Kathmandu, June 27: For the first time, state owned Nepal Television (NTV) telecasts will be transmitted through satellite to cover the entire nation and an additional 42 countries in the immediate region, Chief Executive Durga Nath Sharma said Wednesday.

NTV broadcasts covered only 42 percent of the kingdom through a series of 11 relay stations to be expanded to 19 soon, Sharma said. “Test transmissions will start July 4. If everything proceeds normally the programme will be continued. I do not foresee any hitches,” Sharma said.
The Rs.100 million effort was completed with Rs.50 million contributions each from the government and the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), the latter investment on credit.

Nepal Television first started programmes in 1985. “We want competition. The government should give permission to private operators as well,” Sharma said in response to a question whether he will welcome competition from Space Time Network.

The country’s biggest private cable operator was denied a satellite up-link to start satellite broadcasts after receiving initial government approval to reach 54 countries on a technicality. The Network is pressing the government to lift the ban.