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The Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sri Lanka, stretches 820 km from North to South across the Equator. The 1,190 tiny coral islands of the Maldives are spread over 26 natural atolls, which are grouped into 20 atolls for administrative convenience

Approximately 99% of the 90,000 sq km area of the Maldives is covered by the sea. The population is close to 300,000 of which 70,000 live in the capital Male’, the rest inhabit 202 islands.

The unique geography and population distribution has made TV broadcasting instrumental in bringing the island communities closer together. In Maldives the role of television as a key medium for dissemination of news and information has become increasingly significant over the years. Since its formation as a TV broadcasting station on 29th March 1978, Television Maldives has continued its commitment to providing news, infotainment and entertainment programs to the public. As the country’s National Television and a Public Service Broadcaster, it is mandatory for TVM to support the democratic principles for equitable development of all citizens, promote citizen’s participation in broadcasting and reflect the voice of the Maldivian people, through the distinctiveness of its programs.

In 2000, to facilitate the viewers of the outer lying atolls, TVROs were installed at community centers in each and every inhabited island in the Maldives, making it possible for TVM signal to be received via the satellite. From 2001 TVM started installing re-transmitting stations at selected locations. Cable network distribution has been made available in many of the Islands. Recent statistics show that Television Maldives (TVM), television found its way into almost every household of Male'. A total of 60,848 televisions were imported in the last 5 years, including 19,494 in the year 2000. The popularity and demand for telecasting services has continued to increase and presently plans are underway to expand the reach of these services to the whole country.

National radio and television services, and publication of newspapers and journals, have made tremendous progress over the past twenty years. Radio and television have been, and still are, an important public tool for promoting national unity, information provision, and awareness raising and entertainment. However, as the full potential of the media ( radio, television, print media and the internet ) as an agent of socio-economic development has yet to be realized. This potential of the media as an agent of development is reflected in this Plan unlike previous NDP’s.

1.      Greatest obstacle for enhancing the role of media in the development process is due to lack of an adequate number of trained people in the various media services. ( television, radio and the news media )

2.      Over the past NDP period, both television and radio development has been following concrete plans. However, these plans need to be brought together into a comprehensive long-term plan that incorporates television, radio and print media development.

3.      Although guidelines regarding journalistic rights and responsibilities are available, these are not widely understood or followed by the journalistic community.  And enforcement of these guidelines are also challenging. Therefore, strategies are needed to create guidelines incorporating the input of journalists and a mechanism to enforce them.

4.      National radio and television is accessible to those living on all islands, but many islands need to utilize satellite dish-antennas to access the signal, limiting access to those who can afford it.

5.      Accurate information on radio and television usage and media content is unavailable. Such information is essential to plan media development and to minimize its negative social impact. It is believed that unregulated access to international satellite television viewing is having a negative social impact, particularly on children.

6.      While internet can become a powerful medium for communication and information provision, the high cost of using internet limits its usage in the country, particularly in the Atolls.

TVM is headed by a Chief Executive Officer and under him Department Heads administer the following 8 divisions.

·         Programming Department

·         News and Current Affairs Department

·         Technical Department

·         Policy, Planning, Human Resources and Development

·         Corporate Department

·         Marketing Department

·         Finance Department

·         Information Technology Department

The staff strength of TVM is 210 working full-time in the above-mentioned departments.

TVM is headed by a CEO and under him; various Department heads manage and administer the respective departments. The annual budget allocated for TVM average at about Maldivian Rufiyaa 30 million (US$ 2.7 million) per year.

TVM is continuing broadcasting service of 18 hour/day at present.

During the Tsunami disaster of December 2004, when the telecommunication network was down for three days, TVM provided information continuously to the public, and the programs telecast live by TVM was the most effective form of communication that linked people who lived in the outer atolls of the Maldives.

Regular programs were taken off air, and exclusive live broadcasts on the Tsunami Disaster were carried out 24 hours a day for 22 days. TVM was instrumental in informing the public about the relief efforts and giving a comprehensive picture on the scale of the devastation caused by the disaster.  By this, TVM obtained high reliance of public. The Government of Maldives carried out expansion of the broadcasting service coverage to district (atoll) by self-finance, in order to meet the request of public. (New establishment and renewal of superannuated transmitters for 19 sits of district).

The broadcasting service coverage has been improved by this project and as a result, service coverage has been improved to 80% or more.

1.      Objectives of the project / program, including the importance, necessity, and urgency of the project / program in the light of the current situation of the proposed sector

   BHN (Basic Human Needs) such as disaster management, education and health care, is important sector in Maldives. Broadcasting is the effective media which can make a contribution to BHN directly and indirectly. The broadcasting sector development plan depending on 7th National Development Plan 2006-2011 strengthens the roles of broadcasting related to BHN (refer to document of the 7th National Development Plan 2006-2011)．

   Regarding Disaster Management or Prevention, TVM has been playing important roles depending on the National Development Plan since 1978 (refer to post National Development Plan).

   In Maldives, about 200 out of 1190 islands are inhabited close to 300,000 populations, governments have the responsibility for protecting people's lives from natural disaster such as Tsunami. TVM, the governmental organization under Minister of Information and Arts, has been fulfilling the important role in disseminating information on early warning on natural disasters and building public awareness on disaster reduction and . In addition, as well as other Tsunami stricken countries, the role of Broadcasting to prevent from Tsunami disaster has been strictly important since 26th December 2004.

   In 2005, TVM issued the action plan, Role of TVM during Disasters, accordance with the broadcasting sector development plan.

   The action plan states that the roles of Broadcasting related to disasters are Pre-Teaching including Prevention, Public Dissemination and After-The-Fact Correspondence. Pre-Teaching by Broadcasting is effective because of its audiovisual information with almost all nationwide coverage. Public Dissemination by Broadcasting is important from the view point of disseminating information during emergency. After-The-Fact Correspondence by Broadcasting is effective especially to control the panic.

   In fact, during the Tsunami disaster on 26th December 2004, only TVM had been able to continue disseminating disaster information to the whole citizens and tourists.

   At present only three networks, TVM, VOM and telecommunication, cover whole country while the telecommunications of Coast Guard under Natural Security and telecommunications of fisheries cover each island sea area. Considering the fact that the telecommunication network was down for consecutive three days during the Tsunami disaster, broadcasting is the essential media in Maldives.

   The most important measures of Broadcasting are generating synergistic effects or supporting other disaster prevention programs such as DMC ( Disaster Management Center) works and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) works. For example, by broadcasting DMC activities, people in a area without any DMC coordinators can understand how to make the hazard map and how to evacuate after listening disaster early warning.

   Regarding Education, TVM has been playing important roles depending on the National Development Plan since 1978

   Education Development Center (EDC) under Ministry of Education has the responsibility of establishing frameworks for national school curriculum. In Maldives, there are the primary schools for students under twelve years old, the lower secondary schools for students from thirteen years old to fifteen years old and upper secondary schools from sixteen years old to seventeen years old. Only if the students pass the Cambridge University official examination, students can enter the high education schools.

   EDC provides teachers as well as text books to the primary schools, the lower secondary schools and the upper secondary schools. The significant feature of education in Maldives is that the curriculum of the high education schools is accredited by Cambridge University in London.

   Current problematical point is that the lack of teachers results in a lot of students who have to stop getting education. In addition to such situation, the lack of secondary schools is also results in a lot of students who have to stop getting the upper secondary schools. For example, in 2005, the number of the upper secondary school students is 1,622 while that of the lower secondary school is 27,141. This means that around 95% students had to stop getting education of the secondary schools. To avoid stop getting education, many students have to change their schools to cities like Male where relatively many teachers are participating.

   The educational program of TVM has been rating as the efficient tool of educational assistance. Therefore, TVM coordinated with EDC has been preparing for the educational assistance program since 2002 depending on the National Development Plan. In 2005, TVM issued the action plan for the educational assistance program.

   The purpose of the educational assistance program is mainly to avoid dropping out. By providing audio-visual aids, especially target to the lower secondary school education, the programs can cover the lack of teachers in whole nation.

    TVM coordinated with EDC is ready to broadcast educational assistance program accredited by EDC as well as Cambridge University if equipments and facility will be installed.

    Regarding Health Care, TVM has been playing important roles depending on the National Development Plan since 1978.

    Most important item of Health Care in Maldives is the prevention from dengue fever. TVM coordinated with Ministry of Health and UNICEF issued the action plan depending on the National Plan. Since 2004 TVM has been broadcasting the information how to prevent from dengue fever. This consequence campaign resulted in the decrease of dengue fever.

   To broadcast program related to BHN such as explained above, TVM has been working out its own salvation. This effort results in expanding its coverage almost whole country. TVM, however, cannot afford to install equipments and facility of the program production because of limitation of its budget. Here, TVM is offering the minimum urgent necessary equipments and facility to JAPAN'S GRANT AID.