HRT 2

HRT 2, also known as HTV 2 or Drugi program, is a Croatian free-to-air public television channel belonging to Hrvatska Radiotelevizija (HRT), Croatia’s national public broadcaster. It operates as a complementary service within HRT’s television portfolio, alongside the more locally focused HRT 1. Whereas HRT 1 places greater emphasis on domestic programming and general public-service coverage, HRT 2 has traditionally carried a broader mix of entertainment, imported television series, documentaries, lifestyle formats, news, and live sport. The channel’s programming identity is shaped by variety and schedule flexibility. Its daytime output includes documentary and lifestyle series, while entertainment-oriented programs and smaller-scale domestic productions supplement a substantial volume of acquired content. British television series, including programs sourced from the BBC, have been an important part of the channel’s acquired-programming profile. HRT 2 also regularly repeats selected programs previously shown on HRT 1, making it part of HRT’s wider content-reuse and schedule-complement strategy. A recognizable part of the schedule is the “Krimi petak” programming block, or “Crime Friday,” which presents acquired crime series during Friday prime time. This block illustrates the channel’s role as a home for genre programming and international entertainment rather than as a purely news- or current-affairs-led service. Alongside scripted crime programming, HRT 2 broadcasts non-scripted factual and lifestyle content, documentaries, entertainment programs, and selected news coverage. Sport is another important component of the brand. HRT 2 has carried major live sporting events, including football competitions and international tournaments. Its sports portfolio has included UEFA Europa League matches, UEFA Europa Conference League matches, and FIFA World Cup coverage. During the 2024 Summer Olympics, the channel also carried Olympic programming in ultra-high-definition (UHD), reflecting HRT’s use of the service for significant event coverage and higher-quality broadcast experiments. HRT 2 expanded its around-the-clock schedule when it began 24-hour broadcasting on 14 January 2011. In November 2022, HRT introduced a temporary low-latency version called HRT 2 No Latency on the HRTi streaming service. The service was launched on 20 November 2022 in connection with the 2022 FIFA World Cup and was designed to provide the same programming as HRT 2 with reduced transmission delay. It did not support pausing or rewinding. The temporary stream ended after the World Cup. The brand therefore serves two related functions: it is a national public television channel with its own entertainment and factual identity, and it is a flexible outlet for major acquired series, sporting events, repeats, and digital distribution initiatives. Its programming is primarily intended for audiences in Croatia and is delivered within HRT’s public-service broadcasting system.

HRT 2 is the second television channel of Hrvatska Radiotelevizija, Croatia’s public broadcasting organization. It is also referred to as HTV 2 and, in Croatian, Drugi program. The channel was developed as a complementary service within HRT’s television offering. Its role differs from that of HRT 1, which is more strongly associated with domestic programming, broad national coverage, and core public-service content. HRT 2’s schedule has generally emphasized entertainment and a wide range of factual programming. Its daytime output includes documentaries, lifestyle series, and other non-scripted formats. The channel also broadcasts news and smaller-scale Croatian entertainment and lifestyle productions. At the same time, it frequently repeats selected programs that originally appeared on HRT 1, allowing HRT to extend the reach and use of its domestic content across its television portfolio. A major distinguishing feature is the channel’s larger share of acquired international programming. HRT 2 has carried numerous television series obtained from foreign broadcasters, with British series, including BBC acquisitions, forming a notable part of its schedule. Its prime-time offer has included the “Krimi petak,” or “Crime Friday,” block, which groups acquired crime series on Friday evenings. This combination of imported drama, factual content, entertainment, and repeats gives the channel a more varied and genre-oriented identity than a single-format service. HRT 2 also functions as an important outlet for live sports. Its broadcasts have included major football competitions such as the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, and FIFA World Cup. The channel has additionally been used for large international sporting events, including the 2024 Summer Olympics, for which it carried programming in UHD. Sports rights and event coverage provide the service with appointment viewing opportunities alongside its regular entertainment and documentary schedule. On 14 January 2011, HRT 2 began 24-hour broadcasting, marking a significant expansion of its operating schedule. The move enabled the channel to provide continuous programming rather than limiting transmission to a shorter daily window. HRT also tested an associated digital distribution format during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On 20 November 2022, it launched HRT 2 No Latency through the HRTi streaming service. This temporary stream was designed to reduce transmission delay and carried the same programming as HRT 2. Unlike conventional time-shifted streaming functionality, it did not permit viewers to pause or rewind. The service was available only during the World Cup period and closed at the end of the tournament. The channel’s history is consequently defined less by a series of corporate ownership changes than by its continuing evolution within HRT’s public-broadcasting structure. Its principal developments have involved schedule expansion, the balancing of domestic and acquired programming, the use of the channel for major sports events, and experiments with digital and low-latency delivery. HRT 2 remains a Croatian public television service aimed primarily at the domestic market.

• 2024

  2024 Summer Olympics broadcast in UHD

  [1]HRT 2en.wikipedia.org

  HRT 2 carried Olympic programming in ultra-high-definition during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

• 2022

  HRT 2 No Latency launched

  [1]HRT 2en.wikipedia.org

  A temporary low-latency HRT 2 stream became available through HRTi on 20 November 2022 for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and closed after the tournament.

• 2011

  24-hour broadcasting introduced

  [1]HRT 2en.wikipedia.org

  HRT 2 began broadcasting continuously around the clock on 14 January 2011.

A Croatian public-service television channel positioned as HRT’s entertainment-, factual-, acquired-series-, and sports-oriented complement to the more domestically focused HRT 1.

• Free-to-air public television channel

  HRT 2

  The core HRT 2 television service, broadcasting entertainment, documentaries, lifestyle programming, news, acquired international series, repeats of selected HRT programs, and live sports for viewers in Croatia.

• Low-latency streaming channel · 2022

  HRT 2 No Latency

  A temporary HRTi-only version of HRT 2 introduced for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It carried the main channel’s programming with reduced transmission delay but did not provide pause or rewind functions.

• 2022

  Temporary low-latency HRT 2 stream for the FIFA World CupProduct launch

  Background

  HRT created a digital version of HRT 2 in connection with the 2022 FIFA World Cup and made it available through HRTi.

  Action taken

  HRT launched HRT 2 No Latency on 20 November 2022. The stream reduced latency and mirrored HRT 2 programming, while excluding pause and rewind functionality.

  Aftermath

  The temporary service was discontinued at the end of the World Cup.

  Source

• 2011

  Expansion to 24-hour broadcastingStrategy

  Background

  HRT 2 expanded its transmission schedule as part of its role as a full-time public television service.

  Action taken

  The channel began continuous broadcasting on 14 January 2011.

  Aftermath

  HRT 2 became available throughout the day and night, supporting a broader mix of entertainment, factual, acquired, and sports programming.

  Source

1. 1HRT 2en.wikipedia.org