Business Media International (BMI) Group has launched Ahasa TV, a television channel built around education, family programming and what its founders describe as quality content.
BMI Group Chairman Nilanga Karunarathne said the channel followed research and consultations across the country, with the team engaging more than 10,000 viewers to gauge expectations. That work, he said, identified demand for a dedicated educational television platform with cross-generational appeal.
The proposition
Karunarathne said Ahasa TV is designed around bringing families together rather than encouraging viewers to consume content in isolation, offering programmes that children, parents and other family members can watch and discuss together. He said the channel would compete on the quality and value of its programming rather than following conventional broadcasting formulas, positioning itself as an alternative in an increasingly fragmented media environment.
Questions over the CSN frequencies
Karunarathne used the launch to address the channel’s use of frequencies previously allocated to CSN.
He said using available airtime and technical infrastructure is standard industry practice, and that acquiring frequencies which have passed through multiple channels over the years does not imply any political affiliation or hidden agenda connected to former operators.
He said Ahasa TV’s news operations would be “100% independent”, focused on national interests and issues relevant to citizens rather than serving political entities.
The team
Professor Senesh Dissanayake Bandara, a media academic, has been appointed Chief Content Officer and Channel Head. Sabeetha Hettiarachchi is Chairperson and Ajith Ranasinghe is Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 35 years in finance and business administration. Kisho Vithanage, with 25 years in broadcast marketing and media revenue, is Chief Revenue Officer, and veteran journalist Upendra Herath heads News and Current Affairs.
No launch date for a full programming schedule, channel carriage details or investment figure was disclosed in the reports. The account of the launch comes from Daily Mirror; no other verified newsroom had filed its own report at the time of writing.
