RTC Un
RTC Un (Welsh: RTC One) is a Welsh television channel operated by Radio Teledu Cymru.
History[edit | edit source]
When television broadcasts were set up in Nashland from the 1930s to the 1950s, it had reached a point where geographical reasons have made television available in the north-eastern and south-eastern corners of Wales. At the time, Wales was basically a rural country and introducing television was a complicated task. Nashlandian broadcasters had to deal with these "peripheral regions" of Wales - Northern Television capitalized on this in 1956 by producing Welsh-language television - the Welsh-language department of Northern was shut down in 1964.
In 1962, Radio Cymru started a long-term plan to bring television to the country. In September of 1963, the first television transmitter was built around Cardiff. At the same time, the plan suggested the following:
- The television service will be on air between 6pm and 10pm every day, except on Sunday, where the broadcasts will be limited to 7pm-9pm;
- Programming needs to be entirely in Welsh to avoid the tyranny of the neighbors;
- No advertisements will be allowed;
- All foreign programs shown on the new service must be dubbed in Welsh.
In June 1964, Awdurdod Teledu Cenedlaethol (National Television Authority) was set up and started experimental broadcasts on VHF channel 6 in Cardiff. In August, regular broadcasts started under the strict criteria set in the previous year. During the first night on air, all programming shown was Welsh - broadcasts started with the innauguration by the king of Wales and the Prime Minister and the first news bulletin was read at 6:30pm. On the first night, two Welsh television institutions were created - the first soap, Yng Nghysgod Yr Aran (cancelled due to the success of Pobol y Cwm) and the talent showcase Doniau. Within less than a year, ATC was broadcasting to most of the country.
In 1973, ATC was renamed Awdurdod Teledu Cymru (Welsh Television Authority). By September 1973, color broadcasts have oficially started. In 1974, Pobol y Cwm debuted. A few years later, the television service was restructured to launch a second channel, in 1977. As a consequence, ATC had to rename this service as Rhaglen 1. Under this restructuring, all educational and highbrow programming moved to Rhaglen 2. Eventually in 1981 there was an internal dispute and the two channels were separated. Rhaglen 1 was taken by a new state enterprise, Cwmni Teledu Cymru (later just Teledu Cymru) and the second channel became Welsh Educational Television.
Programming[edit | edit source]
- Newyddion
- Pobol y Cwm