ETV (Sri Lanka)

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ETV is a Sri Lankan television channel. It is broadcast from Colombo City, Western province and part of southern province of Sri Lanka.

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 originating 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.

In May 1998 Etv was relaunched by Vanguard Management Services (Pvt) Limited an affiliate of EAP Group. Etv has since then brought some of the best Hollywood TV drams, sitcoms, soaps and reality shows including The Bold and the Beautiful, Gilmore Girls,American Idol.

Etv also pioneered electronic business news and analysis by launching Sri Lanka's first independen electronic business news program- Lanka Business Report (LBR).

Other locally produced English language television programs are; Home Gourmet, LBO.tv, LBRMoney.