It broadcasts a range of programs from CCTV Headquarters at East 3rd Ring Road in Beijing and is available to both cable and terrestrial television viewers.

From 6 January to 4 February 1967, Beijing Television's transmissions were suspended when the Rebel Faction temporarily seized power.

[3] It began broadcasting experimentally in colour in 1971 and was later launched via satellite transmissions in 1973 for major events.

A re-compiled edition of CCTV-1 started broadcasting in Hong Kong and Macau on 1 March 2011, and relaunched on digital terrestrial television on 29 May 2017.

Due to copyright and law restrictions, commercial advertisements, some television dramas, and some entertainment shows are not aired on CCTV-1 Hong Kong and Macau versions.