Televizioni Tojikiston
The national television broadcaster of Tajikistan, headquartered in Dushanbe.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Televizioni Tojikiston is Tajikistan's national television broadcaster and one of the country's principal state media institutions. Based in Dushanbe, it operates the principal national channel historically associated with Channel One and is owned by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan through the state institution Television Tajikistan. Its terrestrial signal is distributed across Tajikistan, while cable and internet services make the channel available beyond the country. The broadcaster's origins lie in the construction of television facilities in the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic between 1956 and 1959. It began regular broadcasting on November 3, 1959, initially as the Stalinabad Television Studio, using the then-current name of Dushanbe. Its opening schedule combined a bilingual Tajik- and Russian-language news bulletin with a film and filmed material about Nikita Khrushchev's visit to the United States. The first identified presenter to speak on air was Rafuat Abdusalomov. The early service operated from a transmitter in Stalinabad on channel 1 using the Soviet television standard. Programming and infrastructure expanded rapidly during the first years. The news bulletin Axbor began as a three-minute Tajik/Russian segment and had reached ten minutes by 1960. A mobile studio was introduced in February 1960, and seven-day broadcasting began that July. The Dushanbe studio initially operated independently, but in late 1962 it became part of the Tajik SSR Radio and Television Committee. A relay connection between Dushanbe and Tashkent, completed in 1965, extended television reception to northern parts of the republic. Local color broadcasting began on July 7, 1975, after earlier color programming had depended on outside mobile facilities. By the late Soviet period, the broadcaster formed part of a wider network of Soviet and republican television services. Its workforce had grown from 54 people in 1959 to more than 400 by 1990. Following Tajikistan's independence, the service continued as a central national outlet and gradually modernized its production and transmission systems. A major technical transition occurred on June 26, 2006, when the broadcaster upgraded to digital technology and adopted the Channel One name. The change also eliminated the former afternoon interruption and enabled a schedule of approximately 18 to 20 hours per day. Full 24-hour broadcasting began in 2012. The channel's schedule is predominantly locally produced and includes news, public-affairs programming, films, series, and general entertainment. Russian remains important for imported programming, particularly foreign films acquired through the Russian market. In December 2014, the broadcaster conducted a limited experiment with showing selected Hollywood and Bollywood films in their original format rather than using Tajik or Russian dubbing. The experiment was restricted to particular days and included films such as The Great Gatsby. The current Televizioni Tojikiston name was adopted in June 2016. The channel began using high-definition production equipment in September 2017, and a further HD launch was announced in April 2022. The broadcaster remains an important national platform for Tajik-language programming and state communication, while its historical development reflects the wider technological transition from Soviet analog television to digital, continuous, and high-definition broadcasting.
History
Television facilities in Tajikistan were developed between 1956 and 1959, leading to the establishment of the Stalinabad Television Studio and the first national broadcasts on November 3, 1959. Because Dushanbe was then officially known as Stalinabad, the original institutional name reflected the Soviet-era city name. The first transmission combined a bilingual Tajik/Russian news bulletin with film and international news footage. Rafuat Abdusalomov is identified as the first person to speak on the station. The service expanded quickly. Its Axbor bulletin grew from three minutes to ten minutes by 1960, while a mobile studio arrived on February 2 of that year and regular seven-day broadcasting began on July 1. In 1962, after operating independently in Dushanbe, the studio became part of the Tajik SSR Radio and Television Committee. A relay line connecting Dushanbe with Tashkent was completed in 1965, bringing television reception to northern areas of the republic. The introduction of local color broadcasting on July 7, 1975 marked another major technical step; before then, color transmissions depended on mobile facilities from outside the republic. During the 1980s, Tajik television operated within the Soviet broadcasting framework, alongside Soviet, Tajik SSR, and Uzbek-language services available in the republic. By 1990, staffing had increased to more than 400 employees, compared with 54 at the beginning of broadcasting. After Tajikistan became independent, the service remained a central national broadcaster and continued to provide news, cultural material, entertainment, and public programming. A substantial modernization took place on June 26, 2006, when the channel adopted digital technologies and was renamed Channel One. The technical changes enabled a longer daily schedule and ended the former afternoon break. In 2012, the channel moved to 24-hour broadcasting. Its programming continued to emphasize local content, while foreign films and other imported material were often presented in Russian because of acquisition and distribution links with the Russian market. In late 2014, the broadcaster experimented with showing selected Hollywood and Bollywood films in their original languages on Thursdays and Sundays, without commercial interruptions. The channel returned to the Televizioni Tojikiston name in June 2016. HD equipment entered use in September 2017, and an HD-quality service launch was announced in April 2022. The channel is transmitted terrestrially across Tajikistan on VHF frequencies and is also accessible through cable and internet distribution in other countries. It is owned by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and operates through the state institution Television Tajikistan. Samandar Iskandarzoda was appointed director in August 2022.
- 2022
HD launch announced
[1]An HD-quality service launch was announced in April.
- 2017
HD equipment introduced
[1]HD production equipment began to be used in September.
- 2016
Televizioni Tojikiston name adopted
[1]The service adopted its current name in June.
- 2012
24-hour broadcasting
[1]Continuous round-the-clock broadcasting began.
- 2006
Digital transition and Channel One identity
[1]The broadcaster introduced digital technology and adopted the Channel One name on June 26.
- 1975
Color broadcasting begins
[1]Local color television broadcasts began on July 7.
- 1965
Relay connection reaches northern Tajikistan
[1]A relay line between Dushanbe and Tashkent extended television reception to the northern parts of the republic.
- 1962
Integration into the republican broadcasting committee
[1]The Dushanbe studio ceased to operate independently and became part of the Tajik SSR Radio and Television Committee.
- 1960
Mobile studio and expanded schedule
[1]A mobile studio was received in February and seven-day broadcasting began in July; the Axbor bulletin also expanded from three to ten minutes.
- 1959
First national broadcasts
[1]The Stalinabad Television Studio began broadcasting on November 3, establishing the service that later became Televizioni Tojikiston.
Products and positioning
A state-owned national broadcaster positioned as a principal source of Tajik-language news, public information, culture, and general television programming for audiences throughout Tajikistan.
Television broadcasting · 1959
National terrestrial television service
The broadcaster's core service is a national terrestrial television channel distributed throughout Tajikistan over VHF frequencies. It combines news, public information, cultural programming, films, series, and general entertainment, with a schedule that evolved from limited early transmissions to continuous 24-hour service.
News programming · 1959
Axbor
Axbor is the broadcaster's established news bulletin. It originated as a short bilingual Tajik/Russian news segment in the station's first years and expanded from three minutes to ten minutes by 1960. It represents the channel's long-running news and public-information function.
High-definition broadcasting · 2022
HD television service
The HD offering reflects the broadcaster's modernization of production and transmission. HD equipment entered use in 2017, followed by an announced HD-quality launch in 2022. The service carries a mixture of films, series, and general programs.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Original-language foreign-film experiment
Tajikistan
The channel experimented with showing selected Hollywood and Bollywood films without dubbing, limiting the trial to Thursdays and Sundays and presenting the films without commercial breaks.
Outcome. The source material describes the initiative as an experiment and does not establish a permanent programming change.
Brand decisions
2022
HD-quality service launch announcedProduct launchBackground
HD equipment had already been introduced in 2017, creating the technical basis for a higher-definition service.
Action taken
An HD-quality launch was announced on April 1 for programming including films, series, and other programs.
Aftermath
The broadcaster continued its transition toward modern high-definition distribution. The same year, Samandar Iskandarzoda was appointed director.
2017
Introduction of HD production equipmentGeneration changeBackground
The broadcaster continued its technical modernization after the earlier digital transition.
Action taken
HD equipment began being used in September.
Aftermath
The upgrade prepared the channel for higher-resolution programming and the later HD service announcement.
2016
Adoption of the Televizioni Tojikiston nameStrategyBackground
The service had operated under the Channel One identity since its 2006 digital transition.
Action taken
The current Televizioni Tojikiston name was adopted in June.
Aftermath
The broadcaster returned to a name directly identifying it with Tajikistan's national television service.
2012
Move to continuous broadcastingStrategyBackground
Following the earlier schedule expansion enabled by digitalization, the channel continued increasing its broadcast availability.
Action taken
The service began broadcasting around the clock.
Aftermath
The channel became a continuous national television service rather than an outlet with a daily transmission cut-off.
2006
Digital broadcasting transitionGeneration changeBackground
The broadcaster was modernizing its transmission technology and schedule after operating within an analog Soviet television system.
Action taken
It introduced digital technologies on June 26 and simultaneously adopted the Channel One name.
Aftermath
The afternoon transmission break was abolished, allowing a daily schedule of approximately 18 to 20 hours.
Sources2 sources
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