TVR (TV network) facts for kids
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| Type | Broadcast television network |
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| Country | Romania, Moldova through TVR Moldova |
| Motto | Imaginea timpului tău ("the image of your times") |
| Owner | Government of Romania |
| Key people | Dan Cristian Turturică, President and General Chairman |
| Launch date | 31 December 1956 |
| Former names | Radioteleviziunea Română (1956–1990; when it was the only radio-television company in the country) |
Televiziunea Română, or TVR, is Romania's public television company. It is also known as the "Romanian Television Society" (SRTV). TVR runs many TV channels, including TVR 1, TVR 2, TVR 3, TVR Cultural, TVR Folclor, TVR Info, TVRi, TVR Moldova, and TVR Sport. It also has six local studios in cities like Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Iași.
TVR 1 reaches almost everyone in Romania (99.8% coverage). TVR 2 covers 91% of the country. Other channels are mostly seen in bigger cities. Even though private TV channels often have more viewers, TVR offers many different programs. You can watch some shows online or internationally through TVRi. Since November 2019, TVR 1 and TVR 2 broadcast in clear high-definition (HD).
Discovering TVR's History
How TVR Started
TVR began in 1956 in Bucharest, the capital city. Its very first TV shows were broadcast on New Year's Eve, December 31. This happened from a small, old cinema studio. Since then, TVR has a tradition of hosting a special New Year's show. This show celebrates the past year and also marks the anniversary of television in Romania.
TVR During the Ceaușescu Era
New Buildings and More Channels
In 1969, TVR moved to a new, special building. This building was designed just for television. It is still the main headquarters today, holding the main studios and offices.
A second channel, TVR 2, started in 1968. It was first called Programul 2. After this, the original TVR became Programul 1. However, TVR2 stopped broadcasting in 1985. This was due to a "energy saving program" started by the country's leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu. TVR1 then became the only TV station in Romania. This lasted until the Romanian Revolution in 1989.
What Was Shown on TV
From 1966 to 1980, TVR showed many different programs. These included movies, TV series, and cartoons from Western countries. Shows from the United States and Western Europe were often broadcast.
Color TV and Shorter Broadcasts
In 1983, TVR was the first Romanian channel to broadcast in color. While most Eastern European countries used a different color system, TVR chose the West German PAL system. Plans for color TV started as early as 1968. But it was too expensive back then. Before 1990, only some shows were in color. Also, very few people owned a color TV set. Full-time color TV broadcasts only began after the Romanian Revolution around 1990.
Between 1985 and 1989, TVR's broadcast time was very short. It was only about two hours a day, from 8 PM to 10 PM. Most of this time was used for programs praising Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena. On Saturdays and Sundays, the schedule was a bit longer. The two hours of daily programming included official messages and some entertainment.
The typical weekday schedule during this time was:
- 7:53 PM The Romanian National Anthem.
- 7:57 PM Another official anthem.
- 7:59:30 PM Opening screen with a clock.
- 8:00 PM News (Telejurnal).
- 8:20 PM Special programs about Ceaușescu, like documentaries or music.
- 9:00 PM A play, opera, or a movie.
- 9:50 PM News (Telejurnal).
- 9:58 PM Closing music.
In 1988, weekday programs increased to three hours (7 PM to 10 PM). The American TV series Dallas was shown in the mid-1980s. It was the only Western show aired in color on the channel.
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TVR During the Romanian Revolution
During the Romanian Revolution in 1989, TVR was very important. On December 22, 1989, people took over the TVR building. They announced that the Ceaușescus had left. TVR then changed its name to "Televiziunea Română Liberă" (TVRL), meaning Free Romanian Television. On February 17, 1990, TVR2 started broadcasting again. TVRL then became TVR1.
TV and New Leadership
After the revolution, TVR was used by the new leaders, the National Salvation Front (FSN). This group was made of former Communist officials. They used TVRL to spread messages about people protesting against the government. They called these protesters "fascists." This led to problems in June 1990. After these events, the TVRL dropped the "L" and went back to being called TVR.
After the Romanian Revolution
Changes and Growth
After 1990, TVR went through many changes. It changed its look and identity several times. On January 1, 1993, TVR became a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
In 1995, TVRi was launched. This channel was for Romanians living outside the country. In 1998, TVR International changed its name to "TV Romania International."
On September 25, 1999, TVR1 became "(TV) Romania 1." In March 2000, TVR2 changed its look again. On March 1, 2001, TVR2 started broadcasting 24 hours a day. "Romania 1" followed soon after. The next year, TVR Cultural was launched. This channel focused on cultural programs. It closed in 2012 but was brought back in late 2022.
In 2003, TVR changed its identity again. On June 11, 2004, all channels were renamed "TVR" and got the same new look.
Hosting Events and HD TV
On December 2, 2006, Romania hosted the international Junior Eurovision Song Contest. TVR was chosen to organize this big event.
In August 2008, TVR got the rights to broadcast the UEFA Champions League football matches in Romania for three seasons.
On June 1, 2008, TVR HD was launched. This was one of the first channels to broadcast in high-definition. Big sports events like Euro 2008 and the 2008 Summer Olympics were shown in HD. A few months later, on October 1, TVR 3 was launched. This channel showed local programs from different regions of Romania. On December 31, 2008, TVR Info started. This channel broadcasts traffic news, live camera feeds from cities, and general news.
Eurovision Problems and Debts
In April 2016, Romania's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest was at risk. TVR owed a lot of money to the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). The debt was about 16 million Swiss francs (or 14.56 million euros) from 2007. The EBU set a deadline for Romania to pay. If they didn't, TVR would be removed from Eurovision and lose other services.
Two days later, the EBU announced that TVR was indeed removed. This meant TVR could not participate in Eurovision. They also lost access to news exchanges, rights to broadcast sports, and other helpful services from the EBU.
However, TVR returned to the 2017 contest. They made an agreement with the EBU to pay back their debt.
TVR Channels and Structure
TVR has seven national TV channels: TVR 1, TVR 2, TVR 3, TVR Cultural, TVR Folclor, TVR Info, and TVR Sport. It also runs TVR Moldova and the international service TVRi.
Due to money problems, TVR Cultural and TVR Info closed in 2012. However, TVR Info was replaced by TVR News a few months later. But on July 21, 2015, the TVR board decided to close TVR News too. It stopped broadcasting on August 1, 2015. On June 22, 2022, TVR relaunched TVR Info. TVR Cultural also came back on December 1, 2022.
TVR also has six regional TV channels, or "studios." These are TVR București, TVR Cluj, TVR Craiova, TVR Iași, TVR Tîrgu-Mureș, and TVR Timișoara. TVR HD was available from 2008 to 2019. After that, TVR 1 and TVR 2 started broadcasting in HD directly.
TVR Moldova broadcasts in Moldova from its studio in Chișinău.
| Name | Logo | Description | Date of launch |
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| TVR 1 |
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This is the main channel. It shows a mix of entertainment, factual programs, news, and public affairs. | 31 December 1956 |
| TVR 2 |
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This is a second general channel. For a while, it focused on arts and culture. | 2 May 1968 19 February 1990 |
| TVR 3 |
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This channel shows local programs made by TVR's six regional studios. | 10 October 2008 |
| TVR Cultural |
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This channel mainly shows new and old programs about arts and Romanian culture. | 26 April 2002 1 December 2022 |
| TVR Folclor |
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This channel features music and cultural shows. It focuses on the folklore and traditions of Romania. | 27 November 2023 |
| TVR Info |
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This is TVR's news channel. It broadcasts news, public affairs, and documentaries. | 31 December 2008 22 June 2022 |
| TVR Internațional |
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This is TVR's international channel. It is for Romanians living in other countries. | 1 December 1995 |
| TVR Moldova |
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This is TVR's channel for the country of Moldova. | 1 December 2013 |
| TVR Sport |
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This is TVR's sports channel. It shows football, volleyball, swimming, and many other sports. | 30 March 2024 |
| TVR Cluj |
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A regional channel for areas like Cluj and Bihor. | 3 January 1990 |
| TVR Craiova |
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A regional channel for areas like Dolj and Gorj. | 1 December 1998 |
| TVR Iași |
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A regional channel for the Moldova and Bukovina areas. | 3 November 1991 |
| TVR Tîrgu Mureș |
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A regional channel for areas like Mureș and Harghita. | 6 May 2008 |
| TVR Timișoara |
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A regional channel for areas like Timiș and Hunedoara. | 17 October 1994 |
How TVR Gets Money
Until 2017, TVR was funded by a special TV tax. Everyone who owned a TV set had to pay this tax. It also got money from advertising. Some private TV stations felt this was unfair. They rely only on advertising money. After the TV tax was removed in 2017, TVR is now mainly funded by the Romanian government. It still gets some money from advertising.
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See also
In Spanish: Sociedad Rumana de Televisión para niños
