Israeli Educational Television
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| Type | Terrestrial television cable television |
|---|---|
| Country |  Israel |
| Availability | National |
| Founded | by The Israeli Ministry of Education and the Rothschild Fund |
| Slogan | "Small and Smart Television" |
| Owner | Israeli Ministry of Education |
| Launch date | 1966 |
| Former names | The Instructional Television Trust The Center for Instructional Television |
| Website ietv.gov.il |
|
The Israeli Educational Television (IETV, Hebrew: ha-televízya ha-khinukhít ha-israelít) is a state-owned public television network which used to concetrate in producing and broadcasting programs for schoolchildren, however since the 1980's it also produces TV magazines and programs aimed at adults and senior citizens.
IETV was established in 1965 as a joint project of the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Rothschild Fund. It was the first television station in Israel, and its first broadcast, launched in March 1966, was the first television transmission in Israel. In those days the Israeli government was reluctant to introduce television transmissions claiming it would lead to cultural decadence. However limited broadcasts as an instructional tool were approved.
The first transmission was launched on March 24, 1966. Levi Eshkol, the Israeli prime minister, pressed a symbolic button to mark the beginning of the transmission. Lord Jacob Rothschild delivered a speech on behalf of the Rothschild Fund. The then-called Instructional Television Trust opened its regular transmission with televized broadcasts of Mathematics, Biology and English classes. 60 TV sets were distributed to 32 schools to receive the first broadcasts and comment on their quality.since the early 70's and until the early 90's it was known as the "instructional television centre".
Within its first year of existence the IETV expanded its infrastructure, and began to broadcast nation-wide. In May 1968 it began to share its channel with the newly established IBA's general public channel. The two institutes would share a single channel for many years to come, the only Israeli TV channel until the late eighties, when the experimental transmissions of the Israeli Channel 2 started.
