Nepal Television

Nepal Television (Nepali: नेपाल टेलिभिजन), shortened to NTV is the Nepali national public state-controlled television broadcaster. It's accessible in four languages. It is the oldest and most watched television channel in Nepal. The news broadcast at 8:00 PM is the channel's most popular show, followed by comedy programmes such as Sakkigoni, Mundre Ko Comedy Club and Meri Bassai.

It also has four sister channels, NTV PLUS, NTV News, NTV Kohalpur and NTV Itahari, all owned by the Nepali government.[1][2][3] The network started broadcasting in HD from 31 January 2019.

The administrative block of Nepal Television
The studio block of Nepal Television

Several attempts are being made by media stakeholders to convert and transform NTV into a truly Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) entity. NTV, being currently owned by the government, has lost its editorial independence and is blamed for continuously being a government mouthpiece.[4][5] Mr. Nir Shah was the first chairman.

History

The Nepali government signed an agreement with French government company Sofratev on 14 February 1982 to conduct a preliminary study of the feasibility of a television network in the country for 30 days.[6] Before its creation, Nepal was already receiving spillover signals from India.[7] Its broadcasts started in January 1985 with limited resources, a 30-minute daily schedule and 400 television sets available in the country. In February 1986, it became a full fledged corporation under the Communication Act of His Majesty's Government.[8] The channel was initially scheduled to open in December 1986, King Birendra's birthday, but was pushed back by one year (29 December 1985) because the astrologers thought that 1986 was an inauspicious year. The channel received technical support by Erkki and Leena Vihtonen, from Finland, working for the Worldview International Foundation. With no professional infrastructure, NTV's editing was done entirely using tape decks.[9]

Finance Minister Prakash Chandra Lobani had visited Tokyo in January 1986 and wanted Japanese technicians to help enter Nepal into the television age.[10] In February 1986, NTV moved to new premises at Singha Darbar, which were still partly in use as of 2007.[9] Footage of protests in Eastern Europe and China in 1989, as well as a protest against the monarchs of Nepal in March 1990, led to NTV, as well as other media outlets, becoming autonomous bodies in April 1990, when the country lifted a 30-year ban on political parties.[11]

By the late 1990s, NTV was broadcasting from 5:30pm to just after 10pm daily, with a supplementary period in the mornings (6:30am to 8am, with some productions from Image Channel) and an additional period on Saturday afternoons from 12pm.[12]

Channel list

International channels

Channel Programming Language Notes
Nepal Television General Entertainment and News Nepali and English SD+HD

National channels

Channel Programming Language SD/HD availability
Nepal Television (NTV) General Entertainment and News Nepali and English SD+HD
NTV Plus General Entertainment, Sports and Educational program
NTV News News

Regional channels

Province network

Channel Language Region
NTV Kohalpur Nepali Lumbini, Karnali Sudurpaschim
NTV Itahari Koshi, Madhesh Province

Former shows on NTV

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Nepal Television
  • Yestai Hunchha (First television drama of Nepal, directed by Ujwal Ghimire)
  • Aayam
  • Abhibyakti
  • Biswo Ghatna
  • Chintan Manan/ Manthan
  • Hamro Gaun Ramro Gaun
  • Hijo Aaj Ka Kura
  • Bhid Sekhi Bhid Samma( Directed by Badri adhikari)
  • Hostel
  • Khel Khel
  • Hatterika
  • Tadha ko Basti (Directed by Krishna Malla)
  • Mayos Super Challenge
  • Nagad Panch Lakh
  • Nepali Tara
  • Sanibar Vijay Kumar Sanga
  • Tito Satya
  • Twakka Tukka
  • Chakrabyuha
  • Raap
  • Yuga Dekhi Yuga Samma
  • 8 Baje Talk Show Vijay Kumar Pandey
  • Chandrakanta (Indian TV drama)
  • Indian(Hindi) movie on every Saturday on 2:00PM

Current shows on NTV

Comedy

Reality

Nepali Tele Film

Drama

  • Aphanta
  • Guthi
  • Santan
  • Sunaulo Sansar
  • Yatra Jindagi Ko

Game shows

  • Chham Chhami
  • Magical Thumb: A Live Game Show
  • Pratibhako Aagan
  • Quiz Mania Worldwide by Wai Wai
  • Singing Icon Nepal
  • The Singing Star

Kids

News

  • Gunte bhai
  • Maile timilai kute
  • NTV Peace Forum
  • Samachar (समाचार)
  • Sero Phero

Miscellaneous

  • Miss Nepal
  • Artha Ko Artha
  • Krishi Karyakram(Agriculture Program)
  • Mero Ghar Mero Sansar
  • Swasthya Charcha

Broadcasting hours

Nepal Television broadcasts for 24 hours daily.

Date Transmission times
31 December 1983-now 04:00-22:00 Nepal Time

References

  1. ^ "Locals elated with new Nepal Television channel NTV Itahari". The Himalayan Times. January 31, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "NTV to telecast tri-national football tournament live". Khabarhub. March 21, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  3. ^ "एनटीभीका पाँचवटै च्यानलको प्रशारण अवरुद्ध". Online Khabar (in Nepali). June 6, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  4. ^ "नेपालमा प्रेस स्वतन्‍त्रता छ, सत्यतथ्यमा आधरित समाचार लेख्‍नुहोला : प्रधानमन्त्री देउवा". Kantipur (daily) (in Nepali). September 23, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  5. ^ Poudel, Bharat Raj; FitzGerald, Gerry; Clark, Michele J.; Mehta, Amisha; Poudyal Chhetri, Meen B. (August 24, 2014). "How does Nepal Television (NTV) frame natural disasters? A qualitative content analysis of news scripts using news frames and PPRR cycle" (PDF). 5th International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC 2014): 583–586.
  6. ^ "Nepal gets TV network aid". The Straits Times. February 15, 1982. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  7. ^ Thomas, Amos Owen (2005). Imagi-Nations and Borderless Television: Media, Culture and Politics Across Asia. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-0-7619-3395-3. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  8. ^ NTV
  9. ^ a b Tv or not tv
  10. ^ "TV age". The Straits Times. January 21, 1986. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  11. ^ Spiller, N. (1990, Nov 24). U.S. entertainment loses out as Nepal TV shuns sex and violence: [4* edition]. The Vancouver Sun
  12. ^ PROGRAMME DIVISION
  13. ^ "नेपाल टेलिभिजनबाट प्रसारण हुँदै 'मेरो भ्वाइस युनिभर्स'". Nagarik (in Nepali). May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.