Israeli Educational Television
הטלוויזיה החינוכית הישראלית

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
Official Website	www.23tv.co.il

The Israeli Educational Television (IETV, Hebrew: הטלוויזיה החינוכית הישראלית‎, HaTelevizya HaḤinukhít HaYisra'elit) is a state-owned public television network which used to concentrate on producing and broadcasting programs for schoolchildren. The first Israeli children's show, featuring Kishkashta, aired on Channel 1 in the 1970s and '80s. However, since the 1980s IETV began to produce 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 televised 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. From 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 organizations 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.

IETV programmes are currently broadcast on Channel 23 of the HOT cable TV and YES satellite systems, 24 hours a day (midnight-8am are re-runs). The station also shares airtime on the Channel 1 and 2 terrestrial outlets.

The station has remained an autonomous unit of the Ministry of Education, and currently broadcasts around 215 hours of programming every week.

[edit] IETV productions

• Rechov Sumsum
• Zehu Ze!
• Parpar Nehmad
• Bli Sodot
• Shnaim Ohazin

[edit] External links

• IETV official site