- published: 11 Jul 2012
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RÚV (named Sjónvarpið before March 31, 2011) is the television channel of RÚV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, launched in 1966. The channel broadcasts primarily news, sports, cultural programs, children's material, American, British & Nordic films and entertainment programming. Among its highest-rated programs are the comedy sketch show Spaugstofan (now revoked and moved to Stöð 2) and Fréttir (News).
The network made its first transmission on September 30, 1966. To begin with, transmissions only took place on Wednesdays and Fridays, only gradually expanding to the rest of the week through the years. Until 1983, no television was broadcast in July. Having lost its monopoly and sharing the market with Stöð 2 a year before, Sjónvapið ended the era of television-free Thursdays on October 1, 1987, resulting in the first full week of television in Iceland.
Test colour transmission commenced in 1973 and started full-time in 1976. From September 1981 onwards, the channel greatly benefited from Iceland's connection to the rest of the world via satellite. Starting on March 1, 1982, Icelandic television viewers were able to watch daily reports from abroad on their evening newscast. Live broadcasts from the rest of Europe, such as the Eurovision Song Contest, commenced for the first time in May 1986. RÚV's teletext service, Textavarp, was inaugurated on the 25th anniversary of Icelandic television in 1991.