Laos: OVERVIEW: Regulation

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OVERVIEW:

Introduction

Historical background

Regulation

Training

Regulation

Responsibility for regulation of the media sector in Laos is shared between the Ministry of Information and Culture, the Ministry of Communications, Transport, Post and Construction and the Science, Technology and Environment Agency (STEA) of the Prime Minister's Office, with the Minister of Public Security as the ultimate upholder and enforcer of the law.

Broadcast and print media in Laos are regulated by the Ministry of Information and Culture which, as the official mouthpiece of the Party and state, has a right to monitor and inspect the content of all broadcast and printed material.

At the time of going to press a Mass Media Law is being drafted in order to provide comprehensive, overarching legislation relating to the broadcast and print media sectors in Laos. Pending the approval of this law, steps have been taken to regulate what the government deems to be specific areas requiring immediate attention.

Broad guidelines are provided in the 1993 'Resolution of the Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) to Increase Party Leadership in and State Control of the Mass Media in the New Era', which was drawn up in a pre-Internet era to give guidance to the mass media in the age of chintanakan mai (new thinking). Amongst other things, this document exhorts the Lao mass media sector to: enhance the quality of the existing media so that it is more varied and interesting to the public while still firmly reflecting each aspect of the path, ideology and policies of the Party and state; to invest in, upgrade and build up equipment and materials within the sector; to strengthen the mechanism for firm Party leadership and state control of the mass media; and to build the capacity of media employees.

Pending the creation of a Mass Media Law, the most specific guidance in respect of the broadcast and print media is provided by Decree 36 of the Politburo (1996) on the Organisation and Activities of the Mass Media, which sets out general guidelines for mass media agencies in providing domestic and foreign news and disseminating the directions, plans and policies of the Party and state, together with detailed procedures for the establishment, licencing and operation of such mass media agencies and their responsibilities and duties, awards for those who are productive and punitive measures for those who commit offences. In practice, and in accordance with the position and policies of the Party, editors-in-chief, TV and radio station managers and heads of other mass media organisations are deemed by this decree to have full and final responsibility for all content and substance.

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