The National Television Company of Ukraine

About the Channel: History of the Channel

On February 1 1939 in Kyiv the first broadcasting took place from a small studio, that lasted 40 minutes and it showed portrait of Sergo Ordzhonikidze.
On November 6, 1951 Kyiv television centre broadcasted the patriotic- revolutionary film “The great glow” and the next day- solemnities, dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. It was the first broadcasting after the Great Patriotic War.
On May 1, 1952 a great concert with participation of the soloists of Kyiv Opera Theatre named after Taras Shevchenko was broadcasted from the only film studio (“studio B”) operating in the television centre.
In 1953 Kyiv Television Centre was built at 26 Khreshchatyk Street. From November 1956 regular television programs started to be broadcast . Earlier to this only documentary programs or feature films were broadcast twice a day. At that time all television programs were live, because the recording of programs appeared only in the mid sixties.
On January 20, 1965 Ukrainian television was founded.
From March 6, 1972 two channel television broadcasting became operational in Ukraine.
In 1983 construction of a new TV centre at 42 Melnykova Street started. However this centre was put into operation only in 1993.
In 2002 the National Television Company of Ukraine jointly with the National Cosmic Agency of Ukraine started to broadcast abroad. Satellite broadcasting of the programs by the First TV channel ensures informational presence of Ukraine in the mass media space : programs of the First National Channel can be watched not only in Ukraine, but also far abroad. As of today the First National channel is the only TV channel in Ukraine that ensures broadcasting coverage of 97 % of the territory of Ukraine. Its programs are oriented at all social sections of the population. Among priority directions of this channel there are information- publicistic, popular science, culturological, entertaining and sport events broadcasting.