Recently, when I spoke to an American and a Thai acquaintance, the topic of Bhutan came up. The American acquaintance was quick to notice my accent and said that it sounded “Indian.” He wasn’t wrong. My accent changes according to the person I am talking to; it’s been a long-standing thing. We then spoke about the culture in Bhutan, at which point I felt something was missing or that I had to say something to help them understand Bhutan better. I shared with them Bhutan’s television history, mentioning that television had arrived in the country only in 1999, to which both of them gasped. This seemed implausible to them.
Television Arrives in Bhutan
To be honest, I’ve often mentioned the fact that television arrived in Bhutan in 1999, and that the first tourists arrived only in 1974, though I think I haven’t given much thought to these statements myself. By 1999, the internet had existed for 16 years, a Cold War had been fought, India had gained independence, and many other world-defining events had taken place. In a sense, I may not understand it because I was still a child then.
In my own life, I am trying to remember my relationship with TV. When I was about 8 or 9, in the early 2000s, I remember watching the national broadcast at home with my grandparents, when I plugged my newly bought earphones into the TV, not knowing the rest of the people would not be able to hear the sound. I also asked if the news anchor was able to see us, if they knew when we got up, or left to use the toilet. After that, it is a blur. I also remember my father proudly saying that theirs was the first house in the village to have a television, which became a gathering spot.
Facts About Bhutan’s Television Industry
There are only three channels run by the National Broadcast– Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS):
1. BBS News
– News and weather channel and programs sometimes
2. BBS Channel TV 2
– Programs, particularly educational programs and entertainment
– As per their Facebook page: “A Royal Project to nurture and inculcate lifelong learning.” BBS 3 was recently launched.
Additionally, a secondary channel by various cable operators showcases school concerts and music videos.
Interestingly, YouTube is quite big in Bhutan for talk shows and music videos, as is TikTok, with a good number of young people making their living off the two.
The majority of TV channels in Bhutan come from India. In the past, Indian cinema was huge in Bhutan, even more so than Bhutanese cinema. However, that has changed as global platforms and apps have made their entry into Bhutan.
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