Centrum Televisioõn

Centrum Televisioõn (IPA: [tsɛntrum tɛlɛvisiuːn]) is the first privately-owned television channel in Tarania.

For many years, Centrum's programming consisted mainly of Taranian programmes such as comedies, dramas, news, current affairs and entertainment shows. Some of its hit series included popular comedies.

Since 2012, Centrum has had financial problems from banks due to its borrowing practices. The channel made a decision in October 2018 to cease all news and live segments and focused its programming exclusively on pre-recorded content. The terrestrial over-the-air broadcast of Centrum was discontinued by Taraan Eter Rihtevpasoõn at 02:08:36 on the morning of October 28, 2018. The channel continues to broadcast on pay-TV platforms until the high court subsequently closed the channel down. After receiving a new lease of life under TMG in 2020, the channel resumed its broadcasts. The channel is still a secondary channel.

History

1989-1998

Centrum Televisioõn discretely commenced broadcasting at 15:00 on November 20, 1989. It became the fourth channel to broadcast in Tarania, and was founded by businessman Jasoõn Jahtarakoõn. Reports claim that the channel's license was awarded on October 28, less than one month before the launch, and initially had to rely on old Taranian movies and cartoons. An average day on Centrum ran from 18:00 to 00:00, and launch day consisted of an extensive launching event. The channel also broadcast a news bulletin at 20:00 - in order not to cry fowl over the hegemony of Meenan Baide uguns Teheen on TNT 1, which always aired at 19:30.

Quickly, Centrum acquired a few B-grade international movies and series, but slowly acquired shows that made Centrum popular at launch: Neighbours, Prisoner and The People of the Valley. It also managed to earn profits by making television series, with the first one, Näleen Maamast, premiering in February 1991.

By 1992, Centrum was broadcasting ten hours a day rather than six, and was now broadcasting a wider variety of local content. It made its debut in the sports sector by buying rights to all matches of the 1992 Eurectipherian Cup and the 1992-93 Champions League, thus helping Centrum in its mission to boost viewership figures. Centrum created lengthy programs on weekends that catered to live commentary of local football matches and it became a quick success. When a license was given to CME's Nova TV, CME believed that Centrum was a "fourth TNT channel" and that it was "too populist".

Centrum was by then the leading television channel in Tarania. Its influence extended far beyond its borders, leading to reporters and television producers from neighboring countries investing in the channel. Some executives came from Pannonia, a country whose terrestrial network was still in a two-channel monopoly. They said that if Centrum were willing, they would adapt their formats abroad. This managed to become a success, and Näleen Maamast was exported to a Bohemian channel in 1995.

1998-2006

The sudden appearance of new television channels in the media sector, notably Nova and TV1, managed to leave Centrum unopposed at first.

2019-present

The government sold its assets to Nova TV on November 1, 2019 and the network was reactivated on February 17, 2020. Within less than a month the pandemic took its negative effects and Centrum TV became a rerun channel for about a year.

Centrum finally started studio programming in March 2021, as Nova TV was unable to handle a program about the start of the Taranian vaccination process. This effectively restarted Centrum's news operation after two and a half years.

Branding

Centrum has always used the same logo: the letter C represented by seven colored rectangles (counter-clockwise: brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple) representing Centrum TV itself and the content variety it imposed upon its launch.