Thursday, November 26, 2009

Playing TV - "Prime TV" and "N TV"

Two of the absolutely worthless channels over Sri Lankan airwaves at the moment. No proper terrestrial coverage. Only people in colombo can see the channels over FTA regular antenna's. and that also barely in some areas. One is available over Dialog TV islandwide but sadly not even one Dialog TV subscriber watches the channel.

This is called playing TV. Experienced television operators such as SLRC and ITN messing things up on a grand scale. No proper planning. Grand launch and then nothing. It is a great vision by His Excellency The President Mahinda Rajapakse to have two nationally operated English Language channels and we commend and fully endorse His vision and we are sure the general public has too. But sadly the people who are carrying out the vision have not caught the vision properly. So both channels are becoming utterly worthless and total failures.

First impressions always count, sadly "Prime TV" made a horrible first impression and "N TV" has made an invisible first impression due to lack of coverage.

Both channels specially "Prime TV" is playing back old and outdated programming from ITN's Library that has been gathering dust all these years.

Unless a more dynamic approach is adopted, these two channels are heading towards a certain death.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

NTV to launch today

Sri Lanka's newest English Language channel "NTV" will be launching this evening. This is channel is presently available on UHF Channel 52. Past National channels have been launching on Dialog TV simultaneously too, however we are unable to confirm whether this will be the case with NTV.

NTV becomes the fifth only English FTA channel in Sri Lanka.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

NTV test transmission now on UHF

It seems a new channel is testing from Independance Square. Rumors indicate that SLRC is going to split Channel Eye and Nethra into two seperate channels. The testing apparently taking place on UHF 52.

Please keep us updated on the latest about this channel as the days progress.

Prime TV launches and Radio 1 relaunches as Prime Radio

Prime TV and Prime Radio were launched this morning at 10am. Prime Radio is the former Radio 1 and Prime TV is available on Dialog TV. We are not sure whether Prime TV is available on terrestrial transmission still.

The live telecast of the launch of Prime TV and Radio was carried over ITN this morning.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Prime TV & Radio to launch on Nov 12th

Sri Lanka's latest English Television & Radio channel (Prime TV and Prime Radio) will launch on Nov 12th 2009 at 10am with a colourful opening ceremony at the BMICH.

These two fully English channels which are sister channels of ITN will carry 24 hour broadcasts. According to reports teresstrial coverage of Prime TV and Radio will in cover Colombo and the suburbs. However Prime TV will be available islandwide via Dialog TV making it the first local English channel on Dialog TV.

Prime TV is expected to rebroadcast Star Cricket & CCTV. However soon other entertainment programmes are expected to be introduced. We urge the management of Prime TV to broadcast programmes not seen by other locals channels and pay television channels.

Prime TV is expected to be on UHF 24 but we are unable to confirm this. We wish Prime TV and Prime Radio all the best in their future endeavours.

Link : Daily Mirror - Prime Move



Thursday, October 01, 2009

New sports channels from Ten Sports and ESPN Star in the offing

Ten Sports is planning to launch a Golf channel in Asia in partnership with Comcast the operators of "Golf Channel" in the US.

In addition Ten Sports is to launch Ten Sports 2 in the future.

There are also reports of ESPN Star Sports planning to launch a Sports News channel in the future.

HBO Asia to go HD from Oct 2nd

From tomorrow (Oct 2nd) HBO Asia will be going HD in Singapore, Phillipines and Hong Kong making it the first regional movie channel to go HD. This is the same HBO that is available on Dialog TV, LBN & PEO TV in Sri Lanka. Initially there will be no difference in Sri Lanka but we can expect the local pay television operators to upgrade HBO to HD status in the future.

We can expect an increase in the broadcast quality of HBO from tomorrow over the local pay television networks but the change may not be too visible over our standard definitions broadcasts and televisions.


Thursday, September 17, 2009

Siyatha TV and Vettri TV to launch today

Sri Lanka's newest Sinhala Language Television channel Siyatha TV and Vettri TV the newest Tamil Language channel will be launching today. The channels are broadcasting on UHF 32 and UHF 46 respectively. In addition Siyatha TV started broadcasting via Dialog TV from last night.

Siyatha TV has reportedly got islandwide coverage via UHF/VHF in addition to FTA satellite coverage but we are unable to ascertain the coverage details of Vettri TV.

The channels are reportedly launching today at 6:45pm from the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Hilton. Siyatha TV and Vettri TV are operated by Voice of Asia Networks which also operates Siyatha FM, Vettri FM and Real Radio.

Please keep us updated on the latest on these channels as the days progress.


Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Max Radio & Television relaunched

With effect from today MAX Television & Radio have relaunched with a new identity. Posters can be seen all over colombo and the suburbs indicating this relaunch. The channels now carry a brand new logo however the websites have not been updated at the time of posting this blog entry. We are informed by unconfirmed sources that Max Television which was a full Sinhala language television station will start relaunch with English and Tamil programming however we are yet to confirm this.

Max Television is available on a FTA basis as well as on all Sri Lankan pay television providers. Max Radio is available FTA.

Please keep us updated on the latest developments regarding Max TV and Radio.