On December 30, 2024, Georgia celebrates the 68th anniversary of its first television broadcast, which began on December 30, 1956, from a 40-meter studio on Tbilisi Funicular Plateau.
The inaugural broadcast was made possible with just 26 employees and a single camera. Despite the limited resources, notable figures such as Galaktion Tabidze, Irakli Abashidze, Ioseb Grishashvili, Arnold Chikobava, Giorgi Leonidze, Grigol Abashidze, Nodar Dumbadze, Murman Lebanidze, Ioseb Noneshvili, Ana Kalandadze, and others contributed to the television programs. Many famous actors, including Sergo Zakariadze, Sesilia Takaishvili, Veriko Anjaparidze, Medea Japaridze, and others also participated.
In 1957, Georgia introduced a mobile television station near Tbilisi’s Dinamo Stadium, setting the stage for live broadcasts of football matches. Early commentators, Erosi Manjgaladze and Kote Makharadze, quickly won the audience’s affection.
The Georgian news service, Moambe, was launched on January 4, 1968, while the same year saw the advent of colour television in Georgia.
The gold fund of the First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcaster preserves unique and world-class recordings.
In 2025, Georgia will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its first broadcast. Georgian Radio, the first radio station in the South Caucasus, began operations in 1925.