Two of Sri Lanka’s state-owned television broadcasters, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and Independent Television Network (ITN), recorded combined losses of Rs. 203 million during the first six months of 2026, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry’s Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2026 revealed that Rupavahini recorded a loss before tax of Rs. 166 million between January and June 2026, while ITN reported a loss of Rs. 37 million during the same period.
Rupavahini’s six-month loss of Rs. 166 million is already equivalent to nearly 87% of the Rs. 191 million loss it recorded throughout 2025.
The state broadcaster had also reported a loss of Rs. 247 million in 2024, highlighting its continued financial difficulties.
Meanwhile, ITN, which recorded a profit of Rs. 62 million in 2025 and Rs. 3 million in 2024, slipped into a loss during the first six months of 2026.
The report also revealed that the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), the country’s state-owned radio broadcaster, recorded a loss before tax of Rs. 68 million during January–June 2026.
SLBC had previously reported losses of Rs. 203 million in 2025 and Rs. 176 million in 2024.
Accordingly, the three state-owned broadcasting institutions recorded combined losses of Rs. 271 million during the first six months of 2026.
The figures come as the Finance Ministry reported that Sri Lanka’s major state-owned enterprises recorded a combined profit of Rs. 259.3 billion during the first half of 2026, compared to Rs. 227.8 billion during the corresponding period in 2025.
While several state banks and major commercial enterprises reported substantial profits, the three state-owned broadcasting institutions remained loss-making during the period under review. (Newswire)