A fascinating new media venture launched recently in the SAARC region, has taken wings and is causing ripples among viewers and media networks alike. On a conceptual level, the idea seems near impossible- to bring five South Asian nations together and operate one channel, made up of programming content from the five nations, and to transmit this channel across the region, reaching millions of homes.

But impossible dreams exist just so that someone might have the audacity to achieve them.
And achieve they did. Today, TV Southasia is not just a reality but is also beginning to show signs of revolutionizing how media operates in the region.

‘We started with a dream and today, it has come true…we are proud to be Southasian and TV Southasia proves that together, we are strongersaid Mr. Rathikant Basu, Managing Director, Tara TV, India, Founder- TV Southasia.

Broadcast in Sri Lanka between 7.00 and 8.00 pm on MTV, TV Southasia is a partnership among Tara TV India, Rtv Bangladesh, Aaj TV in Pakistan, Image Channel in Nepal and MTV Channels here in Sri Lanka.

From an initial meeting held in New Delhi in early 2007, the channel was launched at a gala ceremony early this year in Mumbai with Sri Lanka's celebrity singers Bathiya and Santhush performing at the event.

Currently the channel telecasts lifestyle, sports, entertainment, documentaries, music and profile talk show programming on its 24-hour offering. The distinct flavor of the channel comes from the fact that it consists of programming from its partner channels; A landmark achievement in any circumstances, particularly at a time any sort of multilateral partnership seems impossible.

‘Sri Lankan viewers can now watch fantastic programming from our neighboring nations and experience a different culture every evening’, noted Miuru Jayaweera, who is part of the TV Southasia team at MTV Channels Pvt. Ltd.

Channel One MTV, recently recognized as the highest rated English language TV Channel in Sri Lanka has chosen its prime time slot of 7-8 in the evening, confident that viewers would enjoy the content TV Southasia offers.

However for now, the channel is focusing on getting its product mix right and setting up the right systems and technology backbone that would facilitate that growth. TV Southasia on Channel 1 MTV; set to redefine media in Sri Lanka and the region. 7.00 to 8.00pm daily on Channel 1 MTV.