Slovak viewers are losing access to a long-standing television service. Teletext will definitively become a relic of the past for those who relied on it for up-to-date news and service information. While JOJ Group quietly discontinued teletext last month, public broadcaster STVR will follow suit in a matter of days.
JOJ Group ceased providing teletext on all its television channels as of January 1, 2026. The move occurred with little public attention. Marketing Manager Matej Dedinský linked the decision to the end of free-to-air broadcasting via antenna, after which the broadcaster stopped offering the supplementary service.
Teletext to Disappear from STVR in March
STVR will join the trend at the end of February. The public broadcaster will terminate its teletext service on March 1, 2026. “The reason is the technological obsolescence of this platform and its long-term low usage, which no longer justifies the costs of its operation. Teletext was historically an important service at a time when the internet was not a common feature in households, but in recent years its importance has naturally declined and a large part of the Slovak market has already stopped providing it,” STVR stated on its website.
The public broadcaster assures that the availability of information will remain. Current news, program schedules, and service announcements will be offered on stvr.sk, the news portal spravy.stvr.sk, in the News mobile application, and in the broadcasts of the :24 news channel.
Teletext Served Viewers for Decades
Commercial broadcaster TV Markíza discontinued teletext several years ago, and TA3 never included it in its broadcasts. Teletext first appeared in Slovakia in 1988 as part of the then-Czechoslovak Television, and for many viewers, it represented the first quick access to news and sports results in the pre-internet era. Today, its role has been taken over by digital platforms.
The phasing out of teletext in Slovakia reflects a broader European trend. As broadband internet access has become ubiquitous, the demand for teletext has dwindled. The service, reliant on dedicated broadcast lines and limited in its capacity for information delivery, simply cannot compete with the speed, interactivity, and multimedia capabilities of online news and information services.
For STVR, the decision also represents a cost-saving measure. Maintaining the teletext infrastructure requires ongoing investment in hardware, software, and personnel. With declining viewership and limited revenue potential, the service has become financially unsustainable. The broadcaster’s focus is now on strengthening its digital offerings, including its website, mobile app, and streaming services.
The move by JOJ Group to end free-to-air distribution of its channels, effective January 1, 2026, further accelerates the shift towards subscription-based television services and online streaming. Viewers who previously received JOJ, JOJ Plus, WAU, and JOJ 24 via antenna will now need to subscribe to JOJ Play, Plustelka (a pay-DTT platform), or a satellite, cable, or IPTV/OTT provider to continue accessing these channels. This strategy aims to ensure content is delivered “simply, reliably and in the highest quality,” according to the broadcaster, with continued investment in its JOJ Play streaming service.
The transition to a fully digital television landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for Slovak viewers. While the loss of free-to-air channels and teletext may be inconvenient for some, it also opens up access to a wider range of content and more personalized viewing experiences through streaming services and on-demand platforms. The key for broadcasters will be to adapt to these changing consumer preferences and invest in innovative digital solutions that deliver value and maintain audience engagement.
