World Television Day - November 21, the UN day for television as a global medium

World Television Day on November 21 is the UN International Day recognizing television as a symbol of communication and globalization. Established by UN General Assembly Resolution 51/205 on December 17, 1996, on the first anniversary of the inaugural World Television Forum, the day is marked by UNESCO, broadcasters, and media industry events. Not a public holiday.

The one-line summary

UN International Day every November 21 recognizing television. Established 1996 by UNGA Resolution 51/205. Marks first anniversary of the inaugural World Television Forum. Not a public holiday.

Origin and history

World Television Day was established by the UN General Assembly on December 17, 1996, in Resolution 51/205. The resolution was passed on the first anniversary of the inaugural World Television Forum, hosted by the UN in New York in November 1995. The resolution recognized television as a major force shaping global public opinion and called on broadcasters and policy makers to mark the day annually by highlighting television\'s role in global communication.

The inaugural World Television Forum in November 1995 brought together over 200 broadcasters, producers, advertisers, and policy makers from 40 countries. The event focused on television\'s role in promoting cultural diversity, supporting development, and fostering international understanding. Subsequent Forums were held in 1997 and 1999, but the events were discontinued after the early 2000s as the industry\'s globalization accelerated through satellite and cable channels.',

Television globally

According to the International Telecommunication Union, approximately 95% of households globally had at least one television set in 2024, with the highest penetration in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. Average daily television viewing varies sharply by country: Americans watch approximately 4.6 hours per day, Britons 3.5 hours, Germans 3.4 hours, Indians 3.0 hours, and Brazilians 5.1 hours. The global average is approximately 3.5 hours per day per person.

Television viewing has shifted dramatically since 1996. Streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max) now account for over 60% of viewing in many high-income markets. Traditional broadcast TV viewing has fallen 30-50% in the United States, United Kingdom, and parts of Western Europe. However, TV remains the dominant screen in many emerging markets - in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria, traditional TV viewing remains dominant or competitive with streaming.',

UN and television

The UN has been a major user of television since its founding in 1945. UN Radio and Television broadcasts in six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) reach audiences in over 80 countries through partnerships with national broadcasters. UN Webcast (webtv.un.org) archives Security Council, General Assembly, and major conference proceedings, with over 100,000 hours of footage available online.

The UN Department of Global Communications operates UN Web TV, which streams live and on-demand UN proceedings, including the General Assembly, Security Council, and Human Rights Council. The UN also partners with major broadcasters (BBC, Al Jazeera, CGTN, France24) to amplify UN programming. UN radio reaches an estimated 150+ million listeners per week globally, complementing television broadcasts.',

How it is observed

World Television Day is marked by UNESCO events at headquarters and regional offices, broadcasters\' programming specials highlighting television\'s cultural and educational role, media industry conferences and awards ceremonies, school programming about television history and media literacy, and corporate social responsibility partnerships focused on media access and digital inclusion. Major broadcasters often produce special documentaries or retrospectives marking the day.

National broadcasting associations use the day to launch industry reports on viewing trends, technology adoption, and content production. Trade organizations like the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB, US) host aligned events. UNESCO\'s Communication and Information Sector uses the day to highlight media and information literacy programmes.',

World Television Day by the numbers

Sources

• UN General Assembly Resolution 51/205 (World Television Day).
• UNESCO Communication and Information Sector: unesco.org
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU) statistics.
• UN Department of Global Communications: un.org
• European Broadcasting Union annual reports.