Type | Broadcast radio and television |
---|---|
Country | Iceland |
Availability | National; international (selected programs via the Internet) satellite Thor 5 ends 31 - Thor 6 |
Owner | Government of Iceland |
Key people
|
Magnús Geir Þórðarson, CEO |
Launch date
|
1930 (incorporation) 1930 (radio) 1966 (television) |
Official website
|
www.ruv.is Company information in English |
Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV) (pronounced [ˈriːcɪsˌuːtvar̥pɪð] or [ˈruːv]) (English: 'The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service') is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization.
Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional centres on the country, the service broadcasts a variety of general programming to a wide audience across the whole country via radio channels Rás 1 and Rás 2, and one television channel.
RÚV began radio broadcasting in 1930 and its first television transmissions were made in 1966. In both cases coverage quickly reached nearly every household in Iceland. RÚV is funded by a broadcast receiving licence fee collected from every income tax payer, as well as advertising revenue. RÚV has been a full active member of the European Broadcasting Union since 1956.
Since 1986, the year in which its monopoly as the only permitted domestic broadcaster was ended, RÚV has faced competition from a number of private broadcasting companies, most notably the 365 corporation.
On 31 March 2011, RÚV introduced a major re-branding of its stations, new logos, and a visual overhaul to its television channel.
RÚV – which by the terms of its charter is obliged to "promote the Icelandic language, Icelandic history, and Iceland's cultural heritage" and "honour basic democratic rules, human rights, and the freedom of speech and opinion" – carries a substantial amount of arts, media, and current affairs programming, in addition to which it also supplies general entertainment in the form of feature films and such internationally popular television drama series as Lost and Desperate Housewives. RÚV's lineup also includes sports coverage, documentaries, domestically produced entertainment shows, and children's programming.