Independent Television Network

History

Prior to the establishment of ITN, several decisions had to be taken regarding the deployment of television in Sri Lanka. The Japanese company NEC provided technical assistance for the construction of the station, and later also supported the establishment of Rupavahini in 1982. The development of ITN took place alongside that of Rupavahini. One of the crucial decisions concerned the selection of a colour television system. Although neighbouring India was then operating a black-and-white system using NTSC equipment, Sri Lanka adopted the PAL system, with technical support provided by Japan, which itself used a variant of NTSC.

ITN was founded by Anil Wijewardene and Shan Wickremesinghe at Mahalwarawa, with additional support from an American investor. The first test transmissions were carried out in 1979 and were initially received only in Colombo, the channel's first coverage area. Early programming included international content such as the American educational series Sesame Street and the British sitcom Mind Your Language.

ITN Ltd formally commenced operations on 13 April 1979 with the launch of the ITN television channel. As the first television broadcasting service in Sri Lanka and South Asia, ITN introduced the first terrestrial television channel in the country. It was also the first privately owned television station in a region where radio and television were generally under government control. |access-date=31 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606005314/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/09/13/imp06.asp |archive-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=live The founding board of directors comprised Shan Wickramasinghe, Anil Wijewardene and Bob Christie. Initially, the ITN studios and transmission station were located at Mahalwarawa Estate, Pannipitiya. A one-kilowatt transmitter and a 65 feet transmission tower broadcast within a 15 mile radius of Colombo. However, due to the geographical location of the station, weather conditions and limitations of the transmission equipment, early viewers often experienced disruptions and interference in programmes caused by voltage fluctuations.

On 5 June 1979, ITN Ltd was taken over by the state as a business undertaking under a Competent Authority. The late D. Thevis L. Guruge, former Director General of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, was appointed as Competent Authority and played a significant role in the early development of the organisation.

Soon after commencing test broadcasts, ITN expanded its regular programming to a wider urban area. Local companies began importing Japanese-manufactured television sets, and sales quickly exceeded projections by UNESCO. At the time, television in India was still limited to black-and-white transmissions by Doordarshan, largely aimed at agricultural education, which contributed to the high demand for Japanese-made television sets in Sri Lanka, some of which were smuggled across borders due to the absence of an established market for foreign brands.

ITN was also the pioneer of colour television broadcasting in Sri Lanka. On 5 June 1984, ITN relocated to its present headquarters in Wickramasinhapura. In 1992, ITN was converted into a public company, with the state as its major shareholder. Thereafter, its revenue, programming diversity, technical capacity and coverage expanded considerably.

Among its radio operations, ITN manages Lakhanda and Vasantham FM. Lakhanda originated as a subsidiary of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and was amalgamated with ITN Ltd on 1 April 1997.{{cite web |access-date=31 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207054656/http://www.lakhanda.lk/about.html |archive-date=7 December 2009

On 25 June 2009, ITN introduced its second television channel, Vasantham TV, which broadcasts in Tamil.{{cite news |author-link=The Sri Lankan Government |access-date=31 December 2009 |access-date = 31 December 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110605030108/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/06/30/fea23.asp |archive-date = 5 June 2011 |access-date = 31 December 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110605030220/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/11/art08.asp |archive-date = 5 June 2011

Programmes

The television channels and radio stations of ITN Ltd broadcast a wide range of programmes in Sinhala, Tamil and English. The following are some of the programmes and genres associated with its services.

ITN channel (Sinhala){{cite web |access-date = 31 December 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091227015508/http://www.itn.lk/programs.html |archive-date = 27 December 2009

• News (in Sinhala, Tamil and English)
• Teledramas (Amaa, Ridee Siththam, Muthu Warusa, Tharu Piri Ahasak, Parana Towuma, Poori, Emy, Snehaye Dasi, Nethu Piyena Thura, Kopi Kade, Aluth Gedera, Sihina Tharaka, Rantharu, Bonda Meedum, Rana)
• Films – Classic Sinhala films
• Documentaries (Atapattama)
• Educational programmes
• Children's entertainment
• Programmes dubbed in Sinhala
• Game shows
• Reality television
• Religious programmes
• Political debates

Vasantham TV (Tamil)

• News
• Teledramas
• Films – Tamil and Hindi films
• Documentaries
• Educational programmes
• Children's entertainment

Prime TV (English){{cite web |access-date=31 December 2009

• News
• Music programmes (Music Runway, House of Rock, Music With Bevil)
• Debates and discussions (The Round Table, Ayubowan Sri Lanka, Prime Sunrise)
• Educational and variety programmes (Prime Sunset)
• Drama (Beverly Hills 90210, Relic Hunter, Queen of Swords)
• Other content – Sports, foreign news, cartoons Lakhanda (Sinhala){{cite web |access-date=31 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218072129/http://www.lakhanda.lk/programmes.html |archive-date=18 December 2009 |access-date=31 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216225214/http://www.lakhanda.lk/schedule.html |archive-date=16 December 2009
• News
• Music – Sinhala
• Religious programmes
• Educational programmes
• Political programmes

Vasantham FM (Tamil){{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305104255/http://www.vasanthamfm.lk/programs.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 March 2016 |access-date=31 December 2009

• News
• Music – Tamil
• Religious programmes
• Educational programmes
• Political programmes

Prime Radio (English){{cite web |access-date = 31 December 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110722145635/http://www.primeradio.lk/shows.html |archive-date = 22 July 2011

• News
• Music

Frequencies and coverage

Cumulatively, the broadcasts of ITN Ltd reach more than 99% of Sri Lanka. However, the individual coverage of each television channel and radio station varies considerably.

ITN

• Frequencies: VHF Channel 9, VHF Channel 12, VHF Channel 24
• Coverage: 99% of the country, with limited gaps in certain areas of the Northern Province
• International coverage: Live online streaming via The ITN Channel Online

Vasantham TV

• Frequencies: VHF Channel 9, UHF Channel 25
• Coverage: Western Province, Northern Province, Eastern Province
• International coverage: Live online streaming via Vasantham TV Online

Prime TV{{cite web |access-date=31 December 2009 |author-link=Prime TV Sri Lanka |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209133922/http://www.twitter.com/PrimeTVsrilanka |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 December 2012 |access-date=31 December 2009 |author-link=Prime TV Sri Lanka

• Frequencies: UHF Channel 24
• Coverage: Western Province
• International coverage: Live online streaming via Prime TV Online

Lakhanda{{cite web |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061115123501/http://www.lakhanda.lk/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = 15 November 2006 |author-link = Lakhanda |access-date = 31 December 2009

• Frequencies and coverage: 97.6 MHz – Colombo and Southern Province; 87.9 MHz – Northern Province; and 88.5 MHz – Islandwide
• International coverage: Live online streaming via Lakhanda Radio Online

Vasantham FM

• Frequencies and coverage: 97.6 MHz – Colombo, 97.0 MHz – other selected regions
• International coverage: Live online streaming via Vasantham FM Online

Prime Radio{{cite web |author-link=Prime Radio |access-date=31 December 2009 |author-link=Prime Radio |access-date=31 December 2009 |author-link=Prime Radio |access-date=31 December 2009

• Frequencies and coverage: 104.5 MHz – Colombo, 95.5 MHz – Kandy, 99.0 MHz – Galle
• International coverage: Live online streaming via Prime Radio Online

Logo

ITN's logo, which until the June 1979 government takeover, read TV Sri Lanka, was designed by S. H. Sarath. After that, Jayath Janasuriya revised it, replacing "TV" with "ITN" and adding the channel name in Sinhala and Tamil. In December 1999, when Newton Gunaratne became president of the network, the logo underwent a drastic redesign, resembling an awanak fan, in red, green and blue. This did not last long and was replaced within months by a new one, depicting a purple lily and the channel's initials in black written inside red (I), green (T) and blue (N) circles. It was replaced by a purple symbol on 7 April 2001, putting more empmhasis on the lily, the national flower. On February 8, 2002, the old ITN logo was restored.

References

• ITN starts HD broadcasting: Sri Lanka's first full HD television studio complex will be opened tomorrow, 29 June 2016

References

1. "ITN 2015 Annual Report".
2. Amunugama, Sarath. (2022-11-27). "Television takes off; JRJ takes over ITN fathered by two of his nephews".
3. "Creatas muppets enact 'Panchathanthra'". Sunday Times.
4. "Untitled Document".
5. Es. Sajīvanī Helan Mutumuṇi. (2004). "25 years of television in Sri Lanka". Katōlika Mādhya Parśdaya (Sri Lanka).