'''Coastal Television Network''' ('''CTN''') was a Tanzanian television network owned by the Africa Media Group, also owner of Channel Ten. It was the first television station to begin operation in mainland Tanzania, months ahead of the IPP-owned ITV and launched as the CNN licensee for the country.
==History== CTN started broadcasting at the beginning of February 1994 (March 1994 according to some sources,<ref name="profile">{{cite web |title=MEDIA PROFILE - TANZANIA |url=http://www.tv4d.org/Tanzania_4_Mediaprofile.pdf |access-date=5 November 2023 |website=Gamos Ltd. |date=2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620210359/http://www.tv4d.org/Tanzania_4_Mediaprofile.pdf |archive-date=20 June 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> one source suggests it was registered on 14 February 1994,<ref name="MOMREF-AMG">[https://tanzania.mom-gmr.org/en/owners/companies/detail/company/company/show/africa-media-group-limited-1/ Africa Media Group]</ref> while another suggests it started broadcasting on 1 March)<ref>{{cite web |title=Media and Identity in Africa |url=https://www.google.pt/books/edition/Media_and_Identity_in_Africa/UgWrBgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Coastal+Television+Network%22+%22Tanzania%22&pg=PA211&printsec=frontcover |access-date=19 February 2026 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |date=9 April 2009 }}</ref> with its coverage area limited to Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Zanzibar (the latter of which already had a local television service since 1974)<ref name="TVarrives"/> on VHF channel 7 in a 100km radius.<ref name="profile"/> CTN relayed CNN International as an official licensee, though some local programming, limited to local events, also aired.<ref name="TVarrives">[https://www.tzaffairs.org/1994/05/television-arrives/ TELEVISION ARRIVES]</ref>
The ''Daily News'' viewed the station as "makeshift" compared to ITV during its first few months on air. The early months were also caused by tensions with its competitors. CTN's director Al Munir Karim was arrested by threatening to kill IPP chairman Reginald Mengi and planned to blow ITV up.<ref>[https://www.tzaffairs.org/1994/09/television-starts/ TELEVISION STARTS]</ref>
Initially owned by Cablevision (Africa) Group of Companies, eventually CTN started complementing the CNN programming with the EMEA panfeed of Cartoon Network, timeshared with TNT, which was later renamed TNT, as well as MCM Africa, the English service of Deutsche Welle and a package of Hollywood titles from Columbia-Tristar.<ref name="profile"/> CTN was already airing movies by August 1994, one such title being ''Twins'', but with its sex scene cut off. Its ultimate goal in 1994 was to produce its own programming and news.<ref>[https://www.trouw.nl/voorpagina/van-de-trots-van-zanzibar-is-alleen-een-stoffige-studio-over~b98d7353/?reload=1771501166786 Van de trots van Zanzibar is alleen en stoffige studio over]</ref>
In October 1999, it became a part of the newly-formed Africa Media Group, making it a sister station to Dar es Salaam Television (DTV) and Channel Ten.<ref name="MOMREF-AMG"/> As of 2003, it had plans to launch a relay station at Mwanza via satellite.<ref name="profile"/>
It is unknown when exactly did the station shut down. The 2018 Media Ownership Monitor listed CTN as one of Africa Media Group's four stations, though this information could be outdated.<ref name="MOMREF-AMG"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Television stations in Tanzania Category:Television channels and stations established in 1994 Category:1994 establishments in Tanzania Category:Television networks in Tanzania