35 channels
Uzbekistan's television landscape is smaller than those of its Central Asian neighbours, and that compactness shapes its character. The state broadcasting structure remains the spine of the schedule, with national channels carrying the bulk of news, presidential addresses and ceremonial coverage, while a modest tier of private and regional outlets fills out the rest. What you notice first is the bilingual reality: Uzbek and Russian share the airwaves, often within the same evening, and news bulletins frequently alternate between the two. Russian-language programming isn't a niche holdover but a parallel mainstream, a legacy of the Soviet-era broadcasting system that still defines how many urban households watch. Dubbing follows the same logic. Imported dramas, children's animation and foreign films arrive mostly in Uzbek or Russian voiceover rather than subtitles, and the voiceover style, a single narrator reading over the original audio, remains common. Primetime is early by regional standards, and the schedule leans heavily on music programming, folk and pop performance shows, and cultural documentaries that reflect the state's investment in heritage broadcasting. News reading is formal and unhurried, closer to the Soviet anchor tradition than to the punchier commercial styles you'll find further west. Live sport revolves around domestic league football and international tournaments, with national-team matches drawing the largest simultaneous audiences of the year. Regional channels matter too, particularly in the Fergana Valley and Samarkand, where local news and community programming anchor the viewing day. It's a market where state reach, bilingual output and cultural programming still set the tone.