By Skarphéðinn Guðmundsson, Program Director at RÚV
After months of test broadcasting it was on September 30th 1966 at 8 pm local time that Vilhjálmur Gíslason, RUV’s Director General, became the first person to appear on Icelanders brand new 14.000 in total television screens, declaring that Icelandic television broadcasting would thrive to become a cultural force, aiming to broaden horizons, improving lives, provide well deserved entertainment after a hard day’s work, while being the medium of just and truthful information and exchange of opinions, the place where big dreams come to life.
The schedule over the anniversary month will consist of brand new local programs, new Icelandic feature films and ambitious cultural events. One of the highlights will be a new documentary, A Day in The Life of a Nation, where the nation got the assignment to record a whole day in its life, on September 30th 2015.
It will be fitting that on RUV’s birthday, a brand new RUV exhibition will formally be opened, placed on the first floor of the RUV building at Efstaleiti, providing insight into the history of RUV, radio and TV broadcasting, with pieces such as costumes, props, puppets, equipments such as microphones, cameras, radio and TV sets and other memorabilia, sights and sounds and during the anniversary weekend the RUV’s doors will open to the public.