TNL TV celebrates thirtieth anniversary
View(s):By Susitha Fernando
TNL TV or Telshan Network Pvt. Ltd, Sri Lanka’s first privately owned television channel started by Shan Wickremesinghe, country’s pioneer broadcaster celebrated 30th anniversary on June 21.
Wickremesinghe, the TNL Chairman and the Managing Director introduced television to Sri Lanka with the establishment of Independent Television Network (ITN) on April 13, 1979.
Shan Wickremesinghe is given an award by his brother President Ranil Wickremesinghe
Graduated from the Faraday and North London Polytechnic Institute of Higher Education in England with the subject Television and Audio Engineering, Shan Wickremesinghe in early 70s was much keen on initiating the television era in Sri Lanka
In 1968 while on a vacation, Shan met Vernon Correa of the Broadcasting Corporation who instilled the idea of getting television channel licence in Sri Lanka and subsequently they met the then Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake. Though the licence could not be passed from Senanayake government, PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike invited Mr. Wickremesinghe to telecast Non-Aligned Movement. However he could not get the licence to start a television broadcast.
Shan Wickremesinghe
However after much deliberation, J. R. Jayewardene’s government gave him a challenge to start the broadcast before December 1, 1979 after paying Rs. 100,000. He was given a condition that if Mr. Wickremesinghe did not meet the deadline, the licence would be cancelled. Working tirelessly and with severe obstacles, Shan Wickremesinghe commenced the broadcast of Independent Television Network (ITN) at 6.30 pm on April 13, 1979, the day prior to the Sinhala-Tamil National New Year. This went down the history as the first ever terrestrial television channel to be telecast in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately ITN under Wickremesinghe’s leadership was short lived as President Jayewardene’s government converted ITN to a State owned property on June 5, 1979. Undaunted by so many obstacles Mr. Wickremesinghe established TNL TV on June 21, 1993 making it the first privately owned television broadcaster and this pioneer in TV industry operates with nine relay stations covering the entire island. Now TNL can be watched on Peo TV and Dialog TV.
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