Exactly 85 years ago, on July 7, 1938, a staged program was broadcast for the first time in St. Petersburg, and regular broadcasting began in August. How has one of the country’s main media outlets changed over its long history and what has remained unchanged – in the Izvestia report.
Today, the receiver of Leningrad television, Channel Five, is one of the largest federal television channels. It is included in the first multiplex, included in the number of all-Russian mandatory public channels. Its broadcasting schedule includes news releases with an overview of events in the country and the world, infotainment, scientific, educational and documentary programs, detective series (a curious fact: in 2022, 503 premiere episodes were aired on the Fifth, another 702 new episodes were put into production ). And it all started with a single transfer, which lasted two hours and included a concert and excerpts from films.
Leningrad television was distinguished by creativity and, perhaps, greater freedom than the capital. It was in the Northern capital that they began to acquaint the public with the clips of The Beatles and Queen; it was there that in 1984 the first musical show in the country appeared – “Musical Ring”. Popular pop stars not only sang on it, but also communicated with the audience, who sometimes asked very bold questions. And in 1985, a legendary teleconference between the continents took place, becoming one of the symbols of perestroika.
The 1990s became a difficult period for the channel: transformed into Petersburg – Channel Five, it changed broadcasting regions, forms of ownership, and frequencies. But he continued to work. And it received a new breath already in the 2000s: in 2004 it secured its current name, in 2007 it received the status of an all-Russian television and radio broadcasting organization by presidential decree, and finally, in 2008, it became part of the National Media Group.
One of the symbols of positive changes was the revival of the legendary Leningrad tradition – the holiday of graduates “Scarlet Sails”. It happened in 2005 just thanks to the Fifth Channel, Joint Stock Bank “ROSSIYA” and the government of St. Petersburg. And since then, every year the channel is responsible for the live broadcast of the entire show and organizes its water-pyrotechnical part.
It was “Scarlet Sails” that brought the channel many prestigious international prizes – in particular, four gold and one silver awards from the Global Eventex Awards and three statuettes, including the main one, the Best Event Awards World.
Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:
The first on the screen: the path from Leningrad television to the Fifth channel in 85 years
