Indian Ocean Broadcasting Corporation

Indian Ocean Broadcasting Corporation (Irjysian: Hindu Mahasage Almedevana Golkeshim), commonly known as IOBC, is a Maryaadanese commercial free-to-air terrestrial television network owned by the Weltena Omgali Inc., a Maryaadanese mass media and communications conglomerate, and headquartered in the IOBC City in Jekelbham, Thakki. It began transmissions on July 29, 1979 on VHF channel 4 in Thakki, as one of the oldest commercial television networks in Maryaadah. It has often been branded as IOBC-4 for many years. IOBC is one of the most popular television networks in Maryaadah, and is the first in the country to broadcast in high definition.

History
After the launch of the Irjysian Commercial Television in 1977, Weltena Omgali Inc. announced plans to establish another private television network in Maryaadah. It became one of the 17 applicants for licenses to broadcast a television network in April 1978. Initially named Weltena Omgali Television, it was later finalized as Indian Ocean Broadcasting Corporation in December 1978, named both after the, on which the Nesionytan Islands are situated, and in honor of the Indian Ocean Radio Network, also owned by Weltena. It was incorporated on February 27, 1979 as a television producer.

Prior to going on the air, IOBC acquired several reject programs by ICT and MTS, and also produced programs in association with smaller production houses. All of this helped increase the network's chance to successfully launch, and subsequently gain high ratings. They were given the VHF channel 4 frequency by the Maryaadah Telecommunications Commission in April 1979, in which IOBC commenced test broadcasts. Its headquarters nearly finished constructions at that point, which began in August 1977 initially meant for Weltena's branch office in Jekelbham.

Indian Ocean Broadcasting Corporation officially began broadcasting on July 29, 1979, with the daily news program, IOBC Eleyebham (IOBC Evening), being the first program to be broadcast. This was later followed by the first episode of Mehensai, which is the longest-running drama series in Maryaadah, aired until 1997. IOBC was especially known for that drama series, and because of it, the network quickly became the most watched television network in Maryaadah, surpassing both ICT and MTS within a week.

In 1980, IOBC became the first Maryaadanese private network to broadcast the FIFA World Cup, held in Thakki that year. It won as the best television network from the Nesionytan Television Award in 1983, for its high-budget programs and advanced facilities. It was the most advanced broadcasting network in the country at the time. On January 18, 1988, before the launch of the proposed Gengelonbe Television Network of Gengelonbe Sawa Corporation, which Weltena acquired at that year, IOBC merged with that network to form a huge broadcasting company. Weltena later proposed to rename the network to IOBC-GGTN, as with in the, but this idea was later dropped.

On February 15, 1988, IOBC launched its second television station in Thakki on UHF channel 25, the first network in Maryaadah to do so. On the same day, it launched its first originating regional station in Pengeja. It later launched relay stations all over the country in 1989. To differenciate both of its stations in Thakki, the IOBC-4 and IOBC-25 monikers were introduced. IOBC-25 was used more often for livelihood, educational, children's, and sports programming, and the main station on channel 4 mainly consisted of news and entertainment programming.

In August 1992, IOBC commenced nationwide satellite broadcasts using the SastavaSat-2 satellite launched at the time. The broadcasts were relayed to the rest of the Nesionytan Islands,, and parts of. On January 15, 1994, IOBC ceased transmissions on UHF channel 25, with all programming from the station being migrated to the newly launched IOBC Plus channel on satellite and cable television. It later launched a sports-oriented channel MaxtionIOBC, the first of its kind in Maryaadah. Its formerly used channel 25 spot was later reoccupied by Konghala Broadcasting Corporation, with the launch of KBC Television on October 15, 1995.

IOBC signed a programming licensing agreement with to air its programs on its primetime slot in 1997. This also included programs during its weekend morning schedule. It also expanded its sports programming slot, airing sports even during midnight hours. IOBC became the first network in Maryaadah to officially commence 24-hour broadcasts on July 29, 1999, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. It also introduced graphic automation and a more efficient on-screen look. The entire IOBC logo started to be displayed rather than its wordmark, as per MTC guidelines.

On January 1, 2000, IOBC refreshed its look and introduced a new logo, now based on the original 1979 logo used until that point but with a maroon circle replacing the O. It also became the very first Nesionytan television broadcaster to launch high-definition transmissions on June 30, 2000. IOBC received a loan from the Government of Maryaadah in July 2001 for the network's great expansion and creation of a multitude of hit programs. It became hugely famous for The Clock, a game show in which contestants have to correctly answer a question to win prizes within a minute, in 2002, when it debuted.

Its new line of dramas and other entertainment programs catapulted IOBC to the top, and led the Maryaadanese television market until being surpassed by RBS in 2009. It was also awarded the best television broadcaster again by the Nesionytan Television Awards in 2003, for its hugely popular programming. At the time, it was the most advanced television broadcaster in the entire Nesionytan archipelago.

Due to a fire at the IOBC City building on January 24, 2006, IOBC temporarily halted broadcasts at the time. As it quickly spread throughout the building, its broadcasts were unable to be restored at that moment. All other associate IOBC channels were also shut down. Much of its archives, due to being burned down by the fire, have been lost, and later IOBC advised viewers to record all of its programming and continuities. On January 28, ICT aired several IOBC programs after signing a blocktime agreement with them. ICT later stopped doing so after IOBC's broadcasts were formally restored. It migrated to digital terrestrial television in August 2009, being the first Maryaadanese network to do so.

On November 24, 2011, IOBC's terrestrial signals and cable distribution were blacked out by authorities in Tekeleb after the network aired news reports allegedly defaming the country for its authoritarian regime. The Maryaadanese government criticized the decision and accused the Tekelebese government for oppressing freedom of press. Cable signals were later restored in June 2012. On July 29, 2014, for its 35th anniversary, IOBC aired special programs celebrating the event. It also began broadcasting the national anthem of Maryaadah after several years every night at 12am.

The longest running news presenter of IOBC, Mehengei Othalithigha, died on August 12, 2016, on the same day the network paid tributes to her. Due to her death, Othalithigha was replaced with Ahasa Mojokeldhia as the lead news reporter. The long-running news program Ohekalai was also ceased after over 60 years of broadcasting on May 17, 2017 and was replaced with IOBC News. In remembrance of the program, IOBC renamed its cable news channel IOBC News24 to IOBC Ohekalai.

Due to the halting productions of programs, IOBC had to reair some of its popular old programs to keep the network afloat, rather than acquiring more foreign shows like its rivals. It later launched the IOBC Max streaming service on June 28, 2020, featuring IOBC shows and some exclusive content, to compete with the likes of and  available in Maryaadah.

Branding
At its launch in 1979, IOBC was mostly branded and commonly known as Channel 4 after its frequency, and later to avoid confusion with the, it began using various different brand names, such as The 4 in August 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, IOBC used a multitude of monikers, including Fourvision, Thakanal, Ghele Thak (meaning 'Great Four'), 4TV, IOBC-4, Indian Ocean 4, and many more. In 1988, the IOBC-25 moniker was introduced and lived on until it ceased existing in 1994, when IOBC stopped broadcasting on virtual channel 25. The entire network branded itself as Channel 4 even if it is received in a distinct channel number in other cities. IOBC completely stopped branding itself as channel 4 on August 25, 2007.

Carriage
IOBC is available on terrestrial television all across Maryaadah on channel 4. All cable and satellite providers also provide the network on channel 4 as well, as per MTC guidelines requiring the sorting of all local terrestrial television networks on pay TV providers by frequency number on terrestrial. It is also available on UHF channel 34 on digital terrestrial television.

Programming
IOBC's programming line is broken into four blocktime segments, IOBC News, IOBC Entertainment, IOBC Sports, and IOBCK (standing for IOBC Kids). IOBCK is typically broadcast every morning, although during weekends the timing may be increased up until late afternoon. IOBC Entertainment, consisting of local produced dramas, reality shows, comedy and gags, and more, and also international programming, takes up most of the channel's afternoon and primetime schedules. IOBC News is broadcast at selected times during afternoons and evenings. During the night and sometimes during special sporting events, IOBC Sports is broadcast.

Majority of the programming is produced in the Irjysian language, done so according to the Maryaadah Rajate Act 452. Many foreign language programs, most particularly, are broadcast during primetime hours on weekends. They were left undubbed like with most foreign programming on other local networks as a policy prohibits them from dubbing foreign programming, which are not targeted towards children, in Irjysian. IOBC holds exclusive rights to air major sports events, such as the, in Maryaadah, along with MTS and Hajung Television Network.