Spanish public broadcaster Radio Televisión Española (RTVE) made a significant change to its broadcast operations on 11 February 2024, affecting how viewers receive some of its channels over terrestrial and satellite television. The move is part of a wider transition across Spanish television from older standard-definition (SD) broadcasts to higher-quality formats such as high definition (HD) and ultra-high definition (UHD).

The change was most noticeable for viewers who previously received RTVE channels in SD. Channels that were previously available in that lower resolution — including La 1, La 2, 24 Horas, Teledeporte (TDP) and Clan — were switched so that they now broadcast only in HD in many parts of Spain. If you woke up and suddenly couldn’t find these channels on your TV or set-top box, it’s because the SD transmissions were turned off, and only the HD versions remain available.

This transition builds on broader changes taking place across the country’s Televisión Digital Terrestre (TDT) system, which has been steadily phasing out SD broadcasts in favour of HD and UHD. The government’s Plan Técnico Nacional for digital TV requires all DTT channels to broadcast in HD by mid-February 2024, with SD signals being retired to make more efficient use of broadcast spectrum and offer viewers better picture quality.

For many viewers, the switch meant performing a channel rescan on their television or set-top box to detect and list the updated HD channels. Most modern TVs are already compatible with HD broadcasts, but older television sets — particularly those more than a decade old — might require an external HD decoder to continue receiving RTVE channels.

In some areas of Spain, the transition has also led to access to RTVE UHD channels such as La 1 UHD and RTVE 2 UHD, which offer even higher resolution broadcasts, typically using upscaled content from HD. These advanced channels are part of the early rollout of UHD transmissions on the TDT platform, a step beyond standard HD that delivers crisp images and enhanced viewing experiences where supported.

The removal of SD broadcasts from RTVE marks a milestone in Spain’s television evolution. It reflects not only improvements in technology and picture quality but also the country’s effort to align with broader European broadcast standards. While the change may have caused temporary disruption for some viewers, it ultimately offers a better, sharper TV experience that keeps pace with modern expectations.

To find the RTVE HD channels on your TV you will have to perform a channel rescan:

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