The channel began as a television experiment by Radioinsinööriseura [fi] (later Elektroniikkainsinöörien seura [fi]), an association of radio and electronics engineers who had begun test broadcasts as early as 20 April 1955, from premises rented from the Helsinki University of Technology.

Regular broadcasts began in 1956 after the foundation Tekniikan edistämissäätiö [fi] began supporting the project; Yleisradio was then more focused on building and expanding its FM radio network and considered television to be less of a priority.

The final name Tesvisio was adopted in 1960 after the management was spun off into a separate company.

As the coverage of Yleisradio's and thus indirectly Mainostelevisio's broadcasts expanded, Tesvisio found it increasingly harder to attract advertisers.

[4] There were initially plans to absorb the assets into the existing public TV channel, but in the end a decision was made to reorganize them into a second TV channel (TV-ohjelma 2, now Yle TV2), which would be headquartered in Tampere in the offices of then Tamvisio.