News

Channel Eye will lease airtime to Lyca Group – Bandula (Video)

Published

2 years ago

August 16, 2023

editor

Sri Lanka’s state-run Rupavahini Corporation will lease airtime of its Channel Eye to UK based Lyca group to earn revenue and mitigate losses, Information Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

“A few hours of airtime would be leased to Lyca group for cricket broadcasts for which 25 million rupees would be charged for a month,” Minister Gunawardana said.

“At the moment it is making losses and cannot even pay the electricity bill.”

When the transaction was brought to cabinet for approval, he was informed that the matter was within the purview of the Board of Directors of Rupavahini Corporation.

The transaction with Lyca group came from a proposal made to the board.

“I have instructed them to call for public bids for a longer term contract to lease airtime for sports and entertainment,” Minister Gunawardana said.

“I addressed the directorate and made it clear that whoever, locally or internationally, may be willing to purchase air time of the channel may come forward and purchase under a tender, starting from 25 million as a base rate, and possibly even at 200 million at best.”

The board of directors have been appointed to earn revenues and turnaround the state enterprise.

“If you have any other suggestions to earn revenues we are willing to consider it,” Minister Gunawardana said.

The Lyca Group’s broadcast entertainment arm consists of Lyca Productions, which has produced Kollywood blockbusters such as Ponniyin Selvan I (2022) and II (2023), Vada Chennai (2018); along with Tollywood blockbusters Pushpa (2021) and RRR (2022), the latter which went onto have an international release in the United States and Japan, after becoming India’s highest opening-day grossing film to date.

(economynext.com)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by economynext.com has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

COVID subvariants spreading in Asia detected in Sri Lanka

Published

8 hours ago

May 31, 2025

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The Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka has confirmed that the COVID-19 variant currently spreading in the Asian region has also been identified in the country.

Dr. Jude Jayamaha, a specialist in viral diseases at the Medical Research Institute, stated that patients infected with the Omicron subvariants LF.7 and XFG are being reported locally.

Dr. Jayamaha explained that this finding was confirmed through research conducted on biological samples collected from several hospitals across the island.

However, he emphasized that there is no need for undue fear regarding these COVID-19 variants.

Health authorities have also stressed the importance of vulnerable groups—such as pregnant mothers, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses—following health guidelines, including wearing face masks and avoiding crowded places.

Dr. Jayamaha reiterated that new COVID-19 variants emerge periodically, and health authorities are continuously monitoring the situation, so the public should remain calm.

(newswire.lk)

(This story, originally published by newswire.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Anudi misses out from Miss World Quarter-Finals

Published

8 hours ago

May 31, 2025

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The Miss World organization has announced its quarter-finalists, selecting 40 contestants from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Sri Lanka’s Anudi Gunasekara, was not selected in the top 40, despite being recognized for her impressive performances in the Multimedia and Head-to-Head challenges.

The top 40 consisted of 10 contestants each from Asia & Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas.