1+1 (TV channel)

1+1 (TV channel)
Tohaomg · Public domain · source
Name	1+1
Country	Ukraine
Founded	1995
Launched	1997
Headquarters	Kyiv
Language	Ukrainian
Owner	1+1 Media Group
Sister channels	TET, PLUSPLUS, UNIAN, 2+2

1+1 (TV channel) 1+1 is a Ukrainian television channel launched in the late 1990s and based in Kyiv, known for a mix of entertainment, news, and drama programming. The channel has played a prominent role in Ukrainian media landscape alongside broadcasters such as Inter (TV channel), ICTV and STB (TV channel), and has been involved in high-profile interactions with political actors, regulatory bodies, and cultural institutions including the Verkhovna Rada, National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine, and various production companies.

History

Founded by media entrepreneurs during the post‑Soviet transition, the channel emerged amid the rise of private broadcasters like 1+1 Media Group's contemporaries ICTV and Novyi Kanal, gaining traction through alliances with advertising agencies such as GroupM and international distributors including RTL Group. In the 2000s the channel expanded its profile through collaborations with production houses connected to personalities like Andriy Shevchenko (producer) and distributors linked to The Walt Disney Company, while navigating political crises involving figures from Orange Revolution era politics and later interactions during the Euromaidan protests. Regulatory milestones included licensing decisions by the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting and legal disputes involving shareholders related to corporate events in Kyiv and courts such as the Supreme Court of Ukraine.

Programming

The channel's schedule mixes domestic television series and foreign formats adapted by local producers, competing with series offerings on Inter (TV channel) and entertainment formats on STB (TV channel). Popular programming has included adaptations of international franchises licensed from companies like Endemol and Fremantle, local drama productions starring actors associated with studios in Odesa and Lviv, and entertainment shows produced with technical crews from firms linked to BBC Studios and Banijay. The channel has broadcast major sporting events rights negotiated with federations such as UEFA and collaborated with music industry entities including Universal Music Group and festivals in Kyiv and Odessa International Film Festival.

News and Journalism

Its news division operates alongside Ukrainian outlets such as 1+1 Media Group's sister channels and competitors like Hromadske and Ukrainian Pravda, producing bulletins, investigative reports, and live coverage of events in locations including Donetsk and Kharkiv. Prominent anchors and journalists who have worked on the channel have professional links to institutions like Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, training programs associated with Reuters Institute and exchanges involving organizations such as Reporters Without Borders. The newsroom has been central during major national events including coverage of the Russo-Ukrainian War and diplomatic visits by officials from the European Union, United States Department of State, and delegations from NATO.

Ownership and Corporate Structure

The channel is a flagship asset within a larger media conglomerate historically associated with business figures, investment vehicles, and corporate governance structures tied to holding companies registered in jurisdictions used by media groups across Europe. Its corporate relationships have involved transactions with advertisers like Procter & Gamble and telecom partners including Kyivstar and Vodafone Ukraine, and oversight interactions with the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine. Strategic partnerships and shareholder disputes have drawn attention from legal firms that engage with cases in courts such as the European Court of Human Rights and financial advisors from firms akin to Goldman Sachs in media consolidation contexts.

Audience and Reception

The channel has attracted large audiences in urban centers such as Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro, competing for ratings with networks like Inter (TV channel) and ICTV in demographic segments measured by agencies including GfK and Kantar Media. Its programming choices and editorial stance have been the subject of analysis by academic institutions such as Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and think tanks like the Razumkov Centre, while viewer responses have been tracked through social platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and domestic forums tied to civic movements like Euromaidan. International media watchdogs including Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders have periodically assessed the broader media environment in which the channel operates.

Technical Details and Distribution

Broadcasting from transmission facilities in and around Kyiv, the channel is distributed via terrestrial transmitters regulated under licensing frameworks administered by the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, satellite platforms that interconnect with providers such as SES Astra and cable operators linked to companies like Triolan. It is available on digital terrestrial television standards adopted in Ukraine and on IPTV platforms provided by operators including Volia and international aggregators used by the Ukrainian diaspora in Poland, Canada and United States. Recent technical upgrades have involved partnerships with equipment manufacturers similar to Sony, Harmonic Inc., and playout services used by broadcasters across Europe.

Category:Television channels in Ukraine