Chronicles of Armenian television are dated back to September 5, 1955, when the USSR Council of Ministers made a decision to construct 27 program centers and 5 broadcasting stations in the Union Republics. Construction of Armenian television broadcasting station had started on Nork hills in Yerevan. A committee was formed under the supervision of the first director of the Armenian television, Nerses Kagramanov; the committee was hiring the employees, who were then supposed to develop and found a solid base for the Armenian television.

On 29 November 1956, the date of Sovietization of Armenia, the first program of the Armenian television was broadcasted. The broadcast was opened by Nara Shlepchyan, the first Armenian TV host. One feature film was shown, as well as a movie devoted to the closing concert of Armenian literature and art decade in Moscow.

Mostly films were shown until December 31. At the same time, the creative groups were working on independent programs. On December 31, 1956 a New Years' program was aired, and on January 2, 1957 - a holiday program for the children. Another pilot program was aired in January; it was devoted to the life and works of a great Armenian artist, Vardges Surenyants. The pilot programs continued until February.

"Good day, dear viewers, we now launching our pilot programs", - this was the greeting line pronounced by the first host Nara Shlepchyan to the Armenian TV viewers.

- I can very well remember November 29, 1956. All of us were anxious and excited at the same time. The air time came, I appeared on the screen, greeted and congratulated with the launch of TV broadcasting in Armenia, and presented the program for that day. This was the first day of the TV, that now lasts about half a century.

I am frequently asked - why you, where did you come from? At that time I was a last-year University student. One of my close friends, Kim Arzumanyan, suggested to go to the speech contest, maybe even participate in it. I went up to Nork, the first building of the TV station. There were actors, graduates of the Theater Institute. Seeing them, I thought that I would be embarrassed to stand before a camera. Then I was invited. First of all, I presented one of the most respected figures of the theatre world - Vagharshak Vagharshyan, then I announced Gohar Gasparyan's concert, and at last, a movie, the name of which I am not able to recall now. The program had to be presented also in Russian. I greeted and recited a children's poem by Chukovsky. I never thought I would be a winner.

The next problem was to convince my conservative father. The managers of the television visited our home and somehow convinced my father to allow me to work temporarily. "Temporarily" lasted for four decades.