This is a list of when the first publicly announced television broadcasts occurred in the mentioned countries. Non-public field tests and closed circuit demonstrations are not included.
This list should not be interpreted to mean the whole of a country had television service by the specified date. For example, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and the former Soviet Union all had operational television stations and a limited number of viewers by 1939. Very few cities in each country had television service. Television broadcasts were not yet available in most places.
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1924 |  United States (Pre-experimental) |
| 1926 |  Germany (Pre-experimental),  United Kingdom (Pre-experimental) |
| 1927 |  Australia (Pre-experimental),  Netherlands (Pre-experimental) |
| 1928 |  Canada (Pre-experimental), United States (mechanical television, experimental - W2XCW)[1] |
| 1929 | United Kingdom (mechanical, experimental),[2] Germany (mechanical, experimental),[3] (mechanical, experimental, after hours on two existing Melbourne radio stations - 3UZ and 3DB),[4] [5] [6] Netherlands (mechanical, experimental in Scheveningen),[7]  (Pre-experimental) |
| 1930 | (Pre-experimental in Moscow wired in 1929) |
| 1931 | France (mechanical, experimental), Canada (mechanical, experimental - VE9EC), (mechanical, experimental - МТЦ), (mechanical, experimental, cancelled because of the revolution) |
| 1932 | (Pre-experimental) |
| 1934 | Australia (electronic television, experimental, Brisbane),[8]  Turkey (Pre-experimental) |
| 1935 | (intermediate film; semi-electronic), France (electronic - PTT Radio Vision), Netherlands (electronic, experimental in Eindhoven by Philips),  Italy (Pre-experimental) |
| 1936 | United Kingdom (electronic - BBC Television Service), (electronic television - Deutscher Fernseh Rundfunk),[9] |
| 1937 | (electronic, experimental),  Poland (mechanical, experimental), (Doświadczalna Stacja Telewizyjna),[10]  Peru (Pre-experimental),  Chile (Pre-experimental) |
| 1938 | (electronic, experimental - CT USSR), Turkey (electronic, experimental) |
| 1939 | Chile (experimental), (electronic, experimental - J2PQ),[11] Italy (electronic, experimental - EIAR Trasmissioni Sperimentali Radiovisione),[12] Peru (electronic, experimental),[13] Poland (electronic, experimental), United States (electronic; experimental and non-commercial until 1941 - NBC) | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1941 | United States (regular commercial telecasts (WNBT)), (WPTZ)) |
| 1943 | (Occupied France (Fernsehsender Paris)) |
| 1944 | France (returned, RDF Télévision française) |
| 1945 | (returned, CT USSR), United States (experimental (W3XWT)) |
| 1946 |  Mexico (experimental),[14] United States ( Philippines (experimental, BEC)), United Kingdom (returned, BBC), United States ((WBKB),, experimental (KRNT), (WTTG)) |
| 1947 | United States ((KTLA), (WMAR-TV), (WWDT), (KSD-TV), (WEWS-TV), (WTMJ-TV)) |
| 1948 |  Brazil (experimental, Rede Tupi), Canada (experimental), Czechoslovakia (experimental), United States ((WAVE-TV), (WDSU-TV), (WBZ-TV), (KSTP-TV), (KOB-TV), (KPIX-TV), (WMCT), (WBAP-TV), (KDYL-TV), (WTVR-TV), (KRSC-TV)) |
| 1949 |  Denmark (experimental), Italy (experimental), United States ((WAFM-TV), (KPHO-TV), (WTVJ), (WSB-TV), (WOC-TV), (WFBM-TV), (WDAF-TV), (WBTV), (WKY-TV), (WJAR)) | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1950 | Brazil ((Rede Tupi, now defunct)),  Cuba (CMQ-TV), France ((Télé-Lille)), (Northwest Germany, experimental, NWDR)),  Japan (returned, electronic, experimental, NHK), Mexico (official, XHTV-TV),  Switzerland (experimental), United States (Des Moines (WOI-TV), Nashville (WSM-TV)) |
| 1951 |  Argentina (LR3 TV), Brazil ((Rede Tupi, now defunct)), Denmark (DR),[15] Mexico (XEW-TV, (XELD-TV), now defunct), Netherlands (NTS), |
| 1952 | Chile (sporadically until 1959), Canada ((CBFT), Ontario (CBLT)),  Dominican Republic (La Voz Dominicana), (experimental and regular programming, DFF), (Northwest Germany, full service, NWDR-Fernsehen)), Mexico (XHGC-TV, (XEQ-TV)), Poland (returned, TV Polska),  Thailand (experimental),[16] Turkey (İTÜ TV, now defunct), United Kingdom ((BBC TV Service Scotland)), United States ((KBTV), (KGMB), (KPTV), Spokane (KHQ-TV)), (YVKA-TV, now defunct) |
| 1953 | (KATV, now defunct),  Belgium ((INR Télé Expérimentale Belge), (NIR Belgische Televisie)), Canada ((CBOT), (CBUT)), Czechoslovakia (experimental), France ((Télé-Strasbourg)), (experimental), Japan (returned, NHK), Mexico ((XETV)), Philippines (thru ABS (DZAQ-TV), now ABS-CBN Corporation), (Telesaar), Switzerland (German television, SRG), United Kingdom ((BBC TV Service NI)), United States ((KRTV), Fresno (KMJ-TV), (KFXD-TV), (KLAS-TV), (KTVH), (KCJB-TV), (KELO-TV), (WABI-TV), (KXLF-TV)), (experimental, HVJ) |
| 1954 | Australia (experimental, ABC),  Bulgaria (experimental, MEI), Canada ((CBWT), (CKCK-TV), (CHCT-TV), New Brunswick (CHSJ-TV), (CJCB-TV)),  Colombia (HJRN-TV), (ČST), France ((Télé Marseille), (Télé-Lyon)), (experimental) Italy (official, Programma Nazionale), Mexico ((XEJ-TV)),  Monaco (TMC - first microstate to have a native channel),  French Morocco (TELMA, went defunct shortly after),[17]  Norway (experimental, NRK),  Portugal (Lajes Field (CSL-TV, first AFRTS television station)),[18]  Puerto Rico (WKAQ-TV), ((Latvijas Televīzija)), Switzerland (French television, Télévision Genevoise), United States ((WMUR-TV), (WMVT), (KFBC-TV)) |
| 1955 |  Austria (ORF Fernsehen), Brazil ((TV Itacolomi, now defunct)), Canada (Newfoundland And Labrador (CJON-TV)),  Finland (test programming, TV-kerho),  Guatemala (TGW-TV, now defunct),  Luxembourg (Télé-Luxembourg),  Saudi Arabia (Dhahran Airfield, experimental and regular programming, AJL-TV, now defunct), ((TTV)), Thailand (official, HSI-TV),[19]  Romania (experimental), United Kingdom ((BBC)) |
| 1956 | Australia ((TCN), (HSV)), France ( Algerian Departments (RTF Television Algiers)),[20] Canada ((CFCY-TV)),  El Salvador (YSEB-TV),[21] Finland (regular programming, TES-TV, now defunct), United States ( Guam (KUAM-TV)),  Iraq (BTV, now defunct and replaced by Al-Iraqiya TV),  Nicaragua (YNSA-TV),[22] United States ((CFN)),[23] Romania (TVR), (HLKZ-TV), ((Armenian Television), (Baku Television Studio), (Belarusian Television), (1TV), (regular programming, Ukrainske Telebachennia), (Tashkent Television Studio)),  Spain (TVE), Portugal (experimental, RTP),  Sweden, (Radiotjänst TV),  Uruguay (SAETA),[24], ((RTV Zagreb)) |
| 1957 | Chile (UCV Televisión),  Cyprus (RIK), Hong Kong (subscription, Rediffusion Television), (MTV), (TV Vilnius),[25]  Malta, Portugal (full service, RTP), |
| 1958 |  Bermuda (ZBM-TV),  China (Peking Television), (ČST Bratislava), (TVI),, (mechanical, experimental), Peru (OAD-TV), ((Almaty Television Studio), Kaliningrad Oblast, (TVM)), Switzerland (Italian television, TSI), (TWW), ((RTV Belgrade), (RTV Ljubljana)) |
| 1959 | Australia ((QTQ), (NWS), (TVW)), Brazil ((TV Piratini, now defunct)), Bulgaria (Bulgarian Television), Chile (full service, Canal 2 UC),  Ecuador (HCJB-TV, now defunct),  Haiti (4VMR-TV),  Honduras (HRTG-TV),  India (AIR-TV),[26]  Lebanon (CLT),  Nigeria (WNTV), Ryukyu Islands (KSDW-TV), ((regular programming, KTRK),, (Shabakai Yakum), (Turkmen Television)) | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1960 |  Albania (experimental and regular programming, RTSH), Australia ((TVT)), Brazil ((TV Brasília), (TV Paranaense), (TV Bauru), (TV Itapoan), (TV Jornal do Commercio), (now defunct)),  Costa Rica (Teletica),  Greece (experimental, PPC), Netherlands Antilles (PJC-TV),  New Zealand (NZBC TV), Norway (full service, NRK),  Panama (RPC), (RTV), (Sakhalin Oblast), ((Egyptian Television Network), (Channel 1)), |
| 1961 | Brazil ((TV Rádio Clube (TV Goyá)), (TV Vitória), (TV Marajoara, now defunct)),  Cambodia (experimental, NEC),[27] [28]  Ireland (Telefís Éireann),  Kuwait (Kuwait Television), (WBNB-TV, now defunct), ((RTV Sarajevo)), (RTV) |
| 1962 | Australia ((CTC)), Congo-Brazzaville (RTC),  Ethiopia (ETV), France ((Télé-Bordeaux Aquitaine), (Télé Toulouse-Pyrénées)),  Gibraltar (GBC),  Indonesia (experimental and regular programming, Jajasan TVRI),[29]  Kenya (VOK), Malta (MTV),  Sudan (Sudan Television Service), (TTV),  Trinidad and Tobago (TTT) |
| 1963 | Brazil ((TV Difusora)), (VoltaVision),  Gabon (RTG), (RTI),  Jamaica (JBC, now defunct),  Malaysia (Televisyen Malaysia), Netherlands ( Aruba (Telearuba)), (CTBS-DPRK),  Sierra Leone (SLTV),  Singapore (TV Singapura Channel 5), ((Nakhichevan TV)),[30]  Tunisia (experimental),  Uganda (UTV) |
| 1964 |  American Samoa (KVZK-TV),  Barbados (CBC-TV),  East Pakistan (Pilot Television Dhaka), Spain (Canary Islands (TVE Canarias)), Ethiopia (regular programming, ETV), France ((Télé Marseille-Provence),, & (Télé Paris Normandie Centre), (Télé-Bretagne),,,), Guadeloupe, (Karakalpak Television),[31]  Liberia (LBC), Martinique,  Mauritius (MBC 1),  Niger (Télévision Scolaire du Niger), West Pakistan (PTV), Réunion (ORTF La Réunion), ((RTV Skopje), (RTV Titograd)) |
| 1965 |  Antigua and Barbuda (ZAL-TV),[32] Brazil ((TV Morena)), France ((Télé Bourgogne-Franche-Comté),), &) French Polynesia (ORTF Télé Tahiti),  Ghana (GTV), New Caledonia,  Paraguay (TV Cerro Cora), Saudi Arabia (Al Saudiya, state-owned),  Senegal (RTS), Suriname (trial and regular programming, STVS), Tunisia (experimental), United Kingdom ((Border Television)), |
| 1966 | Brazil ( Amazonas (now defunct),), Cambodia (TVRK, regular), Congo-Kinshasa (RTNC), Greece (EIR),  Iceland (Sjónvarpið),  Israel (IETV, went defunct and replaced by Kan Educational), Tunisia (RTT), (THVN),  North Yemen (SABS-TV),[33] (SYBS-TV),[34]  Zambia (ZNBC) |
| 1967 | Canada ((CFYK-TV)), French Somaliland (RTD), French Guiana (ORTF Guyane), Hong Kong (free-to-air, TVB),  Madagascar (RTM),  Mongolia (experimental and regular programming, MNTV),  Saint Lucia (SLTV),[35] Saint Pierre and Miquelon France ((Télé-Lille Amiens)) |
| 1968 | Canada ((CFWH-TV, now defunct)),  Equatorial Guinea (TVE Guinea Ecuatorial),  Jordan (JTV),  Libya (Libyan Television Service)[36] |
| 1969 | (Televisión Boliviana), Brazil ((TV Coligadas)), ((Abu Dhabi TV)), (Saipan, WSZE-TV, now defunct) | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1970 |  Qatar (QTV), (Independent Television System) |
| 1971 | Australia ( Northern Territory (ABD)), Brazil, Malaysia ((TV Malaysia Sabah)) |
| 1972 | Brazil ((TV Clube)), Madeira (RTP Madeira), (ZIZ) |
| 1973 | ( McMurdo Station (AFAN-TV)),[37]  Bahrain (Bahrain TV), (ZBTV) Hong Kong (free-to-air broadcasting service, RTV),  Togo (RTNM) |
| 1974 | Brazil ( Acre ((Rede Amazônica Rio Branco), Rondônia,  Central African Republic (RTC),  Grenada (ZBF-TV),  Oman (Oman TV), ((TVZ)), |
| 1975 |  Angola (experimental and regular programming, RPA), Azores (RTP Açores), Brazil ((TV Gazeta de Alagoas), Amapá), (RTB),  Burundi (RTNB), Chile ((TVN))[38]  Dominica (Cable & Wireless Dominica), (foreign-owned launching), ((RTV Novi Sad)) |
| 1976 | Abkhaz ASSR (National Television of Abkhaz ASSR),  Bahamas (experimental),[39] Turkish Federated State of Cyprus (BRT 1), Palau (WALU-TV, now defunct),  South Africa (SABC TV) |
| 1977 | Bahamas (ZNS-TV),  Guinea (RTG), ((KPON-TV)) |
| 1978 |  Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Television),  Benin (ORTB), East Timor (TVRI Dili), (Swazi TV),  Maldives (TV Maldives),[40] |
| 1979 |  Chad (mechanical, experimental), Equatorial Guinea (returned, TVGE), ((WAAB-TV)),  Marshall Islands (MBC), Burma (test programming),  Sri Lanka (ITN Sri Lanka) | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1980 | Indonesia (Batam, TVRI),[41] [42]  Mauritania (experimental), Burma (BBS, regular programming),  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG-TV), ((WTKK-TV)) |
| 1981 |  Belize (Channel 7),  Mozambique (TVE Moçambique), South West Africa (SWABC) |
| 1982 | Brazil (Fernando de Noronha (TV Nacional Fernando de Noronha)), France ( Greenland (KNR), Mauritania (TV de Mauritanie),[43] (Televisão Experimental RDSTP, experimental), Sri Lanka (Rupavahini, national) |
| 1983 | (Bop TV), Kampuchea (re-established, TVK), (LNTV)  Mali (ORTM),  Seychelles (RTS),[44]  Somalia (Telefishanka J. D. Soomaaliya),[45]  Tonga (VAP-TV18, now defunct), (Centro Televisivo Vaticano), Saint Lucia (HTS, local) |
| 1984 | (TV Åland),[46]  Cape Verde (TEVEC),  Faroe Islands (SvF), Macau (TDM),  Nepal (NTV), (taped service)[47] |
| 1985 |  Cameroon (CTV),  Norfolk Island (relays from mainland Australia)[48] |
| 1986 | (SSVC Television Falkland Islands), Mayotte,  Niue (Bliss Cablevision), Wallis and Futuna |
| 1987 | Chad (Télé Tchad),  Papua New Guinea (foreign-owned launching, Niugini Television Network), Spain ((La 1 Ceuta), (La 1 Melilla)) |
| 1988 |  Botswana (GBC TV, in Gaborone),[49]  Guyana (GTV),  Lesotho (Lesotho Television),[50] (Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (Artsakh Public TV)) |
| 1989 |  Cook Islands (Cook Islands Television),  Guinea-Bissau (TVE-GB),[51] [52] (Gagauz ASSR), | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 1991 | (SSVC TV Cyprus),[53]  Cayman Islands (Cayman 27, now defunct), (FITV),  Fiji (FijiTV),  Nauru (NTV),  Rwanda (RTV) |
| 1992 | (RTV Krajina Banja Luka), (TVS, regular),  Solomon Islands (TTV), (Ir),[54] (PMR TV),  Vanuatu (TBV, experimental) |
| 1993 |  Eritrea (Eri-TV),  San Marino (San Marino RTV), Vanuatu (TBV), (SBC Television 1) |
| 1994 | (mainland, Coastal Television Network) |
| 1995 |  Andorra (ATV),  Gambia (Gambia Radio & Television Service), Saint Helena (Sure South Atlantic Ltd),  Turks and Caicos Islands (WIV Channel 4) |
| 1996 | (PBC) |
| 1997 |  Montserrat (Peoples Television),[55] (Somaliland Television)[56] |
| 1999 | Belgium ((KA3)),  Bhutan (BBS),[57]  Malawi (TVM),[58]  Tuvalu (limited service)[59] | |
| Year | Countries and territories |
|---|
| 2000 | Botswana (BTV, national), Tonga (TV Tonga, national) |
| 2001 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina ((Federalna TV)),  Tokelau (foreign channels, no local service),[60] (BFBS, live service) |
| 2002 |  Kiribati (TV Kiribati, native, but suspended from 2013 to 2018) |
| 2004 | Southern Provinces (Laayoune TV) |
| 2006 |  Comoros (ORTC), France (and (stopped broadcasting in 2017)),  Palau (OTV, returned), [61] |
| 2008 |  Liechtenstein (1 FL TV), Netherlands ((NOSTV Bonaire),[62] Papua New Guinea (state-owned launching, NBC Television) |
| 2009 | (RASD TV)[63] |
| 2010 | Netherlands ((TV-CARIB)),[64] (South Sudan Television) |
| 2011 | Norfolk Island (TVNI, local) |
| 2014 | (Novorossiya TV), (Luhansk 24)[65] |
| 2018 | Kiribati (Kiri 1 TV, returned)[66] |
| 2019 | Tuvalu (returned, Tuvalu.TV)[67] | |
