Sri Lanka has officially suspended the issuance of new licences for the operation of terrestrial analogue television channels, following Cabinet approval of a joint proposal presented by the Minister of Mass Media and the President, in his capacity as Minister of Digital Economy.

At present, 24 television channels, including five state-owned broadcasters, are operating under licences issued to 16 institutions using the existing analogue terrestrial system. Authorities note that the frequency spectrum has already reached its maximum capacity, making further licensing impractical.

In response, the Ministry of Mass Media has launched the Digital Non-Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Project, aimed at introducing a single digital terrestrial broadcasting system to replace the current 46 analogue transmission systems across the country. The initiative seeks to provide higher-quality digital viewing services through modern technology.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Government of Japan and is scheduled for completion by 2029. The existing analogue broadcasting system will be completely phased out within two years following the project’s conclusion.

Accordingly, the Cabinet has decided to terminate the process of issuing licences for analogue terrestrial television channels with immediate effect. Future allocation of frequencies for terrestrial television operations will be handled by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL). (Newswire)

The post Sri Lanka suspends issuance of Analogue TV Channel Licences appeared first on Newswire.

A former employee of a private institution has been arrested by the Kelaniya Special Crimes Investigation Division, over a financial fraud amounting to Rs. 7,037,400.

Investigations were launched following a complaint that the suspect had obtained water filters and television sets under the guise of company operations, sold the items, and failed to remit the proceeds to the company.

Following inquiries, officers arrested the suspect with 35 water filters and 13 TV sets.

The suspect, a 43-year-old resident of Kotagala, was produced before the Mahara Magistrate’s Court and remanded until July 30, 2025.

Further investigations are ongoing. (Newswire)

The post Man arrested over Rs. 7 Mn fraud involving water filters and TVs appeared first on Newswire.

Engineering consultancy services for the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) Project were officially commenced yesterday (09 June), marking a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey toward digital transformation. 

Minister of Mass Media, Nalinda Jayatissa, said that Japanese engineering consultants have arrived in Sri Lanka to begin this important work.

“Television broadcasting in Sri Lanka began in 1979. Just two years later, in 1981, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was established with the generous support of the Government of Japan, bringing island-wide broadcasting to our nation for the first time. Remarkably, many of the systems from that era are still in use today. While these systems have served us well for decades, the time has come to move forward,” he said, in a statement on social media.

Minister Jayatissa further stated that with the DTTB Project, Sri Lanka is transitioning from its 46-year-old analogue broadcasting system to a fully digital platform. 

“This means every Sri Lankan viewer will soon experience television in high definition (HD). The digital system also allows us to broadcast more channels and deliver clearer, uninterrupted content. Importantly, the DTTB platform will be available to all terrestrial TV broadcasters, enabling them to deliver their existing digital content more effectively to viewers across the country,” he said.

The Media Minister explained that the project also includes the establishment of a state-of-the-art 4K Digital Studio Complex for the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, further strengthening the national broadcasting infrastructure.

“I am proud to be part of this transformative initiative. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Government of Japan, JICA, and all our local and international partners for their continued friendship and support. This is a step forward not only for our media sector but for the future of our country,” he added. (Newswire)

The post Japanese Consultants in Sri Lanka for TV digitalisation project appeared first on Newswire.

Sri Lanka and Japan have signed an agreement on the engineering consultancy service contract related to the implementation of Sri Lanka’s Terrestrial Television Broadcast Digitalisation Project (DTTB).

According to the Ministry of Mass Media, the signing of the agreement was carried out by the Minister of Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and the Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Isomata Akio. 

The contract was signed at the Ministry of Digital Economy located at the Sri Lanka Information and Communication Technology Agency in Colombo by Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media Dr. Anil Jasinghe and the Managing Director of the Japan Engineering Consultancy Services Institute, Gaku Adachi. 

Issuing a statement, the Ministry of Mass Media said that, due to the removal of Terrestrial Television signal irregularities, the Digitalisation process will enable the ability for a clear viewing of Television programmes. 

Commenting on the occasion, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that Sri Lankans have been receiving analogue television services for nearly 45 years and that in future, people will be capable of having the highest quality possible during their television watching experience. (Newswire)

The post Sri Lanka, Japan sign TV digitalisation deal appeared first on Newswire.

An individual has been apprehended for stealing several items, including a television, from a school in the Thandikulam area in Batticaloa.

The suspect was arrested on Monday (Jan 15) by officials from the Crimes Investigation Unit of the Vavuniya Police.

The arrest was made following a complaint filed with the Vavuniya Police by the Principal of the school.

The suspect was identified following the inspection of CCTV footage from the area, where he was found to be walking away with the television on his shoulder.

Investigations have led to the arrest of a 30-year-old resident of Sundarapuram in Vavuniya.

The suspect has been produced before the Vavuniya Magistrate’s Court by the Police. (NewsWire)

The post Person stealing TV captured via CCTV appeared first on Newswire.