NPO 1

NPO 1

Country	Netherlands
Headquarters	Hilversum
Ownership
Owner	NPO

NPO 1 (formerly Nederland 1 Dutch pronunciation: [ˌneːdərlɑnt ˈeːn] until 2014) is the first national television station in the Netherlands, it launched on 2 October 1951. It provides public broadcasting and currently exists next to sister channels NPO 2 and NPO 3. A wide range of broadcasting organisations of the Publieke Omroep deliver programs. A wide variety of programs is broadcast on the channel, usually for larger audiences. In 2014, it was the most viewed channel in the Netherlands, reaching a market share of 24.2% for the evening (18:00–00:00 hours).

History

Early Years, the 50s

In the Netherlands the first television experiments took place in the 1930s. Dutch technology company Philips played an important role in these experiments. In 1951 public radio broadcasters AVRO, KRO, VARA and NCRV established the NTS, Nederlandse Televisie Stichting (Dutch Television Foundation). The very first public broadcast began from studio Irene in Bussum on 2 October 1951 at 8:15 pm. It was transmitted from Lopik, soon followed by Hilversum as well. On 5 January 1956 the NTS broadcast their first news programme, NTS Journaal. In the 1950s television attracted only a low number of viewers. The high prices of television sets were the main reason why. During the 1950s television became available nationally by the introduction of more transmitters and repeaters in Goes, Roosendaal, Loon op Zand, Mierlo, Roermond, Markelo, Ugchelen, Zwolle, Smilde and the new Gerbrandy Tower in IJsselstein.

Creation of Nederland 1

From October 1960 NTS began broadcasting daily from 8:00 pm till 10:20 pm. Two years later the broadcasting hours were extended from 26 to 30 hours a week. On 1 October 1964, a second public television channel began broadcasting, Nederland 2 and the first public broadcasting channel was renamed into Nederland 1. In 1967 Colour television broadcasts were introduced by using the PAL-system. Also in that same year advertisement between programmes was introduced. In 1969 the Dutch government adopted the so-called open-system for the public broadcasting system, allowing more public broadcasting organisations. Though, a potential new organisation must have 100,000 members or more to be allowed in. On 29 May 1969, the NTS and the Dutch Radio Union (NRU) merged into the NOS serving as an umbrella organisation for the public broadcasting organisations. Its main focus is on general news and sports broadcasts and also provides technical and administrative coordination.

Launch of Nederland 3

In anticipation of the launch of new commercial channels broadcast by satellite, a third television network, Nederland 3 launched in April 1988. Luxembourg-based RTL-Véronique began broadcasting in October 1989. In 1992, the government of the Netherlands legalised commercial television, and a number of new commercial channels were established resulting in a reduction in the market share of the public networks.

Transition to HD and the NPO

Until 2006 each public broadcasting organisation had been associated with just one channel, being either Nederland 1, Nederland 2 or Nederland 3. In season 2006/2007 the three channels got re-arranged. Nederland 1 became the flagship television channel aimed at a wide audience, Nederland 2 got a more highbrow programming with news, current affairs and documentaries and Nederland 3 is oriented towards children, youth and innovative television. The NOS is no longer the coordinating organisation. This function is taken over by the newly formed NPO.

On 16 September 2007, Nederland 1, Nederland 2 and Nederland 3 switched completely to anamorphic widescreen—before that time, only some of the programming was broadcast in widescreen. On 4 July 2009, all three channels began simulcasting in 1080i high-definition. Before the launch of the permanent HD service, a test version of the Nederland 1 HD channel was made available from 2 June 2008 until 24 August 2008 in order to broadcast Euro 2008, the 2008 Tour de France and the 2008 Summer Olympics in HD.

On 12 March 2013, the NPO announced that Nederland 1, 2 and 3 will be renamed as NPO 1, 2 and 3. The reason for this change is to make the channels and its programmes more recognizable. The rebranding completed on 19 August 2014.

Programming

Currently, most of the biggest productions of Dutch public broadcasting television programs are shown on NPO 1, sometimes called the flagship of the NPO. Some notable programmes broadcast through the year are:

Programme	Rough translation1	Broadcaster	Description
Buitenhof		AVRO, VARA, VPRO	Sunday-morning interview show, politically oriented.
Blik op de weg	View on the road	AVRO	Traffic programme, about traffic and traffic violations.
Boer zoekt Vrouw	Farmer wants a Wife	KRO	Dutch version of Farmer Wants a Wife
De Reünie	The Reunion	KRO	Human interest, old classmates from high school reunite and talk about their lives.
De Rijdende Rechter	The driving judge	NCRV	An official judge holds a trial on location for consumers.
Detective fiction programmes		mostly KRO	Several detective series, for example Midsomer Murders or A Touch of Frost
EénVandaag	OneToday	AVRO, TROS	Current affairs
Heel Holland Bakt	The Great Dutch Bake Off	Omroep MAX	A baking contest, Dutch version of The Great British Bake Off.
Koefnoen		AVRO	Satirical, sketches with impersonations of famous Dutchmen.
Lieve Paul	Dear Paul	VARA	Entertainment, it consists of celebrity interviews, variety performances and interaction with the studio audience.
NOS Journaal	NOS News	NOS	News
NOS Studio Sport		NOS	Sport, the most viewed episodes consist of summaries of Eredivisie football matches, but in other episodes, several other sports and sports events (ranging from big international, to smaller national events) are covered.2
De Wereld Draait Door	The World keeps turning	VARA	Talk show
Sesamstraat	Sesame Street	NTR	Dutch version and spin-off of Sesame Street
Spoorloos	Without a trace	KRO	Reality programme where people are helped in finding missing persons, with a focus on finding the biological relatives of adopted people. In the United Kingdom known as ITV's Long Lost Family.
Te land ter zee en in de lucht	On land, at sea and in the air	TROS	Game/entertainment show, people must race through an obstacle course in self-made vehicles.
TROS Radar		TROS	Consumer programme
Tussen Kunst en Kitsch	Between Art and Kitsch	AVRO	Similar to the British Antiques Roadshow
TV Show		TROS	Interview programme with several famous national and international guests.
Vermist	Missing	TROS	Reality programme where people are helped in finding missing persons
Villa Felderhof		NCRV	Interview programme, from a luxurious villa in St. Tropez.
Wie is... de Mol?	Who is... the Mole?	AVRO	Dutch version of The Mole.

¹ Translation added only when it clarifies the original title of the programme.
² Special, extra long broadcasts are made during important events such as the FIFA World Cup, the Tour de France or the Olympic Games.

Logos

• 
  2000-September 2003
• 
  2003-2014
• 
  2009-2014
• 
  2014–present

See also

• Netherlands Public Broadcasting

External links

• NPO 1 website Template:Nl icon