Countries: Sri Lanka, an ABU member country

Sri Lanka is an island country located in south Asia, being one of the most southern countries in all the continent. It has got a population of more than 20 million inhabitants and two languages are spoken, Sinhalese and Tamil. The capital city is Colombo with a population of four million people.

National Broadcaster.

MTV is a Sri Lankese private broadcaster which is member of the ABU (Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union), and which broadcasts the ABU Song Festivals in Sri Lanka.

This company was estabished in 1992, being one of the first private networks of that country, and also, one of the most successful ones. The programming of the channel varies from information programmes to the entertainment ones.

Entertainment Industry.

The Sri Lankan music Industry has been largely influenced by traditional rythms and the influence of south indian musical tradition.

The pop music in Sri Lanka started being famous from the 1950's but thanks to the influence of indian music, the traditional music and the western influencies, the music scene of the country started developing its distinctive sound.

Nowadays, Sri Lanka has got many music labels and influential artists.

From left to right, some artists that could represent Sri Lanka in the ABU TV Song Festival.

Ashanthi, Arjun
Nirasha Perera, Shihan Mihiranga,
Theeksana Anuradha, Sadhana Ranathunga.

Sri Lanka in the ABU TV Song Festival.

Sri Lanka took part in the first two editions of the ABU TV Song Festival, but the broadcaster dedided to withrdraw in the third edition of the show.

2012: Arjuna Rokantha & Shanika Madhumali - Me jeewithe.

2013: Sarit & Surith: Toghether for ever.

Sri Lanka in the ABU Radio Song Festival.

2014: Sheyhara Liyanage - Something bout you and me.
2015: Shadir Ahmed and Wishmi Tharusha Hettiarachi - Celebrate us (Children).

Venues

The Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa theatre was going to be the venue for the ABU Radio Song Festival 2014, but later the venue was moved to the stein studios, which had a similar seat capacity for more than 1000 people. Anyway, this is one of the newest theatres in Sri Lanka, which was opened in 2011.