History

The channel began broadcasting in 1956 and was known as Radiotjänst TV, A year later, it was renamed Sveriges Radio TV. In 1969, the second television station TV2 was launched and the existing channel became TV1. Both channels became a part of Sveriges Television (SVT) in the late 1970s.

When SVT reorganised the two stations in 1987, TV1 would only broadcast programmes produced in Stockholm. In 1996, the channels were reorganised again and renamed SVT1 and SVT2. Another reorganisation took place in 2001 with the primary target of making SVT1 the most popular television channel in Sweden.

SVT's main entertainment shows, the most popular being Melodifestivalen, Så ska det låta and På spåret are broadcast on this channel. Since 2006, SVT1 has fallen behind to commercial rival, TV4 (Sweden) in terms of audience share (22.2% for TV4 as opposed to STV1's 19%).

Programming

On weekdays, a typical broadcast day on SVT1 begins with the breakfast programme Gomorron Sverige (Good Morning Sweden) before the station hands over to the educational broadcasting company Utbildningsradion at 9:30am. SVT1 resumes with lunchtime programmes at 12:00pm before signing off the air until around 3-4pm. SVT1 programming continues throughout the remainder of the day and includes Bolibompa, an hour of children's programmes from 6pm and the main news programme Rapport at 7:30pm. Since December 2004, SVT1 broadcasts through the night with a simulcast of the news channel SVT24.

As opposed to SVT2, SVT1 is an entirely national station.

See also

• SVT2
• List of Swedish television channels

References