ETV (Sri Lanka)

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For other uses, see ETV (disambiguation).

Extra-Terrestrial-Television or ETV is a Sri Lankan television channel. Although it is broadcast Islandwide (Except for the North of the Island) from 5 Re-tranmitting Stations. It is regarded as the premier English television channel in the country at the present.

ETV was originally founded as one of the first two 24 hour TV channels in Sri Lanka, which were ETV 1 and ETV 2, by Nahil Wijesuriya - Chairman of East West Enterprises Ltd. It re-broadcasted the "Free-To-Air" satellite TV programming orginating from Star TV on local terrestrial UHF chanells . Its revenue was generated by replacing satellite commercials with local advertisements. Later it developed local chat shows with political content.

But this caused problems, as Star TV did not have a license to broadcast in Sri Lanka, and wanting to avoid a the creation of a legal precedent in the Sri Lankan courts, which would name Star TV as an illegal broadcaster without licenses, which could have affected Star TV in the entire region, Star TV signed up ETV as their official rebroadcaster for two years. This out of court settlement stopped the impending judgement against Star TV.

However, as the "Free-To-Air" channels were now being converted to encrypted frequencies, and with the consequent end of access to free programming eminent, ETV was sold to the cash rich EAP Group, which had the resources to develop studios and all other facilities that a regular TV station has.

In 1998, ETV 1 was re-badged Swarnawahini. ETV 2 was renamed as ETV. In the same year ETV traded BBC World for Sky News.

Currently ETV broadcasts ever popular Sitcoms, Soaps, programmes from Nickelodeon (TV channel), content from MTV, VH1 and Channel NewsAsia in place of Sky News.

It is presently managed by Vanguard Management Services (PVT) LTD.