Czechoslovak Television
 | |
| Type | Public television |
|---|---|
| Country | Czechoslovakia |
| Availability | Czechoslovakia |
| Headquarters | Prague, Czechoslovakia |
| Owner | Government of Czechoslovakia |
Launch date | May 1, 1953 |
| Dissolved | December 31, 1992 |
Czechoslovak Television (ČST) was founded on 1 May 1953 in Czechoslovakia. It was known by three names over its lifetime: Czech: Československá televize, Slovak: Československá televízia (until 1990), Česko-slovenská televízia (from 1990 onwards)
History
ČST started life as a single programme, airing for a short amount of time each day.
Like all other media in the Communist Czechoslovakia, the station was subject to heavy censorship. However, as part of the process of social liberation in 1968, for a few days ČST aired broadcasts about the Prague Spring. However, in 1969, it became part of the normalisation efforts on the national media.
Launch of second channel
On May 10, 1970, Czechoslovak Television began broadcasting a second channel, ČST TV2.[1]
Move to colour
Further technical improvements were made on May 9, 1973, when the first regular broadcasts in colour started on TV2, followed two years later by colour transmission on the first channel as well.
At the end of the decade, in 1979, a studio based in the Kavci mountains was opened, which became the home of ČST's news department.
Division of ČST TV2
After November 1989, lineup changes were made, with the first program being renamed F1 for the federal district, and the second program being split into the Czech ČTV and the Slovak S1, the first such division of channels by ČST. A third channel for Czech audiences, previously used by Soviet broadcasting was launched on 14 May 1990, called OK3. A similar channel for Slovak audiences called TA 3 was created on 6 June 1991.
Velvet Revolution
During the Velvet Revolution, ČST staff very quickly joined the side of the protesters and allowed them to spread important messages and broadcasts of the demonstrations.
Velvet divorce ends Czechoslovak Television
ČST disappeared along with Czechoslovakia on the 31st December 1992. Its successor in the Czech Republic is Czech television, and in Slovakia Slovenská televízia.
Around its dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the end of 1992, ČST was abolished, and the new companies, public service broadcasters, emerged:
- Czech Television, Česká televize (ČT)
- Slovak Television, Slovenská televízia (STV).
Gallery
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The startup and shutdown sequence of ČST
Directors of ČST
- 1953 – 1958 Karel Kohout
- 1958 – 1959 Milan Krejčí
- 1959 – 1963 Adolf Hradecký
- 1963 – 1968 Jiří Pelikán
- 1968 Bohumil Švec
- 1968 – 1969 Josef Šmídmajer
- 1969 – 1989 Jan Zelenka
- 1989 Libor Bátrla
- 1989 – 1990 Miroslav Pavel
- 1990 Jindřich Fairaizl
- 1990 – 1992 Jiří Kantůrek
References
- ↑ "Ceska Televize Prehistorie". Česka Televize. Retrieved 21 August 2014.