Television in Sri Lanka


Television in Sri Lanka dates back to 1979. Television broadcasting, like other forms of media in the country, is generally divided along linguistic lines with state and private media operators providing services in Sinhala, Tamil, and English languages.

History

Businessmen Anil Wijewardena and Shan Wickremasinghe established the country's first TV station Independent Television Network which started broadcasting on 15 April 1979. The new station remained independent for less than two months as the government took control of it on 5 June 1979 following a dispute with President J. R. Jayewardene. Sri Lanka's second state-owned TV station - Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation - was established by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Act No. 6 of 1982. SLRC started broadcasting on 15 February 1982. The Act required the SLRC maintain taste and decency and not to incite crime and disorder or cause religious or public offence.
The government maintained a monopoly on television broadcasting until 1992 when private TV stations were allowed to broadcast but they were to be regulated by the SLRC. Maharaja Television, a joint venture between Capital Maharaja and Singapore Telecommunications Limited, was one of the first private TV stations. Since then many new TV stations have started in Sri Lanka. There are also a number of satellite networks and pay per view television networks in Sri Lanka. The national telecommunications provider Sri Lanka Telecom also launched an IPTV service in 2008.

Television providers

Current

The following is a list of current television providers based in Sri Lanka.
ProviderOwnershipOwnerTransmissionEstablishedWebsite
Ask Cable VisionPrivateAsk Media & Cable VisionDigital cable
City CablePrivateCity Cable LinksCable
Dialog TVPrivateDialog AxiataDigital satellite
Dish TVPrivateDish TVDigital satellite
Lanka Broadband NetworksPrivateLanka Broadband NetworksAnalog cable, digital cable
PEO TVState-ownedSLT VisioncomIPTV
SatcomPrivateFuture Sat Com HoldingsSatellite
TV LankaPrivateDigital terrestrial2012

Former

The following is a list of former television providers which were based in Sri Lanka.
ProviderOwnershipOwnerTransmissionEstablishedClosed
MultivisionPrivateRuhunu 2001 MultivisionAnalog microwave

Television stations

Current

The following is a list of current television stations based in Sri Lanka.

Former

The following is a list of former television stations which were based in Sri Lanka.
StationOwnershipOwnerLanguageEstablishedClosedNotes
CSN TVPrivateCarlton Sports NetworkEnglish/SinhalaLicense suspended
DAN Tamil OliPrivateAsk Media and Cable Vision NetworkTamilNow shown only on cable and satellite.
NTVState-ownedSri Lanka Rupavahini CorporationEnglish
Prime TVState-ownedIndependent Television NetworkEnglish
TV 2PrivatePeoples Media NetworkEnglish
You TVPrivateMGM NetworksEnglish/Sinhala/Tamil