along with a remaining team member, the channel obtained, produced and broadcast original contributions of raw footage from pro-opposition individuals both inside and outside the country.

References

{{Reflist 2011 establishments in Libya Arabic-language television stations Internet television channels First Libyan Civil War Mass media in Benghazi Television channels and stations established in 2011 Television stations in Libya