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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.
Preliminary work was underway in the first half of the 1970s. [1]
Businessmen Anil Wijewardena and Shan Wickremasinghe established the country's first TV station Independent Television Network which started broadcasting on 15 April 1979. [2] 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. [2] Sri Lanka's second state-owned TV station - Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) - was established by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Act No. 6 of 1982. [3] SLRC started broadcasting on 15 February 1982. [2] The Act required the SLRC to 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. [2] Maharaja Television (MTV), 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.
Since then, during the last two decades, multiple broadcasting networks have entered the public frequencies. A privately owned company, Swarnawahini came into action in 1997 and still functions under the same brand name. In 2005 another major television channel came into action under the name Derana which now has multiple broadcasting platforms including radio, printed media, and a fully dedicated news channel called adaderana24X7.
Since 2020, when the Pandemic started taking over the country's Education system, Television has been more and more in use for distance education.
A table has been created for the children to find channels where they can study freely in Sri Lanka if they cannot go to schools
The following is a list of current television providers based in Sri Lanka.
| Provider | Ownership | Owner | Transmission | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ask Cable Vision [a] | Private | Ask Media & Cable Vision | 2010 | |
| City Cable [b] | Private | City Cable Links | ||
| Dialog TV [c] | Private | Dialog Axiata | July 2005 | |
| Star TV Lanka Satnet | Private | Star TV Lanka | Digital satellite | 1945 |
| Lanka Broadband Networks [d] | Private | Lanka Broadband Networks | Analog cable, digital cable | 2000 |
| PEO TV | State-owned [e] | SLTMobitel | IPTV | September 2008 |
| Satcom [f] | Private | Future Sat Com Holdings | Satellite | |
| TV Lanka | Private | Digital terrestrial | 2012 |
The following is a list of former television providers which were based in Sri Lanka.
| Provider | Ownership | Owner | Transmission | Established | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multivision [g] | Private | Ruhunu 2001 Multivision | Analog microwave | 1999 | 2008 |
| Franknet [h] | Private | T.Guhan | Cable TV | 1995 | 1998 |
The following is a list of current television stations based in Sri Lanka.
| Station | Ownership | Owner | Language | Established | Terrestrial | Satellite | Cable | IPTV | Streaming | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analogue [i] | Digital | Dialog TV [4] [5] | Dish TV [6] | Free sat | LBN [7] | PEO TV [8] | ||||||
| Haritha TV | Non-profit | Haritha Network | Sinhala | 31 March 2021 |  | | 14 | | | 9 |  | |
| A Plus Kids TV | Private | Ru Sala Media Networks Pvt Ltd | Sinhala | 3 July 2017 | | | 48 | | | | | |
| Ada Derana 24 [j] | Private | Derana Macro Entertainment under Dilith Jayaweera | Sinhala/English | 20 July 2014 | | | 14 | 2508 | | 14 | | |
| ART Television [k] | Private | IWS Holdings | English | 1996 | | | 13 | | | 017 | | |
| Channel C | Private | Wide Angle Productions | Sinhala | 10 March 2008 | | | 45 | | | | | |
| Channel Eye [l] | State-owned | Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation | English | April 1999 | | 03 | 2572 | | 002 | | ||
| Channel One | Private | Dialog TV | Sinhala / English | 6 June 2019 | | | 1 | | | | | |
| Citi Hitz | Private | OnAir World Ceylon | Sinhala | 10 December 2007 | | | 019 | | | | | |
| Colombo TV | Private | Colombo Television Limited | Sinhala | 1 January 2015 | | | | | | 111 | | |
| Dharmavahini TV | Private | Dharmavahini Foundation | Sinhala | 20 May 2007 | | | | | | | | |
| Dream TV [m] | Private | GalleZone Solutions | Sinhala | 2010 | | | | 2511 | | 015 | | |
| ETV [n] | Private | Lyca Productions | English | 1995 | | | | | | 119 | | |
| Heritage TV [o] | Private | Heritage Television | Sinhala | 8 May 2009 | | | | | | | | |
| Hiru TV | Private | Asia Broadcasting Corporation | Sinhala | 23 May 2012 | | | 11 | 2507 | | 019 | | |
| ITN Channel | State-owned | Independent Television Network | Sinhala | 13 April 1979 | | | 04 | 2517 | | 003 | | |
| Knowledge TV | Private | Pix & Words | Sinhala | 2010 | | | | | | 018 | | |
| Nethra TV | State-owned | Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation | Tamil | 1 January 2008 | | | | | | 016 | | |
| Rangiri TV | Non-profit | Rangiri Sri Lanka Media Network | Sinhala | July 2011 | | | 21 | 2532 | | 022 | | |
| Raw TV | Private | Raw Television | Sinhala | 26 October 2015 | | | | | | | | |
| Ridee TV | Private | Tiss Nagodavithana Films | Sinhala | 2012 | | | 18 | | | | | |
| Rupavahini | State-owned | Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation | Sinhala | 15 February 1982 | | | 002 | 2506 | | 001 | | |
| Jaya TV Sri Lanka | Private | Jayamaga Media Network | Sinhala | 04 February 2020 | 25 | 94 | ||||||
| Supreme TV | Private | Supreme Global Holdings | Sinhala | 19 December 2019 | | | 20 | | | 16 | | |
| Sarana TV | Non-profit | Sarana Media Network | Sinhala | 2014 | | | | | | 094 | | |
| Shakthi TV | Private | MTV Channel | Tamil | 20 October 1998 | | | 09 | 2609 | | 011 | | |
| Shraddha TV | Non-profit | Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery | Sinhala | 29 September 2012 | | | 27 | 2531 | 27 | | 099 | |
| Sindu TV | Private | Iraj Productions | English/Sinhala | 2015 | | | | | | | | |
| Sirasa TV [p] | Private | MTV Channel | Sinhala | 10 June 1998 | | | 08 | 2513 | | 010 | | |
| Siyatha TV | Private | Voice of Asia Network | Sinhala | 17 September 2009 | | | 15 | 2512 | | 008(SD) 300(HD) | | |
| Siyasa TV | Private | Siyasa Media Network | Sinhala | 28 January 2014 | | | | | | 095 | | |
| Sri TV | Private | Sri TV | Sinhala | 2006 | | | | | | | | |
| Star Tamil [q] | Private | Voice of Asia Network | Tamil | 17 September 2009 | | | | 2618 | | 021 | | |
| Swarga TV | Non-profit | Rock Foundation | English/Sinhala/Tamil | 2011 | | | 30 | | | | | |
| Swarnavahini [r] | Private | Lyca Productions | Sinhala | 1997 | | | 07 | 2516 | | 006 | | |
| The Buddhist [s] | Non-profit | Sri Sambodhi Foundation | Sinhala | 29 June 2007 | | | 026 | 2592 | | 096 | | |
| TNL TV | Private | Telshan Networks | English/Sinhala | 21 June 1993 | | | 12 | 2526 | | 013 | | |
| TV 1 [t] | Private | MTV Channel | English/Sinhala | 14 December 1992 | | | 10 | 2553 | | 012 | | |
| TV Derana | Private | Derana Macro Entertainment under Dilith Jayaweera | Sinhala | 11 October 2005 | | | 06 | 2514 | | 004 | | |
| TV Didula | Non-profit | Sanhinda Media Network | Sinhala | 20 February 2016 | | | 17 | 2509 | | 117 | | |
| UTV Tamil [u] | Private | SATIS Agency (Pvt) Ltd | Tamil | 23 March 2017 | | | 23 | | | 127 | | |
| Vasantham TV | State-owned | Independent Television Network | Tamil | 25 June 2009 | | | 005 | 2614 | | 007 | | |
| Verbum TV | Non-profit | Verbum Television | English/Sinhala/Tamil | 2014 | | | 031 | | | 093 | | |
| CeyFLiX | Private | Ausflix PTY LTD | Sinhala/English/Tamil/Hindi | 2019 | | | | | | | | |
| Lankan Link | Private | CodeNinja PTY LTD | Sinhala/English/Tamil | 2015 | | | | | | | | |
The following is a list of former television stations which were based in Sri Lanka.
| Station | Ownership | Owner | Language | Established | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton Sports Network | Private | Carlton Sports Network | English/Sinhala | 7 March 2011 | 2016 | License suspended [9] |
| DAN Tamil Oli | Private | Ask Media and Cable Vision Network | Tamil | January 2009 | 2013 | Now shown only on cable and satellite. |
| NTV | State-owned | Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation | English | 18 November 2009 | 2015 | |
| Prime TV | State-owned | Independent Television Network | English | 12 November 2009 | 2010 | |
| TV 2 | Private | Peoples Media Network | English | 1 November 2008 | 2009 | |
| You TV [v] | Private | MGM Networks | English/Sinhala/Tamil | 17 January 2007 |
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 Lyca Group. EAP Broadcasting Company is a subsidiary of Ben Holdings along with Lyca Productions.
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.
Independent Television Network Ltd also known as ITN Ltd or simply as ITN is a Sri Lankan state-governed television and radio broadcaster located in Wickramasinghepura, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka. It is a Shrama Abhimani Award winner , broadcasts content to a wide demographic within Sri Lanka as well as the expatriate community. The programmes are broadcast in three languages: Sinhala, Tamil, and English. The ITN broadcast coverage extends to 99% of the island of Sri Lanka.
Dialog Axiata PLC, is one of Sri Lanka's largest telecommunications service providers, and the country's largest mobile network operator with over 17 million subscribers which amounts to 57% of the Sri Lankan mobile market. Dialog is a subsidiary of Axiata Group Berhad which owns 73.75% controlling stake of the company, while Bharti Airtel owns 10.36%.
Swarnavahini 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.
Art Television Broadcasting Co. is a 24-hour analogue terrestrial television channel in Sri Lanka. A privately owned channel that broadcasts English content has its headquarters located in Colombo. Its coverage is viewed on Frequencies UHF – CH28 in Colombo and UHF – CH52 in Kandy. ART Television is owned by the Sri Lankan business conglomerate IWS Holdings (Private) Limited founded by Indulakshin Wickramasinghe Senanayake.
Channel Eye is a Sri Lankan youth and sports channel operated by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.
Relangi Selvarajah was a popular Tamil broadcaster and a one time actress. She was assassinated by unknown assailants on 12 August in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
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.
Lankapuvath is Sri Lanka’s national and only news agency and is based in Colombo and consists of five partners, national dailies and main national electronic media institutions.
Saman Ediriweera is the current Chairman of Airport & Aviation Services Limited (AASL).
Carlton Sports Network(CSN), was a Sri Lankan sports, lifestyles and business television channel. CSN was launched on 7 March 2011 and closed in 2016. It was involved in several controversies since its creation, primarily due to overlapping interests of its connected owners. "Carlton" is considered to be the "brand name" of the Rajapaksa family alongside the Carlton Residence of the Rajapaksas, Carlton Pre School owned by Shiranthi Rajapaksa, and Carlton Rugby owned by Namal Rajapaksa, as well as the Carlton Motor Sports Club linked to Rohitha Rajapaksa.
TV 1 is a Sri Lankan general entertainment television channel that provides content in both English and Sinhalese, aimed at the youth market. It was founded in 1992 as MTV Newsvision, making it 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 rebranded as Channel One MTV. On 26 January 2012, the channel was relaunched as MTV Sports. MTV Sports was rebranded as MTV in July 2015. The channel was renamed TV 1 on 21 January 2016.
Somaratne Dissanayake is a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter and producer. He was the Chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the president of the Film Makers Guild of Sri Lanka (FMG). He is the winner of the most number of international awards for cinema in Sri Lanka. In 2007, he received Presidential award for directing Samanala Thatu (2006).
The Sri Lanka Rūpavāhinī Corporation, also known as Jathika Rupavahini or simply as Rupavahini, is the national television network of Sri Lanka. The term Rupavahini literally means "purveyor of images" in the Sinhala language.
Nethra TV is an terrestrial (free-to-air) television channel in Sri Lanka operated by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. A Tamil-language channel, the channel is based in Colombo. Nethra TV's unit is also responsible for the production of Rupavahini's Muslim programming.
The 12th Television State Awards festival, was held to honor the television programs of 2014 Sinhala television on December 28, 2015, at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. The event was organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Arts, State Television Advisory Council and Arts Council of Sri Lanka. His Excellency The President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena was the chief guest. A total of were received for the Best Sinhala and Tamil Artists in 35 categories.
