Banushen Television

Banushen Television (BTV) is an El Kadsreian commercial free-to-air general entertainment, information, and family television channel.

History
Banushen Television got its roots in 1979, when former Viva, Inc. CEO, Paul Friswell and former El TV Kadsre CEO Tara Matsushita of the Matsushita family formed Banushen Media Corporation after the Vlokozuian government acquired El TV Kadsre Television Network, which was at bankruptcy at the time in 1979. It acquired broadcaster North Tower Broadcasting, which consists of many circuits, and film distributor/producer Seiko Films. In early 1981, it was announced that North Tower Broadcasting will convert from a TV station circuit to a TV network and it will be renamed to Banushen Television. Several North Tower stations were handed over to Banushen on October 29, 1981.

Banushen Television opened transmission on October 30, 1981, at 8:30 am with an authority announcement by Jules Durham followed by the introduction continuity with Paul Friswell and an extended 10-minute promo entitled This is Banushen Television.

During its first year, Banushen usually aired news and documentaries.

BTV has been airing anime, cartoons, and pre-school shows since November 1981 starting with Looney Tunes.

In 1989, after Vlokozu Television went off the air, Banushen Television won the rights to air the US CBS comedy Murphy Brown, and it successfully became the El Kadsreian leaders in comedy television. The success lead up to Banushen having broadcasting rights of Wings, Frasier, Friends, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, That '70s Show and Malcolm in the Middle. It also acquired the rights to air Hockey Night in Canada, which Banushen being able to air under its original name.

On January 1, 1990, Banushen Television was changed to a shorter name named BTV.

In 1995, Banushen won the right for El Kadsre for the broadcasting rights of Caroline in the City, while cable rights went to Star TV.

In 1996, Banushen Television signed a partnership deal with El TV Kadsre Television Network right after the El TV Kexit, which caused Banushen to strip its 15-year partnership deal with Viva, Inc. and El TV Kadsre to strip its partnership deal with Regal Group Network. Despite the end of the partnership deal between El TV Kadsre and RGN, two networks continue to work with RGN at times. The following year, Banushen Media Corporation gained broadcasting rights to air South Park on BTV. However, due to the show receiving an 'AO' rating and BTV's popularity amongst families, the network fell into controversy regarding the network airing the show. Because of this, BTV's viewership among families decreased greatly and almost put the network in financial issues, until 2001, when BMC put broadcasting rights to the show on auction. El TV Kadsre Network won the bid over the broadcasting rights against Regal Group Network, Viva Television and CPN Media Group, and the show now airs on El TV Kadsre 3.

On July 12, 2000, Banushen Media Coproation was granted the rights to air Happy Tree Friends on the network, debuting the show on El Kadsreian television. However, as with when BTV premiered South Park, the show became controversial airing on the network, but thankfully, ratings did not decreas. Concerned parents called and sent mail to BTV's headquarters regarding the network airing the show, demanding that they either take the show down or move it to another network. However, BTV kept on airing the show until 2009, a year after a protest group consisting of concerned attacked their headquarters, BTV sold the rights to Happy Tree Friends over to El TV Kadsre Television Network, where the show now broadcasts on El TV Kadsre 3. Since then, Happy Tree Friends has been the last show on BTV that was rated AO.

On August 9, 2004, BTV was officially launched on digital television after it test trials for 5 years, which changed its aspect ratio to 16:9 widescreen format, also the HD transmission was launched, making the first El Kadsreian free-to-air TV channel to have a widescreen format. The channel was letterboxed for analog televisions.

Broadcasting hours

 * 1981-1987: 7:00am to 12:00am
 * 1987-1993: 7:00am to 1:00am
 * 1993-1996: 6:00am to 1:00am
 * 1996-present: 24 hours

News and information

 * BTV News (1981-present)
 * BTV News Inside (1998-present)
 * Right to Reply (1981-present)
 * Banushen Affair (1996-present)

Sports

 * Rugby Night in El Kadsre (1981-present)

Soap operas

 * The Beauty and the Beasts (1983-present)
 * The Misty’s Life (2018-present)

Comedy

 * Wesley Gram Show (2009-present)

Soap operas

 * Eastenders (UK) (1985-present)
 * Neighbours (AU) (1986-present)

Anime and Animated
For more info, see List of animated programming aired by Banushen Television.
 * The Simpsons (USA) (2003-2016; 2020-present) (also aired on ETVKK and El TV Kadsre 3)
 * American Dad! (USA) (2005-present) (also aired on El TV Kadsre 3)

Entertainment

 * Svengoolie (US) (1995-present)

Sports

 * Hockey Night in Canada/NHL on Sportsnet (CAN) (1989-present)
 * The Crowd Goes Wild (NZ) (2007-present)

Specials

 * Eurovision Song Contest (1995-present) (Also aired on El TV Kadsre 1)

Others

 * Count Down TV (JAP) (1993-present)

Comedy

 * Great Job! The Amazing Bill and Derek Show (1995-2008, 2015)
 * 4ward (2007-2008)

Comedy

 * Caroline in the City (USA) (1996-1999)
 * Kirk (USA) (1996-1997)
 * Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (USA) (1997-2003)
 * Murphy Brown (USA) (1989-1999, 2018-2019)
 * Catweazle (UK) (1989-1997)
 * Father Ted (UK/IRE) (1995-1998)
 * Will & Grace (USA) (1998-2006, 2017-2020)
 * The Baldy Man (UK) (1996-2002)
 * Spitting Image (UK) (1985-1996)

Music

 * CD:UK (1999-2006)

Anime and Animated

 * South Park (1997-2001; now airs on El TV Kadsre 3)
 * Happy Tree Friends (2000-2009; now airs on El TV Kadsre 3)

Slogans

 * The Central Station (1981-1990)
 * Always Banushen. (1996-2005)
 * Banushen Television, First in HD. (2003-2007)
 * It's your Banushen. (2005-present)

Controversies
When BTV became the first network in El Kadsre to air Happy Tree Friends on TV, the network received several complaints from families, which the network was most popular amongst, regarding the show's cute but violent and gory content. There was even a protest group started by concerned mothers known as the El Kadsreian Mothers Against BTV (EKMABTV), who protested against the network in front of the Banushen Studio Complex in 2008. The protests lasted for 2 weeks before the mothers decided to attack the complex. Fortunately, the attacks only lasted for 30 minutes before the mothers were arrested. A year after the complaints, Banushen Media Corporation decided to sell the broadcasting rights to Happy Tree Friends over to El TV Kadsre Television Network, which is also owned by the Matsushita family, where the show now currently broadcasts on El TV Kadsre 3.