1+1

1+1 is a Ukrainian-language national television channel established in August 1995 and associated with the 1+1 Media group. It became one of Ukraine’s most recognizable broadcasters through a combination of news, entertainment, locally produced programming, imported formats, films, comedy, reality television, and election coverage. The channel’s first broadcasts began within two months of its creation, initially consisting largely of films and limited-schedule programming. From 1997, it operated on Ukraine’s national UT-2 network under a broadcasting licence, gradually building a broader schedule and a substantial national audience. The channel’s early operating model was constrained by a split schedule. Until 2004, 1+1 generally broadcast for approximately fifteen hours a day, with periods during which UT-2 programming occupied the frequency. On 30 June 2004, it received permission to broadcast continuously for twenty-four hours, allowing it to develop a full-day television service. Its reach eventually extended to approximately 95% of Ukrainian territory, making it one of the country’s most geographically available channels. News has been central to the brand since its launch. The Television Service of News, usually known as TSN, became a major news franchise with regular evening and late-night editions. Presenters including Alla Mazur became closely associated with the service and attained high levels of public recognition and trust. Alongside TSN, 1+1 developed a broad entertainment portfolio, including Breakfast with 1+1, The Voice of Ukraine, Dancing with the Stars, Wife Swap, Four Weddings, and Evening Quarter. The channel also carried political debates, election-night marathons, documentaries, social initiatives, and live public-affairs programming. 1+1 played a visible role in Ukrainian political and media life. During the 2004 presidential election, critics accused the channel of presenting coverage favorable to Viktor Yanukovych and of operating under political pressure associated with the administration of President Leonid Kuchma. Journalists and presenters protested the conditions, and some left the channel or declined to deliver news. These events occurred during the broader media resistance that preceded the Orange Revolution. The channel has also faced disputes over broadcasting rights and ownership, including litigation connected with the UT-2 frequency and later corporate control. The brand modernized its technical presentation over time. It began widescreen broadcasting in January 2017, launched HD broadcasting in September 2019, and introduced a 25th-anniversary rebrand in August 2020. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the channel’s role changed substantially. From 1 December 2022, the original 1+1 service was branded 1+1 Marafon and primarily relayed the United News national telethon. Entertainment programming was shifted to a separate service, 1+1 Ukraine, which began broadcasting in December 2022 using the 1+1 International licence. The 1+1 brand therefore continues to function both as a television identity and as part of Ukraine’s wartime national information infrastructure.

1+1 was founded in August 1995 under the leadership of Alexander Rodnyansky. Its first broadcast followed within two months. The channel entered the Ukrainian market with a relatively modest schedule, initially relying heavily on films, but quickly developed into a national general-interest broadcaster. From 1997 it transmitted through the UT-2 national network under a licence issued by Ukraine’s National Television and Radio Council. During its first years, 1+1 did not broadcast continuously. Its schedule generally covered morning and afternoon-to-late-night periods, while UT-2 content occupied part of the frequency during the day. This limitation ended in June 2004, when the channel received authorization for twenty-four-hour broadcasting. The change allowed it to expand news, entertainment, original productions, acquisitions, and advertising inventory across a complete daily schedule. News became one of the channel’s defining strengths through TSN, its Television Service of News. The service developed a stable presenter lineup and became a highly recognizable source of information for Ukrainian viewers. 1+1 also pursued a strategy of combining local stars with internationally successful formats. Its schedule included morning television, talent competitions, celebrity dance competitions, family and lifestyle reality shows, comedy, documentaries, and political programming. Evening Quarter, created by Kvartal 95 Studio, became one of its prominent comedy properties, while The Voice of Ukraine and Dancing with the Stars connected the broadcaster to global format franchises. The channel was involved in several important disputes during the development of Ukraine’s post-Soviet media system. In the late 1990s, it challenged the continued use of the UT-2 licence by another broadcaster that had stopped programming the frequency. The dispute was resolved in 2000 in 1+1’s favor. The channel also attracted criticism during the 2004 presidential election, when journalists and outside observers alleged that its news coverage favored Viktor Yanukovych and reflected pressure from the presidential administration. Several journalists departed or resisted delivering coverage, contributing to a wider media protest associated with the Orange Revolution. Ownership and corporate-control issues formed another stage of the channel’s history. The 1+1 corporate structure became associated with Ihor Kolomoisky after a legal dispute over a controlling shareholding, while Rodnyansky later moved away from day-to-day leadership. The channel continued to expand its national reach and technical capabilities, introducing widescreen broadcasting in 2017, HD transmission in 2019, and a 25th-anniversary visual identity in 2020. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 transformed the channel’s programming role. 1+1 participated in the United News telethon, a coordinated national information service. From December 2022 the original 1+1 channel was branded 1+1 Marafon and devoted its output primarily to the telethon. Entertainment programming was separated into 1+1 Ukraine, which began broadcasting in December 2022 through the 1+1 International licence. The brand remains active as part of Ukraine’s television and wartime media system.

• 2022

  Transition to 1+1 Marafon

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The original 1+1 service is reorganized around the United News national telethon and branded 1+1 Marafon.

• 2022

  1+1 Ukraine launches

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  A separate service begins carrying the brand’s entertainment output.

• 2020

  25th-anniversary rebrand

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The channel refreshes its identity for its twenty-fifth anniversary.

• 2019

  HD service introduced

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The broadcaster starts broadcasting in high definition.

• 2017

  Widescreen transmission introduced

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  1+1 begins broadcasting in widescreen format.

• 2004

  24-hour broadcasting begins

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The channel receives official permission to broadcast around the clock.

• 2000

  UT-2 licensing dispute is resolved

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  A court dispute concerning use of the UT-2 frequency is resolved in favor of 1+1.

• 1997

  Regular transmission on UT-2

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The channel begins continuous regular operation on Ukraine’s national UT-2 network under a broadcasting licence.

• 1995

  1+1 is founded

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The Ukrainian national television channel is established in August under the leadership of Alexander Rodnyansky.

• 1995

  First broadcast

  [1]1+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  1+1 begins broadcasting within two months of its foundation.

A mass-market Ukrainian national broadcaster combining trusted news, locally produced entertainment, international television formats, comedy, and public-affairs coverage. Since 2022, the original channel identity has been strongly associated with wartime news broadcasting through the United News telethon.

• Television news · 1995

  TSN

  TSN, or the Television Service of News, is 1+1’s long-running news franchise. It provides scheduled coverage of Ukrainian and international political, social, cultural, and current-affairs stories. The service became particularly important during the 2022 war period, when 1+1 contributed to the coordinated United News telethon.

• Morning television · 2002

  Breakfast with 1+1

  A morning programme combining news, interviews, lifestyle features, fitness, fashion, relaxation, travel, and audience interaction. It began in 2002 as a weekday programme and later expanded to include weekend editions.

• Talent competition

  The Voice of Ukraine

  The Ukrainian edition of the international singing format The Voice. Contestants compete through staged performances, with coaches, judges, and viewers participating in the selection of successful performers.

• Reality competition

  Dancing with the Stars

  A celebrity dance competition pairing public figures with professional dancers. Couples perform prescribed routines and are evaluated through judges’ scores and audience voting until a final winning pair remains.

• Comedy · 2012

  Evening Quarter

  A comedy and satire programme developed by Kvartal 95 Studio. Its performances use sketches and topical humor to comment on Ukrainian public life, politics, and society. The programme has been associated with 1+1 since 2012.

• News television · 2022

  1+1 Marafon

  The wartime iteration of the original 1+1 channel, introduced in December 2022 to relay the United News national telethon. It represents the channel’s shift from a general-interest schedule toward coordinated national news coverage.

• Entertainment television · 2022

  1+1 Ukraine

  A separate Ukrainian service introduced in December 2022 to carry entertainment programming associated with the 1+1 brand after the original channel became focused on the United News telethon.

• 2014

  New Year broadcast featuring Oleg Gazmanov

  A New Year’s Eve edition of the Disco TV programme featured Russian singer Oleg Gazmanov. Because he had signed a petition supporting Russian actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, the broadcast generated public criticism and prompted Ukraine’s National Council on Television and Radio to review possible broadcasting violations.

  Source

• 2004

  Election coverage criticism and journalist protest

  During the 2004 presidential election, critics accused 1+1 of favoring Viktor Yanukovych and reflecting political pressure associated with the Kuchma administration. Several journalists left or refused to present news, contributing to the broader media resistance surrounding the Orange Revolution.

  Source

Read more

• 2006Election 2006

  Ukraine

  A long-form television marathon covering Ukraine’s parliamentary election period, including live political developments and related reporting.

  Outcome. It expanded 1+1’s role as a national political-news broadcaster.

  Source
• 20062006 election debates

  Ukraine

  Live debates involving political parties and coalitions were produced as part of the channel’s election coverage.

  Outcome. The project provided televised debate programming during the election campaign.

  Source
• 2004There Are No Children Without Parents

  Ukraine

  A social project conducted with Ukrainian public institutions and an adoption center to draw attention to children without parental care.

  Source

• 2022

  Reorganization around the United News telethonStrategy

  Background

  Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine led Ukrainian broadcasters to coordinate national wartime news coverage.

  Action taken

  The original service was branded 1+1 Marafon and used primarily to relay United News, while entertainment output moved to 1+1 Ukraine.

  Aftermath

  The 1+1 brand became more directly associated with national wartime information broadcasting, with entertainment distributed through a separate service.

  Source

• 2019

  HD transmission launchOther

  Background

  The broadcaster continued its technical modernization.

  Action taken

  1+1 launched HD broadcasting.

  Aftermath

  Viewers gained access to a higher-definition version of the channel.

  Source

• 2017

  Widescreen upgradeOther

  Background

  Television viewing standards were moving toward widescreen presentation.

  Action taken

  1+1 began broadcasting in widescreen format.

  Aftermath

  The channel’s presentation was brought into line with modern television display formats.

  Source

• 2004

  Move to continuous broadcastingStrategy

  Background

  The channel’s early schedule was limited by periods in which UT-2 programming occupied the national frequency.

  Action taken

  After receiving official permission, 1+1 adopted a twenty-four-hour broadcasting schedule.

  Aftermath

  The decision enabled a fuller news, entertainment, and advertising schedule.

  Source

1. 11+1 (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official 1+1 website1plus1.ua