History of Czech Television
Television has been broadcasting in our country for more than seventy years. First as Czechoslovak Television and after the dissolution of the federation as Czech Television. Its test broadcast began on May 1, 1953 from the Prague studio in Měšťanská besedá.
History of Czech television (1992 - now)
Czech Television was established on 1 January 1992 under the Act on Czech Television (No. 483/1991 Coll.) as a public service television. It currently broadcasts on six channels (ČT1, ČT2, ČT24, ČT sport, ČT :D, ČT art). Hynek Chudárek has been the Director General of Czech Television since 1 July 2025.
History of Czechoslovak Television (1953 - 1992)
In Czechoslovakia, television began to take its first steps in the 1930s. However, before any concrete results could be achieved, all activity was interrupted by war events. After the liberation in May 1945, research was resumed. With the start of test broadcasting in May 1953, we begin to count the history of Czechoslovak Television.
Historic dates
- 1953 first television broadcasting trial from Studio Prague started on May 1
- 1970 second channel ČT 2 was launched
- 1973 colour broadcasting on the second channel ČT 2
- 1975 colour broadcasting on the first channel ČT 1
- 1992 Czech Television was established based on the Czech Television Act n. 483/1991 Coll.
- 2005 news channel ČT 24 and DVB-T was launched
- 2006 channel ČT sport was launched
- 2010 HDTV was launched on satellite
- 2011 analogue switch-off
- 2013 new thematic channels ČT :D and ČT art were launched
- 2013 HD broadcasting in DVB-T: ČT 1 HD, ČT 2 HD, ČT sport HD
- 2013 professional platform Fórum Ultra HD was established – initiated by ČT
- 2014 DVB-T2/HEVC trial broadcasting – shared project with ČRa (Czech Radiocommunication)
- 2015 trial broadcasting UHDTV on SES Astra satellite
- 2018 Transition to DVB-T2/HEVC
- 2020 Termination of DVB-T network operation