In October 1980, the administration of Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande established its own Television Station to oil its information dissemination machinery on November 9, 1980, Lagos Television commenced transmission on a Very High Frequency (VHF) Channel 5.
The formal review of the Nigerian Communication Laws as well as the return of military rule in 1983 engendered a new dawn in broadcasting as there was a firm directive that all Television stations, apart from NTA be restricted to the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band. In compliance, Lagos Television moved to UHF Channel 35.
Lagos Television was the first TV station in Nigeria to operate on two frequencies – VHF and UHF simultaneously. This explains the Station’s former payoff; The Power of Television x2. Apart from being the first Television Station outside the NTA family, the Station took the Nigerian Television industry by storm in the early 80s with the introduction of a 60- hour non-stop weekend transmission from 7pm on Friday till 7am on Mondays. The then Lagos Weekend Television was the first marathon Television station in Africa. It’s unprecedented public approval transformed TV viewership especially with the Lagos precinct and brought a change in the call sign to LTV/LWT.
During those years, the operations of Lagos Television were not without its challenges. In September, 1985, a mysterious midnight inferno consumed the entire legacy of the station. It destroyed the studios, the library, offices and equipment even official records; personal effects of the staff were not spared.
For about one and half year, Lagos Television remained in the doldrums merely surviving but in 1995 Col. Buba Marwa, the then sole administrator of the State set up a re-organization committee to assess the position of the Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation (LSBC) and determine her need to survive.
In 1998, the administration of the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu saw the need to implement the recommendation of the committee set up to look into the re-organization of the Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation (LSBC) (Lagos Television and Radio Services under the management) and this led to the split of the two organizations for effective management, better performance, autonomy and to create career prospect for members of staff.
Thereafter, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu called for a blue print on the re- engineering and re-positioning of Lagos Television. Satisfied with what was presented and undaunted by the enormity of the capital outlay, in the midst of competing demands, he took the bull by the horn and gave a fresh breadth of life to the Station. Impact
In June 2008, Lagos Television scored another first when it became the first and the only state-owned Television Station on DSTV Channel 129 and the formal switch-over ceremony was performed by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN). The Channel was later changed to 256.
The Station did not stop there because of the introduction of various “Direct to Homes (DHT) platforms” she also secured platforms on Startimes channel 113, GOTV Channel 90, Play TV Channel 950; which increased the Station’s visibility beyond the shores of Nigeria. The live streaming facility (on TV now and Lagos Television apps) was another plus.
In the area of extra broadcasting activities, LTV has carved a niche as a truly people-oriented TV station with the annual Lagos Television Christmas Fair and the ultra-modern event facilities nicknamed De-Blue Roof and Combo Hall.