Television in Iceland
Encyclopedia
Television in Iceland began in September 1966. Channels can be received via analogue
, or using broadband
with the Skjárinn
service from Síminn
or Digital Ísland from Vodafone.
, Síminn
and Skjarinn
Text has been changed 3 times, minor change 5 times, returned 2 times
RUV's testcard is beep, but the last 15 minutes plays classical music
Analog television
Analog television is the analog transmission that involves the broadcasting of encoded analog audio and analog video signal: one in which the message conveyed by the broadcast signal is a function of deliberate variations in the amplitude and/or frequency of the signal...
, or using broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
with the Skjárinn
Skjárinn
Skjárinn is a digital television service provider in Iceland. The service is provided by the Icelandic telecommunications company Síminn. The service provides a number of key local and international television services...
service from Síminn
Síminn
Síminn, previously named Landssíminn, is an Icelandic telecommunications company. It was acquired by Exista in 2008.-History:Telecommunications play a vital role in Iceland. Although the country's population is relatively small , its penetration rates for network-related products and services are...
or Digital Ísland from Vodafone.
Present channels
- SjónvarpiðSjónvarpiðRÚV 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...
, the television channel of RÚVRÚVRíkisútvarpið is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization.Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional centres around the country, the service broadcasts a variety of general programming to a wide audience across the whole country via radio...
, they are Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Available as free-to-viewFree-to-viewFree-to-view is a term used for free of charge and encrypted audio and/or video contents transmission that do not require any form of continual subscription...
on the satellite Thor 2Thor (satellite)Thor is a family of satellites designed, launched and tested by Hughes Space and Communications for British Satellite Broadcasting , and were used for Britain's Direct Broadcast Service. Thor is owned by Telenor...
. - Stöð 2Stöð 2Stöð 2 is an Icelandic television channel, owned and operated by 365. Founded in 1986, It was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on television broadcasting...
The oldest privately owned television channel in Iceland (1986). Also available as Stöð 2+ with one hour delay. - Stöð 2 Extra (previously called Sirkus) Entertainment channel previously available as free but is now only available as a complement to Stöð 2 subscription
- Stöð 2 Bíó Movies 24/7.
- Stöð 2 SportStöð 2 SportStöð 2 Sport is an Icelandic television channel that broadcast sports in Iceland. Stöð 2 Sport mainly shows football games but also shows a wide variety of different sports. Stöð 2 Sport costs 6.400 kr per month which is about $55. Stöð 2 Sport is only broadcast in Iceland and only in Icelandic...
(previously called Sýn) Mostly sports with one hour delay on Stöð 2 Sport+. - Stöð 2 Sport 2Stöð 2 Sport 2Stöð 2 Sport 2 is an Icelandic sports channel that shows over 300 football games from the Premier League each season. It is the only channel in Iceland that has the right to show English League games...
(previously called Sýn 2) FA Premier LeagueFA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
and The Football LeagueThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. - Stöð 2 Sport 3, Stöð 2 Sport 4, Stöð 2 Sport 5 and Stöð 2 Sport 6 Extra channels for special sport events, used mostly for Champions League and Premier League matches.
- Nova TVNova TV (Iceland)Nova TV is 24 hour music channel in Iceland. The channel launched in late 2007, playing non-stop music videos back-to-back. The channel first launched on Iceland's first purpose-built 3G mobile operator Nova. The channel is operated by 365 Corporation. The channel is available through digital...
(previously called Sirkus and before that Popp Tíví) Music videos. Free channel. - Stöð 2 Sport HD Iceland's first HD channel. Launched in October 2007 broadcasting Sýn and Sýn 2 events in 1080i. To start with live games from the FA Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Expect many of Sýn and Sýn 2 sports to be available on Sýn HD in 2008 including major golf tournaments, NBA basketball, Wimbledon tennis, championship boxing and more football. Note: Since Iceland is outside a lot of satellite footprints and HD requiring more bandwidth, many events can only reach Iceland in standard definition although they are available in HD in other countries.
- SkjárEinn Entertainment channel - was free and run with advertisement revenue only until November, 2009. Only available through subscription after that. Also available with one hour delay on SkjárEinn plús
- Alþingi Parliament.
- N4 Television channel broadcasting only in the town of AkureyriAkureyriAkureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
. - Omega Christian televisionOmega Christian televisionOmega Christian Television is a Christian television station founded by Eiríkur Sigurbjörnsson which started broadcasting on 28 July 1992. Initially it only broadcast in Iceland but it has since expanded its coverage to a large part of Europe. It broadcasts in the United Kingdom on Sky as The...
channel, - Fasteignasjónvarpið A channel that offers real estate.
- ÍNNÍNNÍNN is a privately owned, Icelandic television station, which launched on October 2, 2007. The channel is controlled by Ingvi Hrafn Jónsson, former news director of the Icelandic governmental TV station RÚV and Stöð 2....
All-talk. - Stöð 1Stöð 1Stöð 1 is an Icelandic television channel launched free-to-air on October 29, 2010. The channel targets a demographic between 25-55 years of age and is available to 98% of homes in Iceland. The channel airs various content mostly movies back-to-back...
Launched Oct 29th 2010. Entertainment channel, Free to air, non subscribtion. Reaches 98% of all households in Iceland.
Cancelled channels
- NFS, now a news service providing news for Vísir.is and television channels of 365
- Skjár tveir Was meant to be an ad-free channel paid for by the viewers. It didn't go as planned and soon merged with Skjár einn.
- Stöð þrjú The old channel was used. But was bought quickly and shut down in the meaning, it was merged by Stöð 2Stöð 2Stöð 2 is an Icelandic television channel, owned and operated by 365. Founded in 1986, It was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on television broadcasting...
. - Skjár sport Showed Premier League matches for the seasons 2005-2006 and 2006-2007.
International Channels available in Iceland
Additional international channels are available in Iceland through Vodafone IcelandVodafone Iceland
Vodafone Iceland is an Icelandic telecommunications company and is part of the Icelandic IT company Teymi. Although the company carries the Vodafone brand and trademark, Vodafone Group owns no interest in the company, but rather franchises the brand and associated advertising styles to Teymi, the...
, Síminn
Síminn
Síminn, previously named Landssíminn, is an Icelandic telecommunications company. It was acquired by Exista in 2008.-History:Telecommunications play a vital role in Iceland. Although the country's population is relatively small , its penetration rates for network-related products and services are...
and Skjarinn
Skjárinn
Skjárinn is a digital television service provider in Iceland. The service is provided by the Icelandic telecommunications company Síminn. The service provides a number of key local and international television services...
- Sky NewsSky NewsSky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
- CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
- MTV EuropeMTV EuropeMTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
- VH1 EuropeVH1 EuropeVH1 Europe, also known as VH1 European, is a music television channel from MTV Networks Europe, based on the American Channel of the same name. This version of VH1 is very different from its American counterpart, since it has never ceased to be a proper music channel, playing a wide variety of...
- ARDARD (broadcaster)ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
- Sat.1Sat.1Sat.1 is a privately owned German television broadcasting station. Sat.1 was the first privately owned television broadcasting station in Germany, having started one day before RTL Television....
- TVE
- TV5MONDETV5MONDETV5MONDE is a global television network, broadcasting several channels of French language programming. It is an approved participant member of the European Broadcasting Union.-History:...
- CNBC EuropeCNBC EuropeCNBC Europe is a business and financial news television channel, the pan-European sister station of CNBC. The network is owned and operated by NBC Universal and headquartered in London, where it shares the Adrian Smith-designed 10 Fleet Place building with Dow Jones...
- EuronewsEuroNewsEuronews is an international multilingual news television channel.It covers world news from what it claims to be a 'European' perspective.Criticisms are that the perspective is in fact that of the European Commission - a major and growing funder of Euronews....
- Nat Geo Wild
- National Geographic ChannelNational Geographic Channel (UK)The National Geographic Channel is a television channel that features documentaries produced by the National Geographic Society. It features some programming similar to that on the Discovery Channel such as nature and science documentaries. The channel was launched in Europe in September 1997 and...
- NRK2NRK2NRK2 is one of the TV channels of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation . It was launched in 1996. It has traditionally concentrated on more on cultural and in-depth programmes than its mother channel NRK1 and has also shown drama series, comedies, and news. When not broadcasting regular...
- BBC EntertainmentBBC EntertainmentBBC Entertainment is an international television channel showcasing comedy, drama, light entertainment and children's programming from the BBC and other UK production houses...
- BBC LifestyleBBC LifestyleBBC Lifestyle is an international television channel. The channel provides six key programming strands: Food, Home & Design, Fashion & Style, Health, Parenting, and Personal Development.-Launch dates:...
- BBC World News
- TCMTurner Classic MoviesTurner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
Test card for RUV
The testcard of RUV is PM5544 introduced in the 70's.Text has been changed 3 times, minor change 5 times, returned 2 times
- 1970-1994 - "RUV - ISLAND"
- 1993 - "RÚV - ÍSLAND"
- 1995 - Added time and date
- 2000 - Remove time and date
- Remove "ÍSLAND" and replace with the moving bar
- 2002 - Return the 1995 version
- 2006 - Return the 2000 version
- 2009 - Changed to PM5644
RUV's testcard is beep, but the last 15 minutes plays classical music
RUV
- 1966–present opens at 16:30 for weekdays and closes at 0:00. Weekends and holidays open at 9:00, though sometimes with midday break.
- 2004–present weekends and holidays open at 8:00.
Stod 2
- 1986-1988 opens at 8:00 and close at 23:00
- 1988-1995 opens at 6:00 and close at 0:00
- 1995–present open 24 hours
Imported
| The Amazing Race | The Simpsons | Beauty and the Geek | Hotel Babylon (BBC Series) | Mile High |
| The Oprah Winfrey Show | Neighbours | Fear Factor | Wife Swap | The Apprentice |
| Third Watch | 24 | Joey | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | The Shield |
| NCIS | Kevin Hill | Two and a Half Men | The Osbournes | Whose Line is it Anyway? |
| Monk | Shark | The 4400 | Nip/Tuck | Prison Break |
| Rome | Huff | My Life in Film | Grey's Anatomy | You Are What You Eat |
| Punk'd | Listen Up | How I Met Your Mother | Missing | Strong Medicine |
| Most Haunted | The Closer | NUMB3RS | Entourage | Cold Case |
| The George Lopez Show | The Bernie Mac Show | Studio 60 | Alias | Broken News |
| Criminal Minds | Desperate Housewives | ER | Little Britain | Lost |
| Murphy's Law | My Family | Scrubs | The Sopranos | Veronica Mars |
| UEFA Euro 2008 | Sonic X | Teen Titans | Teletubbies |