:Television in North Korea

Television in North Korea uses a PAL 576i Systems D and K analog signal transmission system and 4:3 aspect ratio. Before 1993, North Korea was operating on the SECAM television system, which also uses 576i at 4:3.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5YjHecPlPS8C&pg=PA260|title = Classrooms for Distance Teaching & Learning: A Blueprint|isbn = 9789061868675|last1 = Hegarty|first1 = Michael|last2 = Phelan|first2 = Anne|last3 = Kilbride|first3 = Lisa|year = 1998}} The four major television channels — Korean Central Television, Mansudae, Athletic Television and Ryongnamsan — broadcast over the air, as well as on a cable television system in Pyongyang;[http://a-i-shin.livejournal.com/35974.html See also the special article] written by A. I. Shin{{blockquote|{{langx|ru|Вопреки расхожему мнению, в Пхеньяне, по крайней мере, люди смотрят не один канал в рабочие дни и два - по выходным. В гостях, где мы были, есть кабельное ТВ и при нас каналов было четыре.}}}} these channels are also available in a special app found on the government issued Samjiyon tablet computers,{{cite web | url=http://www.northkoreatech.org/2013/08/01/review-samjiyon-tablet/ | title=Review: Samjiyon tablet | date=August 2013 }} as well as on the Manbang IPTV service.

North Korea uses DVB-T2 for Digital Terrestrial Television. Trials began in 2012.{{cite web |url=http://blogofmobile.com/article/119608 |script-title=ja:北朝鮮で4局が地上デジタル放送を実施中、ASUS ZenFone Go TVで確認 |language=ja |website=blogofmobile.com |date=8 September 2019 |access-date=24 June 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.northkoreatech.org/2013/03/17/report-dprk-testing-digital-tv/|title=Report: DPRK testing digital TV|first=Martyn|last=Williams|date=17 March 2013|website=North Korea Tech - 노스코리아테크|access-date=25 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923145947/http://www.northkoreatech.org/2013/03/17/report-dprk-testing-digital-tv/|archive-date=23 September 2019|url-status=live}} As of 2020, multiple set-top box models were available, giving access to the four broadcast channels.{{cite news |url=https://www.38north.org/2020/12/mwilliams121620/ |title=North Korea's Multi-Channel TV Age |last=Williams |first=Martyn |publisher=The Henry L. Stimson Center |work=38 North |date=16 December 2020 |access-date=6 January 2021}}

Television sets sold in North Korea are able to operate only on the PAL and DVB-T2 systems, to prevent them from being able to pick up broadcasts from South Korea (which use NTSC System M analogue and ATSC digital) or China (which uses DTMB digital). However, broadcasts from Russia can be picked up, as they are also DVB-T2. Imported TV sets that are able to operate on both PAL and NTSC, such as those from Japan, have their NTSC abilities disabled by the government on import.{{cite news|date=30 January 2013|title=North Korean television sets still receive South Korean signals - New Focus International|work=New Focus International|url=http://newfocusintl.com/north-korean-television-sets/|url-status=dead|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803091316/http://newfocusintl.com/north-korean-television-sets/|archive-date=3 August 2017}}

As of August 16, 2016, there were four television channels in North Korea. All are state-owned and usually last from daytime to prime time.

File:조선중앙텔레비죤.svg

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{{Main|Korean Central Television}}

This is the oldest and main television channel in North Korea, and it started regular broadcasting in 1963. As of 2017, it is the only North Korean TV channel broadcasting to the outside world via satellite television and IPTV aside from domestic transmissions. On satellite, KCTV is available in standard definition as well as in Full HD.[https://www.northkoreatech.org/2015/01/19/kctv-launches-hd-satellite-broadcasts/ KCTV launches HD satellite broadcasts] — North Korea Tech Since December 4, 2017, a test air broadcast in the format 16:9 SDTV was started.{{cite web | url=http://www.northkoreatech.org/2017/12/05/kctv-widescreen-stereo-high-definition/ | title=North Korea's KCTV goes widescreen, stereo in big upgrade | date=5 December 2017 }}

{{Main|Mansudae Television}}

File:만수대.svg

Mansudae Television broadcasts educational material with the occasional advert on weekends{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/17/rise-in-advertising-as-north-korea-embraces-nascent-consumerism |title=Rise in advertising as North Korea embraces nascent consumerism |author=Andray Abrahamian |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 June 2016 |access-date=18 June 2016}} to Pyongyang. It opened on December 1, 1973. The Mansudae TV Broadcasting Station broadcasts three hours (19:00–22:00) on Saturdays, and nine hours (10:00–13:00, 16:00–22:00) on Sundays.{{cite journal|url=http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/pk/188th_issue/2003013008.htm|title=TV Broadcasting and Its Development in DPRK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801234645/http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/pk/188th_issue/2003013008.htm|archive-date=2015-08-01|journal=The People's Korea|issue=188|date=2003}}

{{Main articles|Ryongnamsan Television}}

Ryongnamsan Television ({{lang|ko|룡남산텔레비죤}}) is an educational channel provided by University Student TV Department of Korea Radio and Television.[http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/-TT-NKO-TV-Broadcast/c1bd6e57c4df9b2db4787f0392d69fd5?query=ryongnamsan¤t=1&orderBy=Relevance&hits=1&referrer=search&search=%2fsearch%3fstartd%3d%26endd%3d%26allFilters%3d%26query%3dryongnamsan%26advsearchStartDateFilter%3d%26advsearchEndDateFilter%3d%26searchFilterHdSDFormat%3dAll%26searchFilterDigitized%3dAll%26searchFiltercolorFormat%3dAll%26searchFilteraspectratioFormat%3dAll&allFilters=&productType=IncludedProducts&page=1&b=d69fd5 AP video report about Ryongnamsan TV launching] The de facto director of this channel is Yang Chun Won.File:RyongnamsanTV DPRK.png

The channel started broadcasting on April 1, 1971, under the name "Kaesong". On October 10, 1991, that channel transitioned to color broadcasting. On 1 February 1997 (some sources say 16 February 1997), the channel was rebranded as the "Korean Educational and Cultural Network".[http://www.kfausa.org/korean-central-television/ DPRK TV description on kfausa.org] According to the North Korea Handbook, the rebranding was connected with the 55th anniversary of Kim Jong-il.{{Nonspecific|date=April 2021}} The channel was broadcast on Channel 9 in Pyongyang from 18:00 to 22:00 on weekdays. Also in the 1990s, the television station carried out experimental broadcasting from the television tower in Kaesong on Channel 8 in the NTSC-M format, as a way to promote North Korean culture among South Korean viewers. Channel 8 was chosen to prevent the signal from being jammed by South Korean broadcasters, since in Seoul, Channels 7 and 9 were used for KBS2 and KBS1 until that country's analogue shutdown on December 31, 2012. KBS1 and KBS2 were also broadcast in the demilitarized zone on Channels 29 and 28, respectively, although their signal was jammed by the North Korean government.

On September 5, 2012, the channel received its current name.[http://chosonsinbo.com/jp/2012/09/0924mh-06/ 新たに放送開始、話題集める竜南山テレビ 学問専門番組、大学生に好評]（朝鮮新報） Its schedule includes science documentaries in English, television lectures and educational programs for learning foreign languages. The channel is available for viewing to students of all universities of Pyongyang. The station broadcasts on Channel 9 from the Pyongyang TV tower, on the Manbang IPTV service,{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Martyn |date=22 February 2019 |title=Manbang IPTV Service in Depth |work=38 North |publisher=The Henry L. Stimson Center |url=https://www.38north.org/2019/02/mwilliams022219/ |access-date=6 March 2019}} and on apps on Samjiyon tablets.{{External media

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{{ill|Athletic Television|zh|体育电视台 (朝鲜)}} (Cheyug TV, {{lang|ko|체육텔레비죤}}) is the sports channel launched on August 15, 2015.[http://news.ifeng.com/a/20150818/44452859_0.shtml 朝鲜终于有了体育台] Athletic Television presents sports competitions involving North Korean athletes, and documentaries and programs about the history of sports in North Korea and the world.{{Cite web |url=http://m.yna.co.kr/kr/contents/?cid=AKR20150814080800014&mobile |script-title=ko:북한, 체육 전문TV 신설…'체육강국' 일환 {{!}} 연합뉴스 |access-date=2018-01-29 |archive-date=2018-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007040405/http://m.yna.co.kr/kr/contents/?cid=AKR20150814080800014&mobile |url-status=dead }}[http://v.ifeng.com/news/society/201508/018ed6e2-dfd3-4594-a794-3bdca5a5792d.shtml?tp=1439885541525 朝鲜体育电视台开播] The channel broadcasts on Saturdays and Sundays from 19:00 to 22:00. {{cn span|At 20:00, the channel broadcasts the Podo news program by Korean Central Television.|date=December 2022}}

Frequency plan of Pyongyang TV Tower (2015) and the Manbang IPTV channels (2016). The VHF channels utilize System D and the UHF frequencies are System K.

The programming content has changed over the years. International news is broadcast and documentaries are aired often and are usually on the topic of health, Korean and world history and geography.{{cite news|last=Salmon|first=Andrew|date=4 December 2018|title=Going native in the Hermit Kingdom|publisher=Asia Times|url=https://asiatimes.com/article/going-native-in-the-hermit-kingdom/}} Since 2012, weather forecasting has become more accurate.{{cite web |url=https://www.38north.org/2022/09/whats-up-with-the-weather-in-north-korea/ |title=What's Up with the Weather in North Korea? |last1=Williams |first1=Martyn |last2=Lee |first2=Rachel Minyoung |publisher=The Henry L. Stimson Center |work=38 North |date=6 September 2022 |access-date=14 September 2022}}

{{Portal|North Korea|Television}}

• List of North Korean television series
• Telecommunications in North Korea
• Media of North Korea
• Television in South Korea

{{Reflist}}

• [https://wbiz.kdb.co.kr/wb/fileView?groupId=1B618F14-E65F-4783-7698-98F8CF12686E&fileId=4464D546-F740-EDE1-9D18-4F835086D74D#.pdf Review of television and radio broadcasting in North and South Korea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204010212/https://wbiz.kdb.co.kr/wb/fileView?groupId=1B618F14-E65F-4783-7698-98F8CF12686E&fileId=4464D546-F740-EDE1-9D18-4F835086D74D#.pdf |date=2018-12-04 }} {{in lang|ko}}

{{Media specialized on news and/or analysis about North Korea}}

{{Television in Asia}}

North Korea