Television in Serbia was introduced in 1958. According to AGB Nielsen Research in 2009, Serbs on average watch 5 hours of television per day, making it the highest average in Europe.[1]
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Since 2006 Serbia has a total of 8 national broadcasters, which can be viewed throughout Serbia. These are RTS1 and RTS2 from the country’s public television network Radio Television of Serbia, as well as private networks Pink, B92, Fox Serbia (now Prva), Avala and Košava and Happy TV which share one frequency (but later made one television called Happy TV).
Digital television was launched in Serbia in November 2008 with RTS Digital, also known as RTS Culture and Arts. The channel began experimental broadcasting in 2005. It currently airs cultural content.
High definition television broadcasting was launched in Serbia on September 9, 2009 with RTS HD.
Each region in Serbia has its own regional broadcasters. Serbia’s northern province, Vojvodina, also has a public broadcaster called Radio Television of Vojvodina. It airs 2 channels throughout Vojvodina – RTV1 and RTV2. Via cable television the 2 networks can be viewed throughout Serbia, like many regional only broadcasters. After RTV, one of the largest and most watched regional broadcasters is Studio B, which airs across Belgrade’s metropolitan area.
There are a total of 148 local television stations which can only be viewed in certain towns and cities.
Serbs have one of the highest percentages of cable television viewing in Europe. As a result there are many cable television companies. Cable operators offer not only Serbian only channels in their packages but also foreign television stations, mostly from Western Europe.
IPTV was successfully launched in Serbia on December 1, 2008 by Telekom Srbija. Currently offered are a total of 59 channels, 47 of which are in the main package and 12 of which are optional.
| Channel | Notes |
|---|---|
| RTS1 | First television station in Serbia launched on 23 August 1958 as Televizija Beograd or TVB (Television Belgrade) |
| RTS2 | First colour television station in Serbia launched on 31 December 1971 as Televizija Beograd 2 (TVB2) |
| Channel | Notes |
|---|---|
| B92 | B92 launched in 2001. It targets mostly teen and urban audiences. It launched a 24 hour news cable network in 2008 |
| Pink | RTV Pink launched in 1994. It has since become a huge media group which owns several television networks across the Balkans. It is extremely popular with viewers |
| Avala | Avala was launched in 2006. It airs a mix of entertainment, sport and news content |
| Happy | Happy was started as Serbia's first children only channel. It was launched in 2002 as a local Belgrade television station. In a joint bid with Košava, the station received a national frequency in 2006. In September 2010 it is combined with the Košava and make a one television. |
| Prva | Prva is Serbia's youngest national broadcaster, launched on December 31, 2006 as FOX. It is part of Greek Antenna Group since December 2009. In September 2010 it changed its name to Prva. |
| Channel | Notes |
|---|---|
| RTV 1 | First launched as Radio Television Novi Sad (RTNS1) the network was renamed to Radio Television of Vojvodina in 2006. It is broadcast across Serbia's province of Vojvodina. It can also be seen throughout Serbia via cable television |
| RTV2 | RTV2 caters mostly for the minority groups living in the Serbian province of Vojvodina with a large number of foreign language content. It can only be seen in Vojvodina and is not broadcast via cable television to the rest of Serbia |
Due to cable television being widely used across Serbia, many regional television stations can be viewed throughout the country,
| Channel | Notes |
|---|---|
| Art TV | Airs from Belgrade |
| Enter TV | Airs from Belgrade |
| SOS Kanal | Airs from Belgrade |
| TV Metropolis | Airs from Belgrade |
| TV Studio B | Airs from Belgrade |
| Super TV | Airs from Subotica |
| TV Pirot | Airs from Pirot |
| TV Belle Amie | Airs from Niš |
| TV Zona | Airs from Niš |
| RTV5 | Airs from Niš |
| TV Vranje | Airs from Vranje |
| Regionalna TV | Airs from Novi Pazar |
| TV Jedinstvo | Airs from Novi Pazar |
| TV Raška | Airs from Raška |
| TV Palma Plus | Airs from Jagodina |
| TV SAT | Airs from Požarevac |
| TV Čačak | Airs from Čačak |
| TV Leskovac | Airs from Leskovac |
| TV Alkanik | Airs from Belotić |
| TV Zaječar | Airs from Zaječar |
| TV Bor | Airs from Bor |
| TV Sezam | Airs from Bor |
| TV Kanal 9 | Airs from Kragujevac |
| TV Kruševac | Airs from Kruševac |
| TV Kraljevo | Airs from Kraljevo |
| TV Vujić | Airs from Valjevo |
| TV Šabac | Airs from Šabac |
| TV Banat | Airs from Vršac |
| TV Santos | Airs from Zrenjanin |
| TV Lav | Airs from Užice |
| Sremska TV | Airs from Novi Sad |
| TV Most | Airs from Novi Sad |
| TV Jesenjin | Airs from Novi Sad |
| VK TV | Airs from Kikinda |
| TV Rubin | Airs from Kikinda |
There are 148 private television stations with a local frequency broadcast.
The following are Serbian cable television stations. many foreign stations air via cable in Serbia.
Viewing shares in 2010:[2]
| Position | Channel | Share of total viewing (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pink | 28.2 |
| 2 | RTS1 | 23.6 |
| 3 | Prva | 12.62 |
| 4 | B92 | 6.47 |
| 5 | TV Avala | 3.98 |
| 6 | Happy TV | 2.64 |
| 7 | RTS2 | 2.37 |
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