TV Slovenija 1

TV Slovenija 1, commonly styled TV SLO 1, is Slovenia's principal general-interest public television channel. It is owned and operated by Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVSLO), the country's public-service broadcasting organization, and serves as the broadcaster's flagship television outlet. The channel combines national news and current affairs with cultural programming, documentaries, drama, feature films, talk shows, children's content, entertainment and live events. The channel traces its origins to Televizija Ljubljana, which began broadcasting on 11 October 1958 as the third television station established in Yugoslavia, after the stations in Belgrade and Zagreb. In November of that year, the three operating television services formed Radio and Television Yugoslavia. Ljubljana initially received 30 percent of the shared broadcasting time, while Zagreb received 30 percent and Belgrade 40 percent. Although the service operated within the political and institutional framework of socialist Yugoslavia, the Ljubljana branch retained a relatively independent production role, and censorship was described as limited during the 1960s. From its earliest years, the service helped develop television production and transmission infrastructure in Slovenia. It broadcast a television play in November 1958 and transmitted a performance from the Ljubljana Opera in January 1959. In 1960, RTV Ljubljana began supplying material to the Eurovision network, including coverage of ski jumping from Planica. During its first decade, the organization concentrated on creating a transmitter network capable of reaching viewers throughout Slovenia. Rising television ownership associated with urbanization expanded the audience during the 1960s, while viewers in parts of the country could also receive signals from neighboring broadcasters such as Austria's ORF and Italy's RAI. A major cultural and institutional turning point came on 15 April 1968, when RTV Ljubljana began producing its own Slovenian-language edition of Dnevnik. Previously, a centrally produced edition from Belgrade had been used. The local edition strengthened the channel's role in expressing Slovenian language, identity and public life, and news remains one of TV Slovenija 1's central functions. Technical development continued through the 1970s. Work on the Krim transmitting station began in 1971, color production was introduced progressively, and the first color presenters appeared in 1972. New facilities capable of supporting color production were brought into use in 1975. The Dnevnik news program began broadcasting in color on 1 January 1978, marking an important stage in the modernization of the service. Today, TV Slovenija 1 occupies the broadest and most mainstream position within the RTVSLO television portfolio. It is designed to serve a national public-service audience rather than a narrowly defined genre or demographic. Its schedule typically balances scheduled news bulletins and public-affairs programs with locally produced series, international films, documentaries, cultural programs, family entertainment, children's programming and live coverage. The channel is also available beyond Slovenia through satellite and selected pay-television platforms. It has been carried via Eutelsat 16A across Europe, northern Africa and parts of the Middle East, and has appeared in television offers in Austria and Croatia. In January 2025, the channel announced a substantial reduction in controversial teleshopping-related advertising, including promotions for food supplements, following viewer complaints and similar changes elsewhere in the RTVSLO portfolio.

TV Slovenija 1 developed from Televizija Ljubljana, which began broadcasting on 11 October 1958. It was the third television station established in Yugoslavia, following the services in Belgrade and Zagreb. In November 1958, the three broadcasters formed Radio and Television Yugoslavia and divided shared airtime among their services. Ljubljana received 30 percent, matching Zagreb's allocation, while Belgrade received 40 percent. The Ljubljana service quickly established itself as both a production center and a transmitter-building project for Slovenia. Its first television play was broadcast on 22 November 1958, followed by a transmission from the Ljubljana Opera on 21 January 1959. In 1960, RTV Ljubljana started producing material for the Eurovision network, including coverage of ski jumping at Planica. During the 1960s, its main institutional priority was to extend television reception across Slovenia. Rapid urbanization and growing television ownership expanded the service's audience, while signal overspill also gave some viewers access to ORF and RAI broadcasts from neighboring countries. The station operated in a politically controlled environment, but the Ljubljana branch retained a comparatively independent production role. Concerns about political influence increased after Yugoslavia's federalization in 1963, although available descriptions characterize censorship at the Ljubljana station during the 1960s as limited. Debate also surrounded the language and origin of news programming. From 1961, there were calls for a locally produced version of Dnevnik rather than reliance on a centrally produced edition from Belgrade. On 15 April 1968, RTV Ljubljana introduced its own Slovenian-language Dnevnik, an important step in strengthening the service's linguistic and cultural identity. Transmission and production technology advanced during the 1970s. Work associated with the Krim transmitting station began in 1971. Color television was introduced gradually: presenters appeared in color from 1972, color-ready facilities were in use by 1975, and Dnevnik itself began color broadcasting on 1 January 1978. These changes helped transform the service from an emerging regional broadcaster into a modern national television operation. Following Slovenia's independence and the subsequent development of its public broadcasting system, the channel became known as TV Slovenija 1 or TV SLO 1 and operated within Radiotelevizija Slovenija. It evolved into the organization's principal generalist channel, complementing other television services while carrying the broadest mix of news, current affairs, culture, documentaries, drama, films, children's programming, entertainment and live events. The channel's reach is not limited to terrestrial viewers in Slovenia. It has been distributed by satellite through Eutelsat 16A to audiences across Europe, northern Africa and parts of the Middle East. It has also appeared in selected pay-television packages, including Magenta TV in Klagenfurt, Austria, and A1 Croatia. In January 2025, the channel moved to reduce teleshopping-related advertising, particularly advertisements for food supplements, by about 70 percent after complaints from viewers and comparable changes on other RTVSLO services. Material supplied for this entry also describes a planned 2026 programming response following Slovenia's boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest, with TV Slovenija 1 offering Palestine-focused programming under the title Glasovi Palestine.

• 2013

  Satellite distribution moves to Eutelsat 16A

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  The channel moves from Hotbird 13D to Eutelsat 16A for satellite distribution.

• 1978

  Dnevnik moves to color

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  The channel's main news program begins color broadcasting on 1 January after a decade of progressive color-production upgrades.

• 1968

  Local Slovenian edition of Dnevnik launches

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  RTV Ljubljana begins producing its own edition of Dnevnik, replacing reliance on the centrally produced Belgrade edition.

• 1960

  First Eurovision network contributions

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  RTV Ljubljana begins producing material for the Eurovision network, including ski-jumping coverage from Planica.

• 1959

  Early local productions expand

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  The service broadcasts a television play and later transmits a performance from the Ljubljana Opera.

• 1958

  Televizija Ljubljana begins broadcasting

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  The Ljubljana television service starts on 11 October as the third television station in Yugoslavia, after Belgrade and Zagreb.

• 1958

  Yugoslav television network established

  [1]TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org

  The Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade services form Radio and Television Yugoslavia and begin sharing broadcast time.

Flagship national public-service television channel with a broad, mainstream and Slovenian-language programming mix.

• News program · 1968

  Dnevnik

  TV Slovenija 1's principal news bulletin and one of the service's defining programs. A locally produced Slovenian edition began in 1968, replacing the use of a centrally produced Belgrade edition and reinforcing the channel's role in Slovenian-language public communication. The program later became one of the first major services on the channel to complete the transition to color broadcasting.

• Television channel programming · 1958

  Generalist television schedule

  The channel's core offering is a broad public-service schedule rather than a single program franchise. It combines news and current affairs with documentaries, films, drama, talk shows, children's programs, entertainment, cultural content and live events, giving TV Slovenija 1 the widest general-audience role within the RTVSLO television portfolio.

• 2026Glasovi Palestine

  Slovenia

  A planned week of Palestine-focused programming on TV Slovenija 1 following Slovenia's boycott of participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. The schedule was described as including a special edition of Dosje addressing Israel's status in the contest.

  Source

• 2025

  Reduction of teleshopping-related advertisingStrategy

  Background

  Viewer complaints concerned controversial teleshopping-related advertising, including promotions for food supplements. Similar advertising was also removed from other RTVSLO services.

  Action taken

  TV Slovenija 1 planned to cut this category of advertising by approximately 70 percent from January 2025.

  Aftermath

  The decision aligned the flagship channel with broader changes across the RTVSLO portfolio, although a later audience or financial impact was not specified.

  Source

1. 1TV SLO 1en.wikipedia.org
2. 2TV Slovenija 1 live streamava.rtvslo.si