Milliy TV

Milliy TV is a private Uzbek television channel that broadcasts in Uzbek and Russian. Its programming combines locally produced serials, music and entertainment shows, educational material, and selected international content. The channel presents itself as a platform connected to Uzbek cultural identity while also addressing viewers beyond Uzbekistan, including members of the Uzbek diaspora. Milliy TV began test transmissions on 18 August 2016 through terrestrial television, cable operators and YouTube. Its regular service began on 1 September 2016, although the inaugural ceremony was broadcast later that day at 8 p.m. Terrestrial distribution expanded on 1 December 2016, when the channel became available in eleven regions of Uzbekistan. It moved to a full 24-hour schedule on 1 January 2017. One of the channel's early notable programs was Otalar sozi - aqlning kuzi, a program aimed at older viewers and associated with social and family-oriented subject matter. The program had initially been produced for the state channel Mahalla, but its eventual association with Milliy TV became the subject of a public dispute concerning where it would be broadcast. On 21 March 2017, during the Nowruz holiday, Milliy TV introduced an official mobile application designed in part to serve viewers living outside Uzbekistan. A 2017 survey cited by the channel's Wikipedia article found that 10 percent of 10,234 respondents watched Milliy TV. In that sample, the channel ranked fourth behind Yoshlar, MY5 and Zo'r TV. The result placed Milliy TV among Uzbekistan's visible national television outlets, although the available material does not establish its current audience share, revenue, ownership structure or distribution footprint. The channel has also adjusted its programming mix over time. In October 2020, it announced an intention to reduce the airtime devoted to foreign series and increase locally produced content. This direction was reflected in the broadcast of Mendirman Jaliloddin, which began on 14 February 2021 and was produced as a co-production with a Turkish company. The project illustrates Milliy TV's combination of domestic cultural themes and international production collaboration. Milliy TV has periodically carried programming dealing with social issues. In August 2023, it removed the programs Millar and Millar Postda from its schedule after they reported on violence at internet cafés. Channel directors did not publicly specify the reason for the suspension, while reporting noted that the programs had addressed social concerns. The available reference material does not establish whether the suspension was temporary or permanent. The channel is therefore best characterized as an Uzbek general-interest broadcaster with a strong emphasis on local-language entertainment and drama, rather than as a narrowly specialized news or sports service. Publicly available reference material confirms its launch, expansion of terrestrial distribution, digital outreach, programming strategy and selected controversies, but does not provide reliable information about its legal entity, headquarters, founders, executives, parent organization, finances or present-day ownership.

Milliy TV is an Uzbek private television channel broadcasting in Uzbek and Russian. It entered the Uzbek media market in 2016, initially using terrestrial television, cable distribution and YouTube for test transmissions. Test broadcasting began on 18 August 2016. The regular service started on 1 September, with the channel's inaugural ceremony broadcast at 8 p.m. rather than at the beginning of the day's schedule. The channel expanded its terrestrial reach on 1 December 2016, when broadcasts began in eleven regions of Uzbekistan. It completed the transition to round-the-clock broadcasting on 1 January 2017. During its initial period, Milliy TV developed a general-interest schedule containing original serials, music programs, educational material and selected international productions. Its programming was framed around aspects of Uzbek culture and was also intended to present Uzbekistan to international audiences. In January 2017, Milliy TV launched Otalar sozi - aqlning kuzi, a program directed toward older viewers. The show's history involved a disagreement over its intended broadcaster: it had originally been expected to air on the state channel Mahalla, and several episodes had reportedly already been produced. The eventual association of the program with Milliy TV prompted a public exchange involving Mirabbos Mirzaaxmedov, who disputed the suggestion that it would be broadcast elsewhere. Digital distribution became an explicit part of Milliy TV's outreach on 21 March 2017, when the channel launched its official application. The app was described as being particularly useful for the Uzbek diaspora, extending the channel's access beyond its domestic television footprint. A survey from 2017 cited a 10 percent viewing rate among a sample of 10,234 Uzbek respondents. In that survey, Milliy TV ranked fourth behind Yoshlar, MY5 and Zo'r TV. The channel later emphasized the expansion of domestic production. In October 2020, it stated that it intended to reduce the share of foreign series in its schedule and increase local content. This strategy did not exclude international cooperation. Mendirman Jaliloddin, which began airing on 14 February 2021, was produced in cooperation with a Turkish company and combined a local historical-cultural focus with cross-border production involvement. Milliy TV's schedule has also included programs covering contemporary social problems. In August 2023, the channel removed Millar and Millar Postda after the programs reported on violence at internet cafés. The directors did not give a specific public explanation for the suspension. The available reference describes the programs as addressing social issues but does not establish a definitive legal, regulatory or commercial reason for their removal. The channel's later media profile also includes the circulation of an out-of-context scene from episode 406 of the soap opera Iqror on social media in 2026. Many users reportedly believed the scene depicted a real event. The available reference does not indicate that Milliy TV admitted wrongdoing or that the incident led to a formal investigation. Beyond these events, public reference material does not document reliable information about the channel's ownership, corporate structure, headquarters, executives, finances or current audience performance.

• 2023

  Two social-affairs programs leave the schedule

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  Millar and Millar Postda are suspended after reporting on violence at internet cafés.

• 2021

  Mendirman Jaliloddin begins airing

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  The series premieres on 14 February as a co-production with a Turkish company.

• 2020

  Local-production strategy announced

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  Milliy TV announces an intention to reduce foreign series and increase locally produced programming.

• 2017

  24-hour broadcasting begins

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  Milliy TV adopts a full 24-hour broadcasting schedule on 1 January.

• 2017

  Official mobile application launches

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel launches an official app on 21 March, with particular relevance for viewers in the Uzbek diaspora.

• 2016

  Test broadcasting begins

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  Milliy TV starts test transmissions through terrestrial television, cable operators and YouTube on 18 August.

• 2016

  Regular service launches

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel begins regular broadcasting on 1 September, followed by an inaugural ceremony that evening.

• 2016

  Terrestrial coverage expands

  [1]Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org

  Terrestrial broadcasting begins in eleven regions of Uzbekistan on 1 December.

A private Uzbek general-interest television channel combining locally produced entertainment and drama with music, educational and social programming, while incorporating themes associated with Uzbek culture and reaching domestic and diaspora audiences.

• Drama and serial programming

  Original television series

  Milliy TV produces and broadcasts Uzbek-language serial and soap-opera content. Iqror is one identified example, while the channel's broader strategy has emphasized increasing the volume of locally made programming.

• Social and family programming · 2017

  Otalar sozi - aqlning kuzi

  A program aimed at older viewers, launched by Milliy TV in January 2017. Its broadcast history was connected to a dispute over whether it should air on Milliy TV or the state channel Mahalla.

• Historical drama series · 2021

  Mendirman Jaliloddin

  A historical series that began airing on Milliy TV in February 2021. It was produced through cooperation with a Turkish company, illustrating the channel's use of international production partnerships alongside locally oriented subject matter.

• Social-issue program

  Millar

  A Milliy TV program associated with reporting on social issues, including violence at internet cafés. It was removed from the schedule in August 2023.

• Social-issue program

  Millar Postda

  A companion or related social-affairs program that was removed from Milliy TV's schedule in August 2023 after coverage concerning violence at internet cafés.

• Digital distribution · 2017

  Official Milliy TV application

  A mobile application launched on 21 March 2017 to extend access to Milliy TV content, with particular attention to Uzbek viewers living outside the country.

• 2023

  Suspend Millar and Millar PostdaOther

  Background

  The two programs had reported on violence at internet cafés and were noted for covering social issues.

  Action taken

  Milliy TV removed both programs from its schedule in August 2023.

  Aftermath

  The channel's directors did not publicly specify the reason for the suspension, and the available reference does not establish whether the programs later returned.

  Source

• 2020

  Increase the share of local productionsStrategy

  Background

  Milliy TV announced that it wanted to reduce airtime devoted to foreign series and strengthen its locally produced programming.

  Action taken

  The channel stated that its schedule would move toward a greater proportion of domestic content.

  Aftermath

  Mendirman Jaliloddin, a Turkish co-production that began airing in 2021, demonstrated that the strategy could include international collaboration while maintaining a local cultural orientation.

  Source

1. 1Milliy TVen.wikipedia.org