World Television Day
A/RES/51/205
A/RES/51/205
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
World Television Day is observed on 21 November as a United Nations observance about television’s role in communication, public information and globalization.
The UN explicitly frames the day around the significance and influence of television rather than simply celebrating television sets or entertainment programming.
Why it matters
Television has historically shaped access to news, public debate, culture and shared events. The observance can therefore be used to examine media responsibility, representation, access, public-service communication and changes in audiovisual distribution.
It is related to but distinct from World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, which focuses on preserving audiovisual records and archives.
History
The United Nations held the first World Television Forum on 21 and 22 November 1996, bringing together leading media figures to discuss television’s growing importance and international cooperation.
On 5 December 1996, Italy formally requested inclusion of an agenda item on proclaiming World Television Day and attached an explanatory memorandum and draft resolution. The General Assembly then adopted resolution 51/205 on 17 December 1996, formally proclaiming the annual day and commemorating the date of the first Forum.
The date therefore reflects a documented event-to-observance transition rather than an arbitrary calendar choice.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
First United Nations World Television Forum
The Forum concluded with support for proclaiming World Television Day on 21 November; A/RES/51/205 then formally created the annual observance and explicitly commemorated the date of the first Forum.
Italy
UN document A/51/235 records Italy’s 5 December 1996 request to add proclamation of World Television Day to the General Assembly agenda and notes that the submission contained an explanatory memorandum and draft resolution.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/51/205
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Ways to observe
Compare how television news, public broadcasting and streaming platforms shape access to information.
Study a historically significant broadcast and evaluate its sourcing, framing and public impact.
Discuss representation and accessibility in television, including captions, sign language and audio description.
For archival material, check copyright and preservation status before republishing clips.
Useful facts
World Television Day is observed on 21 November.
The first UN World Television Forum was held on 21 and 22 November 1996.
Italy formally requested the General Assembly agenda item and submitted an explanatory memorandum and draft resolution for the proclamation.
The UN General Assembly formally proclaimed the day through resolution 51/205 on 17 December 1996.
The observance is about television’s social and communicative significance, not simply entertainment.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/51/205 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — Italy request A/51/235 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Press — first World Television Forum, 1996 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Television Day (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Television Day?
21 November The stored recurrence guidance is: 21 November.
Does World Television Day fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is World Television Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Television Day?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Italy.
Is World Television Day international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
Why is World Television Day on 21 November?
The first United Nations World Television Forum opened on 21 November 1996, and the General Assembly used that date for the annual observance.
Is World Television Day a celebration of television sets?
Not really. The UN frames the day around television’s role in communication, public opinion and globalization.
How is it different from World Day for Audiovisual Heritage?
World Television Day focuses on television as a communication medium; World Day for Audiovisual Heritage focuses on preserving audiovisual records and archives.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions are separately reviewed and source-backed. They clarify scope; they do not change either authority record.
Is World Television Day the same as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage?
World Television Day focuses on television as a communication medium and its social influence. World Day for Audiovisual Heritage focuses on preserving audiovisual records, archives and heritage.
Open World Day for Audiovisual Heritage →Distinction sources
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