ETV is an English language television channel in Sri Lanka owned by EAP Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of EAP Holdings. Launched in 1995 as ETV 2, it was a sister channel of ETV 1. The channel's owner Extra Terrestrial Vision (Private) Limited, who had been incorporated on 6 July 1992, changed its name to EAP Network (Private) Limited on 30 April 1996 following the acquisition by EAP. At that time ETV 2 was re-broadcasting Star TV. ETV 1 was re-launched as Swarnavahini, a mass market Sinhala language channel, on 16 March 1997. ETV 2 was re-launched as ETV on 1 May 1998. EAP Network (Private) Limited changed its name to EAP Broadcasting Company (Private) Limited on 16 May 2012, EAP Network (Private) Limited on 31 October 2012, EAP Network Limited on 28 August 2013 and EAP Broadcasting Company Limited on 11 September 2013. In 2019, EAP Broadcasting Company parent company EAP Holdings was acquired by local company Ben Holdings (Pvt) Limited and Singapore based company Blue Summit.
Mass media of Sri Lanka consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and Web sites. State and private media operators provide services in the main languages Sinhala, Tamil and English. The government owns two major TV stations, radio networks operated by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), and newspaper titles in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.
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.
Star Movies is an Asian pay television network originally owned by Disney Networks Group Asia, Middle East, Disney Networks Group Taiwan and Star TV India. In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company acquired Star TV for $71 billion with 21st Century Fox. Star Movies was originally launched as a single channel broadcast across Asia, but it was regionalised into different localised channels since then. Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific had since rebranded some of the network's international feeds in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia as Fox Movies, but retains the Star Movies brand in Mainland China ,Taiwan ,Middle East & South Asia. Star India continues to operate the Indian feed of the network as a channel specialised in Western films, while the Middle Eastern feed, operated by Fox Networks Group Middle East, co-exists with Fox Movies. Star Movies HD in Taiwan is operated by Disney Networks Group Taiwan which was the advertisement-free offering of Fox Movies Taiwan. However, from March 2021 Star Movies Taiwan started doing short advertisement breaks in between movies. Star Movies in Middle East is operated by Fox Network Group Middle East. Star Movies has been changed into Star Movies HD on January 10, 2021.
Shakthi TV is the first Tamil television service of Sri Lanka. It is the number one Tamil station in Sri Lanka. This general entertainment channel broadcasts serials, films, sports, current affairs, news and children's programs. It mainly airs programs from Sun TV (India).Shakthi TV is available worldwide through YuppTV.
Dialog Axiata PLC, is one of Sri Lanka's largest telecommunications service providers, and the country's largest mobile network operator with 17.1 million subscribers which amounts to 57% of the Sri Lankan mobile market. Dialog is a subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad which owns 83.32% controlling stake of the company, while the rest is held by the public.
Swarnawahini is a Sinhala language general entertainment and news television channel in Sri Lanka owned by EAP Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of EAP Holdings. Launched in 1994 as ETV, it was one of Sri Lanka's first privately owned television channels. Its sister channel ETV 2 was launched in 1995 when ETV was re-branded ETV 1. The channel's owner Extra Terrestrial Vision (Private) Limited, who had been incorporated on 6 July 1992, changed its name to EAP Network (Private) Limited on 30 April 1996 following the acquisition by EAP. At that time ETV 1 was re-broadcasting BBC. ETV 1 was re-launched as Swarnavahini, a mass market Sinhala language channel, on 16 March 1997. EAP Network (Private) Limited changed its name to EAP Broadcasting Company (Private) Limited on 16 May 2012, EAP Network (Private) Limited on 31 October 2012, EAP Network Limited on 28 August 2013 and EAP Broadcasting Company Limited on 11 September 2013.
Dialog TV (DTV) is a direct broadcast satellite pay TV service provider based in Sri Lanka. A fully owned subsidiary of Dialog Axiata PLC, Dialog TV was launched in July 2005 under the name "CBNsat". It was later renamed to Dialog TV in February 2007 after the company was acquired by Dialog Axiata PLC.
TV Derana is a Sri Lankan private entertainment terrestrial television channel broadcasting in Sri Lanka. Launched on 11 October 2005, it is one of the most popular television networks in the country. Its main transmission tower is on the Kikilimana mountain, and coverage is extended nationwide via eight transmission towers.
Tamil Television Network (TTN) is a France-based Tamil language satellite television channel. Its main audience were Sri Lankan Tamils living in Europe, Australia and the Middle East. The channel mainly broadcast films, live broadcast of football, crickets matches and news.
The Buddhist is the first Buddhist television channel for Sri Lanka. The Buddhist channel studios are located at Sri Sambodhi Vihara (Temple) that is situated in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is available on the Sri Lankan Direct to Home satellite television services Dialog TV and Dish TV. The service also operates on PEO TV and cable TV. The aim of the channel is to telecast valuable religious and cultural programming in the three main languages of Sri Lanka, English, Sinhala and Tamil. The founder and the Chairman of the Buddhist TV is the most Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero. On 29 June 2007, the channel was officially launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and head priest of the Asgiriya chapter in Sri Lanka.
Upeksha Swarnamali, popularly known as "Paba", is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema and television and a former member of the Sri Lanka Parliament. She gained popularity for her role on the television series "Paba" broadcast on Independent Television Network.
TNL TV is an English and Sinhala-language television station in Sri Lanka, owned by Telshan Network. Launched in 1993, TNL TV was one of Sri Lanka's first privately owned television channels. Shan Wickremesinghe, the chairman of Telshan Network, is the brother of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Setanta Sports Asia was an Asian pay television sports channel operating in the Asia Pacific region owned by Discovery Communications. It primarily airs the sports of rugby union and rugby league.
Nickelodeon is an Asian pay television channel operated by ViacomCBS, broadcasting from Singapore to audiences in the rest of Asia and some regions in Oceania like Polynesia and Papua New Guinea. The channel was launched on 16 July 1996 and mainly broadcasts original series from Nickelodeon's namesake television channel in the United States. The programs are broadcast in English.
TV 1 is a Sri Lankan general entertainment television channel which provides English and Sinhalese content aimed at the youth market. Founded in 1992 as MTV Newsvision, it was one of Sri Lanka's first privately owned television channels. Its sister channel MTV was renamed Sirasa TV in June 1998 and MTV Newsvision was renamed MTV. MTV was later re-branded Channel One MTV. On 26 January 2012 the channel was re-launched as MTV Sports. MTV Sports was re-branded MTV in July 2015. The channel was renamed TV 1 on the 21 January 2016.
Shraddha TV is a non-profit Buddhist television channel based in Sri Lanka. The channel is known for airing religious spiritual content with primary focus on Buddhism and the teaching of Buddha. Most of the programming is shot at the main Buddhist monastery in Polgahawela.
The Sri Lanka Rūpavāhinī Corporation, also known as Jathika Rupavahini, is the national television network of Sri Lanka.
Dish TV Sri Lanka was a pay TV satellite provider based in Sri Lanka. A fully owned subsidiary of DishTV India, Dish TV Sri Lanka was launched in 2015. However, the company ceased its operations in Sri Lanka due to heavy losses in 2019. Few channels were aired as Free To Air after disputes raised by its users for the sudden shutdown of services until July 2020 when the service was completely shutdown.
Mudalige Don Buddika Lahiru, popularly as duka ahana aiya, is a television journalist as well as a media manager, producer, social media personality, music video director, and an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, and television. Started as a child artist, Mudalige became one of the popular television presenters in Sri Lanka by hosting the musical programs Hithata Wadina Eka, Handa Radi Peya and chat program Coffee with Lahiru and Muditha in a career spanning more than two decades. Apart from that, he is also the founder of popular YouTube channel Hari TV. He pioneered in establishing talk-show based subscribe community in Sri Lanka on social media, mainly on YouTube and bringing the concept of “Good Journalism on Social Media”. Apart from that, he introduced legacy media models within social media platforms.
