Difference between revisions of "Qatar"

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{| {{small-table}}  
 
{| {{small-table}}  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|'''Country Number (?)'''||1977||[[Selling Doctor Who|SECOND WAVE]]  
+
|'''Country Number (?)'''||1978?||[[Selling Doctor Who|SECOND WAVE]]  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|'''Region'''||[[:Category:Middle East| Middle East]]||  
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|'''Region'''||[[:Category:Middle East|Middle East]]||  
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|'''Television commenced'''||15 August 1970||  
 
|'''Television commenced'''||15 August 1970||  
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|'''[[WRTH|TV Sets]]'''||1977|| 34,000  
 
|'''[[WRTH|TV Sets]]'''||1977|| 34,000  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|'''Language/s'''||[[Arabic]]||
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|'''Language/s'''||[[Arabic]]||Subtitled in English
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|}  
 
|}  
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==Television Stations / Channels==
 
==Television Stations / Channels==
  
Station: '''Qatar Television Service''', a government-owned commercial broadcaster. This is the only broadcaster, but it operates two channels: '''9, 11''', which is exclusively [[Arabic]]. (An English-only service, '''Channel 37''' was not launched until the mid-1980s.)
+
Qatar was one of the last countries in the Persian Gulf area to launch a local television service.
 +
 
 +
'''Qatar Television Service''' was a government-owned commercial broadcaster, operating two channels: '''9, 11''', both being exclusively [[Arabic]]. (An English-only service, '''Channel 37''' was not launched until the mid-1980s.)
  
 
'''Doctor Who''' therefore screened in [[Arabic]].  
 
'''Doctor Who''' therefore screened in [[Arabic]].  
  
Although QTS didn't commence its own colour transmissions until 1974, those with colour sets could receive transmissions from nearby [[Bahrain]], which had been transmitting in colour since 1973.  
+
Although QTS didn't commence its own colour transmissions until 1974, those with PAL colour sets could receive transmissions from nearby [[Bahrain]], which had been transmitting in PAL colour since 1973.  
  
Television receivers in [[United Arab Emirates]], and [[Saudi Arabia]] could also receive transmissions from Qatar.
+
PAL television receivers in [[United Arab Emirates]], and [[Saudi Arabia]] could also receive transmissions from Qatar.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Language/s==
 +
 
 +
The principal language of Qatar is [[Arabic]], with English a secondary common language. Television programming with Arabic dialogue were often subtitled with English; '''Doctor Who''' was broadcast in this dual format. 
  
  
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{{Arabic}}
 
{{Arabic}}
  
Qatar was we think the '''eighth''' country in the Middle East region to buy '''Doctor Who'''. It was one of the last countries in the Persian Gulf area to launch a local television service.
+
Qatar was we think the '''eighth''' country in the Middle East region to buy '''Doctor Who'''.  
  
  
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'''The Eighties''' [http://www.shillpages.com/howe/b-dw80s.htm - THE LOST CHAPTERS] records a sale of '''"(3)"''' stories by 10 February 1987.
 
'''The Eighties''' [http://www.shillpages.com/howe/b-dw80s.htm - THE LOST CHAPTERS] records a sale of '''"(3)"''' stories by 10 February 1987.
  
In '''DWM''', Qatar is identified in only '''two''' story Archives: {{AAA}} and {{PPP}}, with a sale date given as '''1977'''.  
+
In '''DWM''', Qatar is identified in only '''two''' story Archives: {{AAA}} and {{PPP}}, with a sales date given as '''1977'''.  
  
 
According to other BBC documents, the third story was [[Day of the Daleks]].
 
According to other BBC documents, the third story was [[Day of the Daleks]].
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|}
 
|}
  
The programme would have been supplied as PAL colour video tapes.  
+
Based on an eye witness account (see below), although QTS was a colour broadcaster, '''Doctor Who''' aired in black and white, in which case the serials were supplied as 16mm black and white film prints.  
  
Since the English-only channel did not launch until the mid-1980s, '''Doctor Who''' almost certainly aired in [[Arabic]].  
+
As noted above, since the English-only channel did not launch until the mid-1980s, '''Doctor Who''' almost certainly aired in [[Arabic]] but with English subtitles.  
  
====Origin of the tapes?====
+
====Origin of the Prints?====
Qatar, like the other Persian Gulf states – [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Bahrain]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] (and [[Kuwait]]?) - all screened the same episodes of '''Doctor Who''' (Pertwees and Bakers) around the same time, so it is expected that there was lots of tape exchanges taking place between these countries.  
+
The previous Arabic country to air black and white film copies of the same three Jon Pertwee serials dubbed into Arabic was [[Saudi Arabia]], in which case  Qatar's prints would likely to have been supplied from there.  
  
[[File:Qatar 1.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Generic listings for Qatar TV, 1977]]
+
[[File:Qatar 1.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Generic listings for Qatar TV, 1977 (two years too early…)]]
  
  
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===[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]]===
 
===[[Jon Pertwee stories|JON PERTWEE]]===
  
We have been unable to find any identifiable '''Doctor Who''' airdates for Qatar. The sales dates for the series are recorded as 1977, so the twelve episodes would have aired over a three month period during that year, or into 1978.
+
We have been unable to find any identifiable '''Doctor Who''' airdates for Qatar.  
 +
 
 +
We have been reliably informed by a viewer who lived in Saudi Arabia between '''August 1978 and December 1979''' that because they could receive broadcasts from nearby Qatar, they caught some of the QTS broadcasts of '''Doctor Who''' during that period.
 +
 
 +
Our viewer recalls that the series aired on Fridays in the late afternoon.
 +
 +
'''Doctor Who''' therefore aired in Qatar TV at some point during the 16 month window spanning late 1978 to late 1979, some two years after the programme had actually been "sold" to the station. (There may have been supply issues: both [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Lebanon]] aired Pertwee stories in 1977, and Qatar may simply have had to wait for the films to show up...)
 +
 
 +
====Fate of the Prints?====
 +
 
 +
Since these appear to have been the last ever broadcasts of these black and white Pertwees in the [[:Category:Middle East|Middle East]], the films would have been destroyed or returned to the BBC.  
  
  
 
==TV listings==
 
==TV listings==
  
Despite our having accessed and checked several Persian Gulf newspapers from 1976 onwards, there was no sign of '''Doctor Who''' in any of the listings for the '''Qatar Television Service'''.  
+
Despite our having accessed and checked several Persian Gulf newspapers from 1976 onwards, there were no identifiable listings for '''Doctor Who''' on the '''Qatar Television Service''' at all.
 +
 
 +
As can be seen in this Channel 9 & 11 listing from the [[United Arab Emirates]]'s ''Emirates Daily News'' from late 1977, Thursday had an unidentified '''"Children's Program"''' at 7.05pm, while Friday had an unnamed '''"Children's Series"''' at 3.45pm and a '''"Foreign Series"''' at 9.30pm.  
  
As can be seen in this Channel 9 & 11 listing from the [[United Arab Emirates]]'s ''Emirates Daily News'' in late 1977, there was an unnamed '''"Children's Series"''' at 3.45pm and something called '''"The Daily Dish'''" that ran from 4.05 to 6.45pm on both days, while Thursday had another unidentified '''"Children's Program"''' at 7.05pm, and Friday had a '''"Foreign Series"''' at 9.30pm. Any one of these could have been '''Doctor Who'''.  
+
Although this listing is in itself at least a year too early of when '''Doctor Who''' aired in Qatar, it is likely that any TV billings from 1978 and 1979 would also have the same generic "Childrens' Series" listings instead of naming '''Doctor Who''' by title.  
  
  

Revision as of 22:18, 19 December 2012

QATAR is a peninsular Middle Eastern country on the Persian Gulf.

Profile

Country Number (?) 1978? SECOND WAVE
Region Middle East
Television commenced 15 August 1970
Colour System 1 July 1974 PAL
Population 1977 175,000
TV Sets 1977 34,000
Language/s Arabic Subtitled in English


Television Stations / Channels

Qatar was one of the last countries in the Persian Gulf area to launch a local television service.

Qatar Television Service was a government-owned commercial broadcaster, operating two channels: 9, 11, both being exclusively Arabic. (An English-only service, Channel 37 was not launched until the mid-1980s.)

Doctor Who therefore screened in Arabic.

Although QTS didn't commence its own colour transmissions until 1974, those with PAL colour sets could receive transmissions from nearby Bahrain, which had been transmitting in PAL colour since 1973.

PAL television receivers in United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia could also receive transmissions from Qatar.


Language/s

The principal language of Qatar is Arabic, with English a secondary common language. Television programming with Arabic dialogue were often subtitled with English; Doctor Who was broadcast in this dual format.


DOCTOR WHO IN QATAR

الدكتور هو

Qatar was we think the eighth country in the Middle East region to buy Doctor Who.


BBC Records

The Eighties - THE LOST CHAPTERS records a sale of "(3)" stories by 10 February 1987.

In DWM, Qatar is identified in only two story Archives: AAA and PPP, with a sales date given as 1977.

According to other BBC documents, the third story was Day of the Daleks.


Stories bought and broadcast

JON PERTWEE

Three stories, 12 episodes:

AAA Spearhead from Space 4
KKK Day of the Daleks 4
PPP Carnival of Monsters 4

Based on an eye witness account (see below), although QTS was a colour broadcaster, Doctor Who aired in black and white, in which case the serials were supplied as 16mm black and white film prints.

As noted above, since the English-only channel did not launch until the mid-1980s, Doctor Who almost certainly aired in Arabic but with English subtitles.

Origin of the Prints?

The previous Arabic country to air black and white film copies of the same three Jon Pertwee serials dubbed into Arabic was Saudi Arabia, in which case Qatar's prints would likely to have been supplied from there.

Generic listings for Qatar TV, 1977 (two years too early…)


Transmission

JON PERTWEE

We have been unable to find any identifiable Doctor Who airdates for Qatar.

We have been reliably informed by a viewer who lived in Saudi Arabia between August 1978 and December 1979 that because they could receive broadcasts from nearby Qatar, they caught some of the QTS broadcasts of Doctor Who during that period.

Our viewer recalls that the series aired on Fridays in the late afternoon.

Doctor Who therefore aired in Qatar TV at some point during the 16 month window spanning late 1978 to late 1979, some two years after the programme had actually been "sold" to the station. (There may have been supply issues: both Saudi Arabia and Lebanon aired Pertwee stories in 1977, and Qatar may simply have had to wait for the films to show up...)

Fate of the Prints?

Since these appear to have been the last ever broadcasts of these black and white Pertwees in the Middle East, the films would have been destroyed or returned to the BBC.


TV listings

Despite our having accessed and checked several Persian Gulf newspapers from 1976 onwards, there were no identifiable listings for Doctor Who on the Qatar Television Service at all.

As can be seen in this Channel 9 & 11 listing from the United Arab Emirates's Emirates Daily News from late 1977, Thursday had an unidentified "Children's Program" at 7.05pm, while Friday had an unnamed "Children's Series" at 3.45pm and a "Foreign Series" at 9.30pm.

Although this listing is in itself at least a year too early of when Doctor Who aired in Qatar, it is likely that any TV billings from 1978 and 1979 would also have the same generic "Childrens' Series" listings instead of naming Doctor Who by title.


Links