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.[1] 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.[1] 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.[2] SLRC started broadcasting on 15 February 1982.[1] 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.[1] 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, where the Pandemic starting 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

Educational Television providers

Provider Channel Number Language Grade Duration
Ask Cable Vision[a] Nilet 19 Sinhala/Tamil Mixed Full day
Grade 6 20 Sinhala 6 Full day
Grade 7 21 Sinhala 7 Full day
Grade 8 21 Sinhala 8 Full day
Grade 9 21 Sinhala 9 Full day
Grade 10 21 Sinhala 10 Full day
Grade 11 21 Sinhala 11 Full day
Channel Eye Sinhala/Tamil Mixed Full day
Nethra TV Sinhala/Tamil Mixed Full day
Kalvi-TV 1 Tamil 6-13 Full day
DialogTV - VIU APP Guru TV 22 Sinhala/Tamil 5 - 13 Full day
Nenasa Sinhala 24 Sinhala 5 - 13 Full day
Nenasa Tamil 25 Tamil 5 -13 Full day
Channel One 1 Sinhala/English 6 - 13 2 hours
A-Plus 52 Sinhala 5 1 hour
Supreme TV 118 Sinhala 10 - 11 8 hour
Channel Eye 3 Sinhala/Tamil 7 - 13 Full day
PeoTV Vidasa 5 205 Sinhala 5 Full day
Vidasa 6 206 Sinhala 6 Full day
Vidasa 7 207 Sinhala 7 Full day
Vidasa 8 208 Sinhala 8 Full day
Vidasa 9 209 Sinhala 9 Full day
Vidasa 10 210 Sinhala 10 Full day
Vidasa 11 211 Sinhala 11 Full day
Channel Eye 2 Sinhala/Tamil Mixed Full day
Nethra TV 16 Sinhala/Tamil Mixed Full day

Television providers

Current

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

Provider Ownership Owner Transmission Established
Ask Cable Vision[b] Private Ask Media & Cable Vision 2010
City Cable[c] Private City Cable Links
Dialog TV[d] Private Dialog Axiata July 2005
Star TV Lanka Satnet Private Star TV Lanka Digital satellite 1945
Lanka Broadband Networks[e] Private Lanka Broadband Networks Analog cable, digital cable 2000
PEO TV State-owned[f] SLTMobitel IPTV September 2008
Satcom[g] Private Future Sat Com Holdings Satellite
TV Lanka Private Digital terrestrial 2012

Former

The following is a list of former television providers which were based in Sri Lanka.

Provider Ownership Owner Transmission Established Closed
Multivision[h] Private Ruhunu 2001 Multivision Analog microwave 1999 2008
Franknet[i] Private T.Guhan Cable TV 1995 1998

Television stations

Current

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

Station Ownership Owner Language Established Terrestrial Satellite Cable IPTV
 		Streaming
Analogue
[j] 		Digital Dialog
TV
[3][4] 		Dish
TV
[5] 		LBN
[6] 		PEO
TV
[7]
Haritha TV Non-profit Haritha Network Sinhala 31 March 2021 No No 14 No No 9 Yes
A Plus Kids TV Private Ru Sala Media Networks Pvt Ltd Sinhala 3 July 2017 No No 48 No No No No
Ada Derana 24[k] Private Power House Ltd under Dilith Jayaweera Sinhala/English 20 July 2014 Yes No 14 2508 No 14 No
ART Television[l] Private IWS Holdings English 1996 Yes No 13 No Yes 017 No
Channel C Private Wide Angle Productions Sinhala 10 March 2008 No No 45 No No No No
Channel Eye[m] State-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation English April 1999 No 03 2572 Yes 002 Yes
Channel One Private Dialog TV Sinhala / English 6 June 2019 No No 1 No No No No
Citi Hitz Private OnAir World Ceylon Sinhala 10 December 2007 No No 019 No No No No
Colombo TV Private Colombo Television Limited Sinhala 1 January 2015 No No No No No 111 Yes
Dharmavahini TV Private Dharmavahini Foundation Sinhala 20 May 2007 No No No No Yes No Yes
Dream TV[n] Private GalleZone Solutions Sinhala 2010 No No No 2511 No 015 No
ETV[o] Private EAP Broadcasting Company English 1995 Yes No No No Yes 119 No
Heritage TV[p] Private Heritage Television Sinhala 8 May 2009 No No No No No No No
Hiru TV Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 23 May 2012 Yes No 11 2507 Yes 019 Yes
ITN Channel State-owned Independent Television Network Sinhala 13 April 1979 Yes No 04 2517 Yes 003 Yes
Knowledge TV Private Pix & Words Sinhala 2010 No No No No No 018 No
Nethra TV State-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Tamil 1 January 2008 Yes No No No No 016 Yes
Rangiri TV Non-profit Rangiri Sri Lanka Media Network Sinhala July 2011 Yes No 21 2532 No 022 Yes
Raw TV Private Raw Television Sinhala 26 October 2015 No No No No No No Yes
Ridee TV Private Tiss Nagodavithana Films Sinhala 2012 No No 18 No No No No
Rupavahini State-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Sinhala 15 February 1982 Yes No 002 2506 Yes 001 No
Supreme TV Private Supreme Global Holdings Sinhala 19 December 2019 Yes No 20 No No 16 Yes
Sarana TV Non-profit Sarana Media Network Sinhala 2014 No No No No No 094 No
Shakthi TV Private MTV Channel Tamil 20 October 1998 Yes No 09 2609 Yes 011 No
Shraddha TV Non-profit Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Sinhala 29 September 2012 Yes No 27 2531 No 099 Yes
Sindu TV Private Iraj Productions English/Sinhala 2015 No No No No Yes No No
Sirasa TV[q] Private MTV Channel Sinhala 10 June 1998 Yes No 08 2513 Yes 010 Yes
Siyatha TV Private Voice of Asia Network Sinhala 17 September 2009 Yes No 15 2512 Yes 008(SD)
300(HD)		 Yes
Siyasa TV Private Siyasa Media Network Sinhala 28 January 2014 No No No No No 095 No
Sri TV Private Sri TV Sinhala 2006 No No No No Yes No Yes
Star Tamil [r] Private Voice of Asia Network Tamil 17 September 2009 Yes No No 2618 Yes 021 No
Swarga TV Non-profit Rock Foundation English/Sinhala/Tamil 2011 No No 30 No Yes No No
Swarnavahini[s] Private EAP Broadcasting Company Sinhala 1997 Yes No 07 2516 Yes 006 Yes
The Buddhist[t] Non-profit Sri Sambodhi Foundation Sinhala 29 June 2007 No No 026 2592 No 096 No
TNL TV Private Telshan Networks English/Sinhala 21 June 1993 Yes No 12 2526 Yes 013 Yes
TV 1[u] Private MTV Channel English/Sinhala 14 December 1992 Yes No 10 2553 Yes 012 Yes
TV Derana Private Power House Ltd under Dilith Jayaweera Sinhala 11 October 2005 Yes No 06 2514 Yes 004 Yes
TV Didula[v] Non-profit Sanhinda Media Network Sinhala 20 February 2016 No No 17 2509 Yes 117 No
UTV Tamil[w] Private SATIS Agency (Pvt) Ltd Tamil 23 March 2017 Yes No 23 No No 127 No
Vasantham TV State-owned Independent Television Network Tamil 25 June 2009 Yes No 005 2614 Yes 007 Yes
Verbum TV Non-profit Verbum Television English/Sinhala/Tamil 2014 No No 031 No No 093 Yes
CeyFLiX Private Ausflix PTY LTD Sinhala/English/Tamil/Hindi 2019 No Yes No No No No Yes
Lankan Link Private CodeNinja PTY LTD Sinhala/English/Tamil 2015 No No No No No No Yes

Former

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[8]
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[x] Private MGM Networks English/Sinhala/Tamil 17 January 2007

Most viewed channels (FTA) - TVSL Ratings (22/05/2023 - 28/05/2023)

Position Channel Share of total viewing (%)
1 Sirasa TV 18.92
2 TV Derana 18.89
3 Hiru TV 18.38
4 Supreme TV 11.62
5 ITN 11.40
6 Swarnavahini 8.15
7 SiyathaTV 4.90
8 Rupavahini 2.35
9 Ada Derana 24 1.12
10 Shakthi TV 0.97

Notes

  1. ^ Available in Jaffna peninsula only.
  2. ^ Available in Jaffna peninsula only.
  3. ^ Available in Colombo only.
  4. ^ Formerly CBNsat.
  5. ^ Available in Colombo and Jaffna only.
  6. ^ The Government of Sri Lanka owns the majority of shares in Sri Lanka Telecom, the ultimate parent company of PEO TV, either directly or via organisations controlled by it (e.g. Bank of Ceylon, Employees' Provident Fund, National Savings Bank and Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation).
  7. ^ Formerly Srilakvahini.
  8. ^ Formerly Comet Cable.
  9. ^ Formerly Hatton Cable, Special in up country and wellawatte area.channels of Sun TV Network, Doordarshan from S-C Band Satellite.
  10. ^ Channels 21-69 on UHF, channels 2-12 on VHF.
  11. ^ Formerly Ada Derana 24X7.
  12. ^ Formerly Dynavision.
  13. ^ Formerly Rupavahini 2 Sinhalese and Tamil and English Television Channel.
  14. ^ Also known as TV Dream Music.
  15. ^ Formerly ETV 2.
  16. ^ Also known as HTV.
  17. ^ Formerly MTV (Sri Lankan Sinhala And English, Tamil TV channel)
  18. ^ Formerly Varnam tv Vettri TV.
  19. ^ Formerly ETV, ETV 1 Sinhalese And Tamil,English Entertainment Television
  20. ^ Also known as Buddhist TV.
  21. ^ Formerly MTV Newsvision, MTV, Channel One MTV, MTV Sports, MTV.
  22. ^ Formerly TV Didula.
  23. ^ Formerly Udhayam TV.
  24. ^ Formerly Max TV.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Indrajit Banerjee, Stephen Logan, ed. (2008). Asian Communication Handbook 2008. Singapore: Asian Media Information and Communication Centre, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University. pp. 446–459. ISBN 9789814136105.
  2. ^ "SRI LANKA RUPAVAHINI CORPORATION". LawNet.
  3. ^ "Channels". Dialog TV.
  4. ^ "List of Channels on Dialog TV". TV Channels List.
  5. ^ "Packs: Ntertainment". Dish TV (Sri Lanka).
  6. ^ "LBN Packages". Lanka Broadband Networks.
  7. ^ "Channel Lineup". PEO TV.
  8. ^ "Media Ministry suspends CSN license".

External links

Mass media in Sri Lanka
Television in Asia
List of television stations in Asia
Sri Lanka topics
Categories