New Kokavil Tower to transmit TV and Radio channels   [September 30 2010]

The Kokavil transmitting tower in the Northern Province will be ready for television, radio and other broadcasts within the next couple of months, Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and Information W.B. Ganegala told the Observer Online today.

He said the erection of the new transmission tower, replacing the old television tower destroyed by the LTTE during the war, has now been completed. “We have completed the construction of the tower. The installation of transmitting devisers and other equipment is now taking place. It should be ready for all TV and radio broadcasts before the end of this year,” he said.

This will be Sri Lanka’s first ever multi-channel broadcasting tower. Though such common towers are rare in other countries, Sri Lanka will be having such facility for the first time. “This will enable all radio and TV stations, be them State or private, to transmit their TV and Radio broadcasts from Kokavil, covering the entire Northern Province,” Ganegala said. He added that such common transmitting towers will be built in other parts of the country in the future so that all TV and radio channels share such facilities available at strategic locations.