About Ekushey Television

We have the pleasure to introduce ourselves as the most popular television network in the private sector in Bangladesh. Ekushey Television was incorporated on 01 July, 1998 as private limited companies under Companies Act 1994 and registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies of Bangladesh. With the backing of a leading group of Bangladesh Industrialists and businessmen, investors in Europe and America and international financial agencies, Ekushey Television has a vast expansion programme covering the needs of urban as well as rural audience, home and aboard, creating enormous employment opportunities, helping the development of backward linkage industries and imparting information and news, opening up new avenues of employment to the people of Bangladesh. Ekushey Television would, thus, ultimately be a propeller of economic development of the country.

In the new millennium, television will emerge as the single most important medium nor information at our disposed Consequently, the plans for Ekushey Television are based not only a sound business rationale but also on our commitment to the future welfare and growth of Bangladesh and the need to project and promote its image, both at home and abroad. Above all, it is based on the need to educate as much as to entertain people of this country and to ensure that Bangladesh can keeping step with a fast-moving world.

We believe too that there is an all-important link between the successful commercial management of a new station and sustainable schedule of innovative, quality programme making. Our approach is evolutionary. We also believe that the growth and development of Ekushey will stimulate a significant improvement in the standard of programme production in Bangladesh, and the television and radio industry as a whole. It will enhance skills, provide jobs, encourage, and establish fresh horizons for the future.

Our plans are firmly set in the development of these ideas, as well as in an effective and comprehensive programming strategy designed to work not only for the important urban audiences, but also in meeting the special needs of the rural areas of Bangladesh. Careful audience research throughout the country and an evaluation of the requirements and objectives of advertisers, as well as common sense, all point to quality choice and popularity as the key to success.

Our aim is to reach most of the people, most of the time and to be visited and important presence in every corner of Bangladesh; and, in the longer tern, to touch the Bangla speaking population throughout the region.

The realism of our plans should be judged by the care and consideration with which we are tailoring them to suit the real needs of Bangladesh; and the creative and management talent of the people we will bring together to carry them out.

Our plans should be judged too by the strength of the financial resources that will underpin them. The Business plan for Ekushey Television has been thoroughly and prudently conceived; its success does not rest on over-optimistic expectations for the economy or our projected share of audience and advertising revenue.

Ekushey’s plans are based on a commitment to change. The Chairman and Management of Ekushey believe that the Network will not only entertain and inform, but also stimulate growth, enhance skills, provide jobs and inspire fresh horizons for young people everywhere in the country. This is also our social commitment.

OPERATION THE TELEVISION STATION

A TELEVISION STATION FOR A NEW ERA OF BROADCASTING IN BANGLADESH

Ekushey is a custom-designed, modern television station built around a public service broadcasting frame, will be operating from a sound commercial base.

Ekushey is mainly a Bangla-language station transmitting a balanced schedule of news & current affairs, entertainment, drama, films, musical programmes, talk show, telefilms, educational & social affairs, documentaries, foreign cartoons, fillers, documentaries, live & sports and skills development programmes from its headquarters in Dhaka, with plans to broadcast round the clock.

TECHNICAL FACILITIES

High standards, Reliability and Proper Management is central to Ekushey’s Technical Plan.

Ekushey has installed a production and broadcast facility that meets the best international standards, but not the extent that it becomes so sophisticated as to be unnecessary and insupportable. However broadcasting level is comparable with other quality Asian Broadcasters.

The facilities of Ekushey Television have been designed around the following set-ups:

1. A three-camera multipurpose Studio
2. A single-camera studio
3. A total of fifteen ENG Camera units and two-camera satellite OP unit
4. A total of fifteen Editing suites- including tow linear suites
5. An audio post production suite with camera units
6. A voice dubbing facility suite
7. A digital on-line graphics facility with design suite
8. A multiformat tape and transfer broadcast suite
9. A studio gallery with lighting, vision and audio control (PCR)
10. A 20 station computerized Newsroom
11. An automated video-tape library
12. Play out Automation system
13. Network control gallery

It is a fully digitized station originating its own live and pre-recorded programmes, as well as commissioning from outside producers.

All the machinery is fully supported by its own uninterrupted power supplies (UPS).

In house, our aim is to maintain high levels of technical efficiency and reliability and to allow for creative and dynamic news presentation and programme production. The skilled management of these facilities is therefore paramount.

There is an agreement with BBC Worldwide to advice on all technical matters. BBC has advised on the installation of the network’s production, broadcast and transmission equipment.

ADMINISTRATION

CAREFUL PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF EKUSHEY TELEVISION

The company has its headquarter at the Jahangir Tower, 10, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue and opposite to Hotel Sonargaon , occupying the top four floors and the roof, to a total of approximately 45,000 sq. ft.

This site has been chosen for both its technical suitability and its location, especially because it gives Ekushey Television a good access to the Parliament, The Prime Minister’s Office, and most of the Government Ministries, as well as being close to business, financial and cultural heart of the city.

The seventh floor is for administrative offices: management; programme and production staff; finance; sales & marketing; personnel and clerical staff.

The eighth floor is for additional post-production facilities; an automated video tape library and offices and workshops for the engineering staff.

The Ekushey Studio, broadcast and post-production facilites, as well as the newsroom and all the necessary supports and technical service areas occupy the ninth floor of the building.

There is a staff restaurant on the tenth floor. The roof is for air conditioning plant, its up- link facilities and all necessary satellite dishes and antennae.

At present there are 500+ staff working with ETV, employed in:

• Management and administration
• Programming & Production
• Broadcast & Engineering
• Finance
• Sales & Marketing
• Graphics
• News and current affairs
• Human resources Development
• Business Development & Corporate Strategy.

PROGRAMME PRODUCTION

PROGRAMME POLICY

At the heart of Broadcast, strong blend of contemporary, quality entertainment, as well as news and educational programming designed to reach a nation-wide audience of all ages and interests.

The company intends to create a successful balance in its scheduling to make sure it becomes a television station of record, reliability and repute. In that, it considers News and Current Affairs and related informational and Educational programmes, such as documentaries, to be of particular relevance.

Ekushey Television will be paying special attention to help meet these needs: projecting life and change not only to the people of Bangladesh, but also to a watching world.

New types of programmes are being created that will cater for certain segments of the viewing public who have been largely ignored in the past.

Ekushey Television believes that new “Prime Time” (Peak-viewing periods) can also be created and that the audience, and therefore the advertising, is there to support them.