HRT 3

HRT 3, also known as HTV 3 or Treći program, is a Croatian free-to-air television channel operated by Hrvatska radiotelevizija (Croatian Radiotelevision). The channel is part of HRT’s national television portfolio and is positioned around educational, cultural, documentary, artistic, and film content rather than the broad general-interest programming associated with a mainstream commercial channel. Its schedule has included classic films and television series, documentaries, educational material, and selected independent and art cinema, giving it a complementary role within Croatia’s public-service broadcasting system. The HRT 3 name has been used in more than one phase of Croatian television history. The service’s earlier lineage began with Z3, later referred to as HTV Z3. That service went on air in 1991, but its transmission was interrupted after the Sljeme television tower was damaged during the Croatian War of Independence. It returned in 1994 under the HRT 3 name. This earlier version was eventually discontinued in 2004, when its terrestrial frequency was made available through a public tender. The frequency was subsequently used by RTL Televizija. HRT used the satellite service HRT Plus as a related replacement during the intervening period. HRT considered restoring a third terrestrial channel during the 2000s. Initial proposals contemplated a sports and entertainment service, and later plans included a possible sports-focused channel developed with the Croatian Olympic Committee. Those plans encountered resistance from commercial broadcasters RTL Televizija and Nova TV, which argued that an HRT sports service could affect the development of the Croatian television market. Legislative and technical changes associated with the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting later created a framework for additional HRT channels. The present HRT 3 was formally announced in February 2012 following a preliminary agreement between HRT and a group of national cultural, educational, scientific, and related institutions. It relaunched on 13 September 2012 with a substantially different editorial direction from the proposed sports-channel concept. Instead of becoming primarily a sports outlet, the revived channel emphasized educational and documentary programming, classic cinema and television, and occasional art-house and independent productions. This helped establish HRT 3 as a specialist public-service channel intended to broaden the cultural and intellectual range of Croatian television. The channel has been distributed terrestrially in Croatia through the digital multiplex system and has also been available by satellite. Its programming and distribution are shaped by HRT’s public-service remit, national regulatory conditions, and agreements with cultural and international partners. For example, in December 2020 HRT 3 presented a selection of Polish films under a cooperation protocol involving Telewizja Polska and the Polish Embassy in Zagreb. The service remains an active component of HRT’s television offering, although detailed current corporate, audience, and financial information is not established in the supplied reference material.

HRT 3 has a layered history that includes an earlier television service and the current channel launched in the digital-broadcasting era. Its original lineage began in 1989 under the name Z3, later HTV Z3. The service officially went on air on 1 March 1991. Its operation was interrupted on 16 September 1991 after the Sljeme television tower, its principal transmission site, was damaged in an air raid. The channel returned on 7 November 1994, by then using the HRT 3 name. This first HRT 3 service ended on 28 March 2004. Its terrestrial frequency was subsequently de-nationalized and offered through a public tender, after which RTL Televizija used the frequency. HRT maintained a related satellite outlet, HRT Plus, during the period when the terrestrial HRT 3 service was absent. HRT began considering the restoration of a third channel in November 2005. Early concepts proposed replacing HRT Plus while retaining a combination of sports and entertainment programming. In 2007, HRT announced plans for two digital-terrestrial channels, HRT 3 and HRT News. The proposed editorial model changed over time, and one later version envisaged HRT 3 as a dedicated sports channel. In 2008, HRT announced a possible relaunch as HRT 3 Sport from 1 January 2009, potentially in cooperation with the Croatian Olympic Committee. The proposed service was expected to show sports that received less exposure on mainstream television, including volleyball and women’s handball. The sports-channel proposal met opposition from RTL Televizija and Nova TV. The two commercial broadcasters objected that a publicly backed HRT sports channel could have negative effects on the Croatian television market. The timetable also evolved alongside Croatia’s transition from analogue to digital terrestrial transmission. In November 2010, HRT indicated that HRT 3 and HRT 4 would begin operating after the start of 2011, subject to changes in Croatian legislation and the analogue switch-off process. On 10 February 2012, HRT formally announced the return of HRT 3 following a preliminary agreement with seven national institutions and associations in education, culture, science, and related fields. The channel was ultimately relaunched on 13 September 2012, but not as the sports outlet previously contemplated. Its new identity centered on educational and documentary programming, classic films and series, and occasional art and independent cinema. This editorial approach gave HRT 3 a distinctive public-service role within the HRT portfolio. The channel has been carried in Croatia through the digital terrestrial MUX B system and has also been distributed by satellite via Eutelsat 16A. Its programming has included international cultural exchanges. One documented example occurred from 7 to 12 December 2020, when HRT 3 broadcast Polish films under a protocol involving Telewizja Polska and the Polish Embassy in Zagreb. HRT 3 remains active as a Croatian public television service, although the supplied sources do not establish current audience figures, annual budgets, or named channel executives.

• 2020

  Polish cinema programming partnership

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  HRT 3 aired Polish films from 7 to 12 December through a protocol involving Telewizja Polska and the Polish Embassy in Zagreb.

• 2012

  Current HRT 3 announced and relaunched

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  The current channel was announced in February and relaunched on 13 September with a cultural, educational, documentary, and film-focused remit.

• 2008

  Sports-channel relaunch proposed

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  HRT announced a proposed HRT 3 Sport concept for 2009, potentially in partnership with the Croatian Olympic Committee.

• 2004

  Earlier HRT 3 service closes

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  The earlier channel closed on 28 March, and its terrestrial frequency was later used by RTL Televizija.

• 1994

  HRT 3 returns

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  The service resumed broadcasting on 7 November under the HRT 3 name.

• 1991

  First service goes on air

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  The original service officially began broadcasting on 1 March 1991.

• 1991

  Transmission interrupted after tower damage

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  Broadcasting stopped on 16 September after the Sljeme television tower was damaged in an air raid.

• 1989

  Z3 lineage begins

  [1]HRT 3en.wikipedia.org

  The channel’s earlier historical lineage began under the Z3 name, later associated with HTV Z3.

A Croatian public-service specialist channel centered on education, culture, documentaries, cinema, and intellectually oriented programming.

• Free-to-air television channel · 2012

  HRT 3

  HRT 3 is HRT’s specialist Croatian television channel. Its programming emphasizes education, documentaries, cultural subjects, classic films and series, and selected art-house or independent productions. The channel was relaunched in 2012 after earlier versions of the HRT 3 service had operated and later closed. It is distributed through Croatia’s digital terrestrial television system and has also been available by satellite.

• 2020Polish Film Programming Partnership

  Croatia

  HRT 3 presented Polish films over a six-day period under a cooperation protocol involving Telewizja Polska and the Polish Embassy in Zagreb.

  Outcome. The channel delivered a focused international cinema showcase as part of cultural and broadcasting cooperation.

  Source

• 2012

  Relaunch as a cultural and educational channelProduct launch

  Background

  HRT’s return to a third channel was supported by a preliminary agreement with national institutions and associations connected with education, culture, and science.

  Action taken

  HRT relaunched HRT 3 on 13 September with documentaries, educational material, classic films and series, and selected art and independent cinema.

  Aftermath

  The channel became a specialist public-service outlet rather than the sports channel contemplated in earlier plans.

  Source

• 2008

  Proposed conversion into HRT 3 SportStrategy

  Background

  HRT explored reviving its third channel as a sports service, with a possible Croatian Olympic Committee partnership and coverage of less prominent sports.

  Action taken

  The proposed sports-centered relaunch was announced for 2009, but the concept did not become the final identity of the revived channel.

  Aftermath

  The later HRT 3 launch adopted a cultural, educational, documentary, and film-oriented strategy instead.

  • RTL Televizija — RTL Televizija opposed the proposed sports-channel plan, arguing that it could affect the Croatian television market.
  • Nova TV — Nova TV joined RTL Televizija in opposing the proposed HRT sports channel on market-development grounds.

  Source

1. 1HRT 3en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hrvatska radiotelevizija official websitehrt.hr