Radio
The first radio station in Laos was launched in 1939 by the French colonial government. Known initially as
Radio Nationale Lao, this station became
Royal Lao Radio after independence in 1953. In 1968 its Vientiane headquarters were upgraded under the Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic Development in Asia and the Pacific, which in subsequent years also funded the establishment of provincial radio stations in Champassak (1969), Luang Prabang (1969) and Savannakhet (1971) Provinces.
In 1960 the Pathet Lao resistance established their first radio station in the revolutionary heartland of Viengsay District, Houaphanh Province. A second revolutionary radio station known as Lao National Radio (the earliest incarnation of today's Lao National Radio) was launched early the following year at Ban Khangkhai in Muang Pek, Xieng Khouang Province, and in 1974 the Pathet Lao also established a provincial radio station in Oudomxai Province.
Following the establishment of the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos in 1975, the Pathet Lao relocated their radio operations to the studios of the former Royal Lao Radio in Vientiane Prefecture, resulting in the establishment of Lao National Radio (LNR) as the national radio broadcasting agency. The station began life with six provincial branches - the former Royal Lao Government provincial radio stations in Champassak, Luang Prabang and Savannakhet Provinces and the pre-1975 revolutionary radio stations in Houaphanh, Oudomxai and Xiang Khouang Provinces.
Vientiane Prefecture acquired its own local radio station in 1980; this later became a joint radio and TV station. Since the early 1990s provincial radio stations have also been established in Luang Namtha Province (1993), Sayaburi Province (1995), Khammouane Province (1996), Attapeu Province (1999), Bokeo Province (1999), Saravane Province (2000), Saysomboun Special Region (2000), Borikhamxai Province (2000), Phongsali Province (2001) and Sekong Province (2001).
In 1983, with the launching of the first Lao television station, Lao National Radio became Lao National Radio and Television. Thereafter television and radio continued to be administered jointly until 1993, when
Lao National Television (LNTV) was established as a separate entity.
Today
Lao National Radio (LNR) broadcasts on 567 KHz AM, on 6.130 KHz and 7.145 KHz SW and on two FM channels – FM1 (103.7MHz) and FM2 (97.25MHz). Programmes broadcast simultaneously on AM and SW are focused mainly on news and 'targeted' programmes (for farmers, youth, women etc), while FM1 carries a mixture of news, entertainment and 'targeted' programmes and FM2 is focused purely on entertainment. Both FM stations take advertising but FM2 generates the highest advertising revenues.
In recent years both AM and FM programmes have been relayed by satellite to all parts of the country, where they make up a large part of the daily programming schedules of provincial radio stations - in general it may be said that the radio stations of larger, richer provinces such as Luang Prabang and Savannakhet tend to produce more of their own programmes, while poorer provinces broadcast more LNR and less home-grown material.
In June 2003 Lao National Radio began broadcasting 15-minute Lao-language news bulletins on its website
http://www.lnr.org.la; English- and Hmong-language news broadcasts were added to the site in 2004. At present this facility is fairly basic and Lao National Radio is currently seeking international assistance to develop it into a truly useful news resource.
There are currently 31 radio stations in Laos. The largest and most important of the regional government stations are
Vientiane Capital Radio and Television Station (105.5 MHz FM and 640 KHz AM),
Saysomboun Special Region Radio Station (100 MHz FM) and 15 provincial stations -
Attapeu Provincial Radio and Television Station (102.7 MHz FM),
Bokeo Provincial Radio and Television Station (102 MHz FM),
Borikhamxai Provincial Radio and Television Station (101.5 MHz FM),
Champassak Provincial Radio Station (100.7 MHz FM),
Houaphanh Provincial Radio and Television Station (102 MHz FM),
Khammouane Provincial Radio Station (765 KHz AM),
Luang Namtha Provincial Radio and Television Station (100 MHz FM),
Luang Prabang Provincial Radio Station (705 KHz AM, 103.5 MHz FM),
Oudomxai Provincial Radio and Television Station (102 MHz FM, 705KHz AM),
Phongsali Provincial Radio and Television Station (102 MHz FM),
Saravane Provincial Radio and Television Station (101.2 MHz FM),
Savannakhet Provincial Radio Station (100.75 MHz FM, 585 KHz AM),
Sayaburi Provincial Radio and Television Station (96.5 MHz FM),
Sekong Provincial Radio and Television Station (102.7 MHz FM) and
Xieng Khouang Provincial Radio and Television Station (97.5 MHz FM).
While many people living near border areas can easily pick up Thai radio broadcasts, an increased focus on entertainment programming has in recent years enabled Lao National Radio to compete successfully for listeners, and its FM2 programmes in particular are now also enjoyed by many residents of north eastern Thailand.
Other foreign language broadcasts received in Laos include Voice of Việt Nam, Beijing International Radio, Voice of America, BBC World Service and Radio France International.
