Prime Radio, Prime TV:

New grand releases from ITN

The popular TV channel ITN will launch a new radio station and a TV channel to serve the English-speaking listeners and viewers in our country. The official launch, according to Aruna Siriwardhana, Chairman of ITN will take place on Thursday, November 12 at 10.00 a.m.

"The new radio station will be called Prime Radio, while the TV channel will be Prime TV and our objective in commencing these two broadcasting channels is in keeping with the Mahinda Chintana to serve all the needs at the people. Up till now ITN was reaching out mainly to the Sinhala speaking population and we found it was not sufficient. In May this year we commenced Vasantham TV, a channel broadcasting in the Tamil language. In April 2008 we commenced Vasantham FM (Radio) to reach out to our Tamil listeners. The local content is the need of the hour and as such Prime TV will be a 24-hour channel while Prime Radio's broadcasting hours will be for 19 hours from 6.00 a.m. to 12 midnight."

Radio listeners will be happy to note that Prime Radio will broadcast English retro music and recorded music programmes with listener participation. The pre-recorded programme content will include news, current affairs, entertainment and education programmes.

The personnel to operate the two channels - radio and TV have already been recruited many from the industry.

New talent which is important has not been overlooked and a mixed batch of youth and not so young have been recruited and trained to man the channels.

The Chairman thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Ministers for the support and encouragement given to this venture of ITN which enables listeners and viewers to appreciate and participate daily, in something new.