Nepal Television


Nepal Television, 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. The network started broadcasting in HD from 31 January 2019.
Several attempts are being made by media stakeholders to convert and transform NTV into a truly public broadcasting entity. NTV, being currently owned by the government, has lost its editorial independence and is accused of being a government mouthpiece. Nir Shah was the first chairman.
The iconic logo of Nepal Television was designed by artist Deepak Kumar Joshi.

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. Before its creation, Nepal was already receiving spillover signals from India. Its broadcasts started in 30 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. The channel was initially scheduled to open in December 1986, King Birendra's birthday, but was pushed back by one year 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.
Finance Minister Prakash Chandra Lohani had visited Tokyo in January 1986 and wanted Japanese technicians to help enter Nepal into the television age. In February 1986, NTV moved to new premises at Singha Darbar, which were still partly in use as of 2007. 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.
By the late 1990s, NTV was broadcasting from 5:30pm to just after 10pm daily, with a supplementary period in the mornings and an additional period on Saturday afternoons from 12pm.

Channel list

Regional channels

Province network

ChannelLanguageRegion
NTV KohalpurNepaliLumbini, Karnali Sudurpaschim
NTV ItahariNepaliKoshi, Madhesh Province

Former shows on NTV

Yestai Hunchha AayamAbhibyaktiBiswo GhatnaChintan Manan/ ManthanHamro Gaun Ramro GaunHijo Aaj Ka KuraBhid Sekhi Bhid SammaHostelKhel KhelHatterikaTadha ko Basti Mayos Super ChallengeNagad Panch LakhNepali TaraSanibar Vijay Kumar SangaTito SatyaTwakka TukkaChakrabyuha Raap Yuga Dekhi Yuga Samma8 Baje Talk Show Vijay Kumar PandeyChandrakanta
  • Indian movie on every Saturday on 2:00PM

Current shows on NTV

Comedy

BhadragolChaleko ChalanCheu Na TuppoGup Chup

Reality

Nepali Tele Film

Drama

AphantaGuthiSantanSunaulo Sansar
  • ''Yatra Jindagi Ko''

Game shows

Chham ChhamiMagical Thumb: A Live Game ShowPratibhako AaganQuiz Mania Worldwide by Wai WaiSinging Icon Nepal
  • ''The Singing Star''

Kids

Baal Shanti Abhiyaan MoominNature CallsFerdy the Ant (TV series)Opening Children ProgrammePermanMotu Patlu

News

Gunte bhaiMaile timilai kuteNTV Peace ForumSamachar
  • ''Sero Phero''

Miscellaneous

Miss NepalArtha Ko ArthaKrishi KaryakramMero Ghar Mero Sansar
  • ''Swasthya Charcha''

Broadcasting hours

Nepal Television broadcasts for 24 hours daily.
DateTransmission times
31 December 1983-now04:00-22:00 Nepal Time