Channel i is a privately owned Television network in Bangladesh. It is owned by the Impress Group, among the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh with interests in media, pharmaceuticals, aviation & textiles. The Impress Group first moved beyond textile production and into television in the early 1980s under the tutelage of Faridur Reza Sagor, who had heretofore worked at state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) on a freelance basis. The initial steps into television involved setting up Impress Telefilm, which produced small mini-series and one-off shows for BTV. In the 1997, Impress Group looked into starting up its own satellite channel. Channel i was launched in the June 1, 1997, broadcasting pre-recorded programs 12 hours day. Within two years of its official launch, Channel i began broadcasting 24 hours a day and became the first digital channel in Bangladesh.