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 textiles, pharmaceuticals and media. 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.