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Television has a long history inUkraine, where regulartelevision broadcasting started during the Soviet years in 1951. However the first ever TV broadcast took place on 1 February 1939 in Kyiv. Since then TV broadcasting has expanded, particularly after thefall of Communism in 1989, and now there are many different channels and groups in the Ukrainian TV market.
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The first official direct broadcast took place inKyiv on 1 February 1939 at Instytutska 2 on the corner ofInstytutska Street andKhreshchatyk Street.[1][2] It was 40 minutes long and showed the portrait ofSergo Ordzhonikidze.[1] This broadcast was experimental, and can today only be considered as an appendix to the radio. The image was no bigger than 3 x 4 centimeters, and extremely low resolution.[2] These broadcasts could only be seen by a select few people in Ukraine, as most citizens did not have access to a device that could see the image.[2] The Ukrainian television industry, while it recognizes the accomplishments of the house at Instytutska 2, does not officially recognize this as the birth of Ukrainian television, because the broadcasts were irregular, experimental, and did not last long.[1]
The majority ofKhreshchatyk was destroyed by deliberately placed Soviet secret service mines targeting the German forces in 1941, during the height of the war and the withdrawal of Soviet forces from the city. Few structures remained standing. One of the few structures that had even remotely survived the bombs and fires were some of the walls of the former complex atKhreshchatyk 26, although most of the building had been completely destroyed.[2] A new structure would be built using its original walls.
On December 15, 1948, theCouncil of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR and theCentral Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union created a resolution that the Ukrainian headquarters of a TV station should be built in Kyiv. At an amount of 43 million rubles,Joseph Stalin authorized the construction of a new Ukrainian headquarters for official Soviet television and radio broadcasting.[3] On April 18, 1949, the Executive Committee of theKyiv City Council announced the groundbreaking construction of the new building.[3]
On 6 November 1951, transmissions resumed when theKyiv Television and Radio Center was opened with a live broadcast of the patriotic movieThe Great Glow. The 6th of November has been officially recognized as the birthday of Ukrainian television.[1] The next day the telecentre went on the air again celebrating the 34th anniversary of theOctober Revolution with a special live broadcast from central Kyiv, the first outdoor broadcasts in Ukrainian TV history.[1]
In the early years of Ukrainian television, all programming was produced exclusively within the studio. Initially located at 26 Khreshchatyk Street, the Kyiv studio operated with just two, and later three, television cameras. Even with this limited setup, it was already possible to air segments from theatrical performances, concerts, and news bulletins.[4]
On 1 May 1952, Labor Day, a live concert was aired on film (shot in the small and only pavilion of the studios known as "Studio B") starring Ukrainian singers, soloists of the Kyiv Taras Shevchenko Opera Theater.[1] The anchorwoman of the concert was the Kyiv Telecentre's first announcer –Novela Serpionova.[3] The first three television presenters in the history of Ukraine were, in order;Novela Serpionova andOlga Danylenko in 1952, andOlena Nikolaeva in 1953. Nikolaeva replaced Serpionova when she returned to radio broadcasting in 1953.[5] Because Serpionova left before a full year was out, she was largely forgotten by most Ukrainian viewers, and her status as the first television presenter in Ukraine was not recognized until the 60th anniversary of Ukrainian television.
May 30, 1954, during the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of thePereiaslav Council, which commemorated the "reunification" of Ukraine with Russia, history was made. On that day, the first true outdoor broadcast of Ukrainian television took place: a live TV broadcast aired live from theKyiv Opera and Ballet Theater, where an official ceremony was held as part of the tricentennial celebrations. The broadcast was conducted using the PTS-49 outside broadcasting van—one of the first mobile broadcast units developed in the Soviet Union, based largely on an earlier American model. Although transmissions remained in black and white, the PTS-49 OB vans significantly expanded television's reach beyond the studio walls. This advancement enabled live coverage from stadiums, sports events, factories, exhibitions, and collective farms—marking what could be considered the true beginning of Ukrainian television as a public medium.[4]
Regular programming started to go on air beginning November 1956.[1] Until that year, the Kyiv TV Station went on air twice a day showing feature films or documentaries on a test basis.[1] Live broadcasting was the only form of broadcasting during those early years from Kyiv, as well as relays fromMoscow viaSmolensk andRostov-on-Don transmitters and film sent from there.[1]Videotaped productions (save for news programming and special coverages that were aired live) became the usual form for many productions in the mid-1960s.[1]
It was not until 1959 that Kyiv’s television studio presented its first program on central Soviet television. Because of the lack of infrastructure, this required transporting scenery, equipment, presenters, and technical staff to Moscow by several freight wagons—a major logistical effort.[4]
Following Kyiv’s lead, attention turned to other Ukrainian cities. InKharkiv, television pioneers led by engineerV.S. Vovchenko conducted trial broadcasts as early as 1951, converting part of the city's House of State Industry into studios and technical facilities. In 1955,Kharkiv completed a television tower, enabling the launch of a local television studio.[3]
Other cities soon followed. By early 1955, TV studios and proper broadcasting facilities were being built or planned in Stalino (now Donetsk), Dnipropetrovsk (Dnipro), Odesa, Lviv, and Yalta. Meanwhile,Chernihiv,Zaporizhzhia,Voroshylovhrad, andKryvyi Rih were designated to host relay stations, connecting them to primary TV hubs.[3]
By the early 1960s, ten regional capitals across Ukraine had established their own television operations. However, these studios functioned independently, lacking relay lines to interconnect them. Even Kyiv’s broadcasts remained disconnected from central television in Moscow.[4]
As a result of an ongoing expansion of broadcasts to other parts of Ukraine through the building of remote studios and broadcast transmitters, it was needed for DerTelRadio, theState Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting, operators of the TV service, to consider stating nationwide broadcasts, coupled with the future launch of satellite broadcasting. The long-awaited national channel signed on at last on January 20, 1965, under the nameUA:1 (UT-1), while on March 6, 1972, a second channel, UA:2 (UT-2), signed on - on the basis of part of the original 1956 channel. Its launch was approved by theCentral Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, formalizing a two-channel arrangement for Ukrainian television broadcasting.[1] The UT network switched toSECAM Colour in 1976, its 20th anniversary, ending a transition period that began in 1968.[1]
Under the 1972 arrangement that created UT-2, certain transmitters were dedicated exclusively to relaying TV broadcasts fromMoscow transmitters of Soviet Central Television, while others were reserved, often with lower priority, for republican or Ukrainian television programming. Prior to this, Ukrainian television operated under a single-channel model. Even after the change, local broadcasters often had to interrupt or block Moscow programming to air their own content, a practice that increasingly displeased Soviet authorities.[4]
In 1976, the 1972 arrangement was amended with the launch of UT-3, the third national channel of Ukrainian Television.
In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, the practice of organizing internationaltelevision bridges (live broadcast dialogues between studios in different countries) gained significant popularity. These programs symbolized a new era of openness during the period of Gorbachev’sglasnost, which eased restrictions on international communication across the formerIron Curtain. Between approximately 1987 and 1990, the Kyiv television studio organized around 20 such internationalteleconferences. These included exchanges with studios inBuckingham,Winnipeg,Kolkata, and others.[4]
During the1980 Moscow Olympics, not only was the event reported on from Kyiv, but correspondents from Kyiv were also present inMoscow, contributing to the broader broadcast efforts.[4]
By this time, the Kyiv studio had established itself as the central hub of Ukrainian television. It coordinated and integrated the work of 14 regional television studios, forming a single, unified creative and production network. The Kyiv studio alone was responsible for producing up to 18 hours of original programming each day. However, the availability of cinematic content was limited; typically, only one feature film per day was broadcast, sourced from the national film distribution system.[4]
The original Kyiv television center maintained a wide variety of editorial departments, each specializing in a particular area of programming—ranging from children’s and youth content to educational, scientific, and cultural broadcasts. This diversification ensured that television reached all segments of the audience with relevant and engaging material. Notably, a substantial portion of the programming was produced in theUkrainian language.[4]
Shortly after theDissolution of the Soviet Union, and the1991 Ukrainian independence referendum, Ukrainian public television moved from its former headquarters, theKyiv Television and Radio Center, into theKyiv Television Center in 1992.[6] This building was for many years the 6th tallest structure in Ukraine.[6]
In 1995, Zinovy Kulyk, then head of theState Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting, issued a directive that restructured the distribution of television channel signals across transmitters. The aim was to prioritize Ukrainian-produced content on national television. As a result, programs originating from Ukraine began to dominate the airwaves, while programming from Russia’sOstankino gradually disappeared. This was a turning point in the formation of a fully autonomous Ukrainian broadcasting landscape and shaped the identity of what would become theFirst National Channel.[4]
TheNational Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting, between 1995 and 2006 had issued over 2,000 licenses for various broadcasters across the country. The introduction and expansion ofcable television and cable infrastructure allowed for the development of a diverse, multi-channel environment, giving Ukrainian viewers access to a broader range of programming.[4]
After theOrange Revolution, Ukrainian television became more free.[7] In February 2009 the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting claimed that "political pressure on mass media increased in recent times through amending laws and other normative acts to strengthen influence on mass media and regulatory bodies in this sphere".[8]
As of January 2009,Ukrainian Prime Minister,Yulia Tymoshenko refused to appear in Inter TV-programmes "until journalists, management and owners of the TV channel stop destroying the freedom of speech and until they remember the essence of their profession - honesty, objectiveness, and unbiased stand".[9]
In early March 2014, Ukraine-based TV channels were removed in Crimea ahead of theRussian annexationreferendum.[10] Later that month, the Ukrainian National Council for TV and Radio Broadcasting ordered measures against some Russian TV channels accused of broadcasting misleading information about Ukraine.[11][12] In February 2015 the law "On protection information television and radio space of Ukraine," banned the showing (on Ukrainian television) of "audiovisual works" that contain "popularization, propaganda, any action of law enforcement agencies, armed forces, other military or security forces of an invader" was enacted.[13] One year later Russian productions (on Ukrainian television) had decreased by 300 to 400 percent.[13] 15 more Russian TV channels were banned in March 2016.[14]
According to the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No.509 dated June 13, 2018, analogue broadcasting was disconnected on the territory ofKirovohrad Oblast and Kyiv from July 31, 2018. The date of the switch-off of analogue broadcasting on the rest of Ukraine is August 31, 2018[15]
AResearch & Branding Group February 2021 poll found that for the first time Ukrainians preferred theInternet as their primary news source instead of television (51% preferred the Internet and 41% TV).[16]
In 2007 and 2008, experimental DVB-T broadcasts of few channels started in Kyiv andOdesa. Those turned out to be successful. Yet theDTT National Program is not approved by the government, thus the process is stuck. Because there are two versions of the program submitted: from the Ministry of Transport and Communications as well as from the State Committee of Television and Radio, there is no particular progress in 2008.
On 26 November 2008, the National Program of the Ministry was approved, but the final version and the public announcement of this fact is still on hold. Current version of the program does not take into notice any kind of Government financing, and the budget is to be private only, which will highly affect the TV industry and commercial broadcasters.
Besides there are 3rd parties, such as Television Industry Committee and National Association of Broadcasters which represent the communities of National and regional broadcasters respectively. Both organizations help the switchover not to affect the business of over 20 National and over 150 regional broadcasters.
The International Forum 'Digital Broadcasting in Ukraine' is the annual event that takes place in Kyiv, Ukraine. Its mission is to gather the most of international consultants and Ukrainian specialists to solve industry's problems in the DTT field. In 2008 the 2nd International Forum took place in Kyiv also.BBC,Deloitte and the Ministry of Communications of Finland representatives share the vision of possible plan of DTT implementation in Ukraine, delivering the best experiences from UK, Finland, France and US. Still none was taken into notice yet. It is now confirmed[18][19] that Ukraine's national terrestrial TV network, which is scheduled to be launched in September 2011, will use the DVB-T2 standard for all four nationwideFTA multiplexes, for both SD and HD broadcasts. Before settling for DVB-T2, Ukraine was testing both DVB-T/MPEG-2 and DVB-T/MPEG-4 options, and some experimental transmitters operating in those standards are still alive.
CommercialMMDS digital TV services work in Kyiv and some other cities.
DVB-C services delivering premium channels (in addition to standard analogue channels) launched in cable networks ofKyiv,Odesa,Kremenchuk,Poltava,Donetsk and some other cities.
As of February 2019, television broadcasting in Ukraine is available in a colour digital format, via:
There is a choice between several free-to-air commercial broadcasters as well as the public broadcaster, theSuspilne. In addition to its metropolitan asset,Pershyi and an art station,Suspilne Kultura, theSuspilne also owns regional stations in all regions of Ukraine. A national parliamentary channel, Rada, is available too.
Commercial television is dominated by three major broadcasters:1+1 media,StarLightMedia and Inter Media Group, which is the smallest Ukrainian major broadcaster. One of the main Ukrainian news channels, Channel 5, belongs to a former president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko.
Regional television in Ukraine consists primarily of independently owned networks not affiliated with major broadcasters in each region.
Subscription television consists of various providers. The largest providers areKyivstar,Viasat andVolia. In remote areas, there are many small independent providers that provide either satellite or cable television services.
Community television launched in mid-2010s to broadcastEuromaidan protests. As of 2019, the sector is represented byHromadske.tv which is an Internet television station.
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Some political and public activists[who?] criticize Ukrainian television, mainly some national channels, for broadcasting large amounts of content of Russian origin. According to calculations ofBoycott Russian Films activists, in September 2014 the amount of Russian productions on the leading Ukrainian channels ("Ukrayina", "ICTV", "NTN", "Novyi Kanal", "Inter", "STB", "2+2", "TET", "K1", "1+1") was approximately 40%. In October and December activists noticed increasing of amounts of Russian content on these channels, then Ukraine was at war with Russia.
Also activists[who?] criticise Ukrainian channels for their language policy. In October 2014 activists have published statistics on content language on Ukrainian channels. According to them, at the time 29% was completelyUkrainian language content, 39.3% completelyRussian language content, 23.5% Russian language content with Ukrainian subtitles, and 8.2% bilingual content (both Ukrainian and Russian).
During the2019 Ukrainian presidential election, various Ukrainian television channels supported a candidate for President of Ukraine.[23]
Five groups supported Poroshenko:
Three TV groups were very critical of Poroshenko:
Under the state-ownedNational Public Broadcasting Company,UA:Pershyi was critical of Poroshenko.
Victor Pinchuk'sICTV,Novyi Kanal andSTB were neutral.
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Since the start of theinvasion on 24 February 2022, most Ukrainian television channels switched over to the signal ofRada TV. The channel was made state-owned at the end of 2021. Following 26 February 2022, the four biggest broadcasters including the TV channelsPershyi,1+1,ICTV andInter began broadcasting a 24/7 united newscast calledUnited News (Єдині новини) that is produced in turn by the various channels and amended with official information by governmental agencies to "objectively and promptly provide comprehensive information from different regions of the country 24/7".[24][25][26]
| Suspilne |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1+1 Media Group |
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| Inter Media Group |
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| Starlight Media | |||
| Free Media Holding (former assets ofPetro Poroshenko) | |||
| Other terrestrial channels |
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| State-owned channels |
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| UP Hub |
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| Film.UA Group |
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| Volia (DVL) |
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| Torfey |
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| Poverkhnost+ |
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| Megogo |
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| Adjara Media Group |
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| Maincast |
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| Vianet |
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| Music Box Group |
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| Islandiya |
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| Nashe Media |
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| Eco Media |
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| Other channels |
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| Defunct channels |
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