Radio in Sri Lanka

Main article: Media of Sri Lanka

Radio broadcasting in Sri Lanka dates to 1923. Radio broadcasting, like other forms of media in Sri Lanka, is generally divided along linguistic lines with state and private media operators providing services in Sinhala, Tamil, and English language.

History

The first radio broadcast in Ceylon was in 1923 when recorded music was broadcast using parts of radio equipment from a captured German submarine.[1] Regular broadcasting started in Colombo in July 1924.[1] Ceylon's first radio station Radio Colombo started regular broadcasting on 16 December 1925.[2][3] The station was taken over by the British military during World War II who renamed the station Radio SEAC which broadcast across South Asia from October 1944. After the war the station was handed back to the civilian government of Ceylon who renamed it Radio Ceylon on 1 October 1949.[1][3] The station was immensely popular both in Ceylon and other parts of Asia.

The Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation Act No. 37 of 1966 incorporated the Department of Broadcasting.[2] Radio Ceylon became a public corporation on 30 September 1967, changing its name to Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).[2][3] Ceylon was renamed Sri Lanka in 1972 after becoming a republic and consequently CBC was renamed Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).[2][3]

SLBC broadcast on medium wave until 1993 when FM broadcasting began.[2] 95% of the country received FM transmissions by 1999.[2] The government maintained a monopoly on radio broadcasting until the early 1990s when private radio stations were allowed to broadcast. Today there are numerous private radio stations but the state-owned stations continue to dominate the market.

Radio stations

The following is a list of radio stations based in Sri Lanka.

Station Ownership Owner Language Established FM 1
(MHz)		 FM 2
(MHz)		 Digital
(DRM) 		Internet Website
Aquinas RadioPrivate Aquinas University College. Sinhala and English 2014 N/A N/A N/A aquinasradio.com
Beat FM Private Sinhala,English,Tamil2015 N/A N/A N/A beatfm.lk[4]
Buddhist Radio Charity Sri Sambodhi Media Network Sinhala 101.3 101.5 N/A thebuddhist.tv
City FM State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 89.6 89.8 N/A slbc.lk
CRI Sri Lanka Private China Radio International English and Sinhala 2010 97.9 N/A N/A CRI Sri Lanka
Daham Gagana Radio Charity Edirisingharama Monastery Sinhala 2011 N/A N/A N/A dahamgagana.com
E FM Private EAP Broadcasting Company English December 1999 88.3 N/A N/A efm.lk
Everlasting Radio Private MJF Media English N/A N/A N/A everlasting.lk
FM99 (defunct by 31 January 1996)Private Colombo Communications English,Sinhala,Tamil
 13 June 1993 99.0 N/A N/A N/A
FM Derana Private Power House Sinhala 29 March 2009 92.2 92.4 N/A fmderana.lk
Fox FM (formerly New FM, Allai) Private Asset Radio Broadcasting English 91.4 N/A N/A fox914.com
GoldFM Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation English September 1998 93.0 93.2 N/A goldfm.lk
Hiru FM Private Asia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala 1998 96.1 96.3 N/A hirufm.lk
Isira Private Telshan Networks Sinhala 89.1 89.3 N/A tnltvisira.com
Kiss FM (formerly Kiss 898) Private Voice of Asia Network English 13 August 2009 96.9 N/A N/A kissfm.lk
Kirula Radio Private Sinhala N/A N/A N/A kirularadio.lk
Kothmale FM / Kotmale Community Radio State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala and Tamil 97.6 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
Lak FM Private Lakview Broadcasting Sinhala 106.0 106.2 N/A lakfmradio.com
Lakhanda State-owned Independent Television Network Sinhala 93.5 93.7 N/A lakhanda.lk
Lakviru (Not operational)Private Lakviru Radio and Television Network N/A 105.2 105.4 N/A N/A
Legends FM (formerly Isura FM, Kirula FM) Private MBC Networks English 96.6 N/A N/A

legends966.com

Lite 89.2/Lite FM Private TNL Radio Network English 27 February 1999 87.6 87.8 N/A litefm
Neth FM Private Asset Radio Broadcasting Sinhala 94.8 95.0 N/A nethfm.com
Pirai FM (Muslim) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil 90.1 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
Radio 99 Private Galle Zone Solutions Sinhala N/A N/A N/A radio99.lk
RanOne FM (formerly Ran FM and Raja FM) Private EAP Broadcasting Company Sinhala 88.1 100.5 N/A ranfm.lk/
Rangiri Sri Lanka Charity Rangiri Sri Lanka Media Network Sinhala 104.4 105.7 N/A rangiri.com
Real Radio Private Voice of Asia Network English 97.1 N/A N/A realradio.lk
Red FM Private Sky Media Network English 99.5 99.7 N/A redfm.lk
Rhythm FM (formerly Asura FM) Private TNL Radio Network Sinhala 95.6 95.8 N/A rhythm.lk
Sabanda Radio Private Sabanda NetworksSinhala 10 October 2015 N/A N/A N/A radio.sabanda.com
Seth FM (Negombo only) Private Friend Media Network Sinhala 101.8 N/A N/A sethfm.lk
Shaa FM (formerly Tharu FM) Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 90.9 91.1 N/A shaafm.lk
Shakthi FM Private MBC Networks Tamil 20 November 1998 103.9 104.1 N/A shakthifm.com
Shree FM (formerly Savana Radio) Private EAP Broadcasting Company Sinhala 1999 100.0 100.2 N/A shree.fm
Sitha FM (formerly Singha FM & Youth Radio) Private Sky Media Network Sinhala 88.6 88.8 N/A sithafm.lk
Sirasa FM Private MBC Networks Sinhala 2 March 1994 106.5 106.7 N/A sirasa.com
Siyatha FM Private Voice of Asia Network Sinhala 98.2 98.4 N/A siyatha.com
Siyeli Handa Charity Sinhala Catholic Radio Sinhala 2013 N/A N/A N/A lankacatholic.com
SLBC Children's Service (Vidula) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English,Sinhala,Tamil
 107.3 107.5 N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Commercial Service (Velanda Sevaya) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 94.3 94.5 N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Commercial Service (Thendral) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil 104.7 104.9 N/A slbc.lk
SLBC National Service State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English 97.4 97.6 N/A slbc.lk
SLBC National Service (Swadeshiya Sevaya) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 91.7 91.9 N/A slbc.lk
SLBC National Service State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil 102.1 102.3 N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Dabana) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 97.6 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Jaffna) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala/Tamil 90.1 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Kandurata Sevaya) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala/Tamil 107.3 N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Rajarata Sevaya) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 107.3 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Ruhunu Sevaya) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 107.3 107.5 N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Uva) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 107.3 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Regional Service (Wayamba Handa) State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 90.1 N/A N/A N/A slbc.lk
SLBC Sports Service State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English,Sinhala,Tamil
 107.3 107.5 N/A N/A slbc.lk
Sooriyan FM Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation Tamil 103.4 103.6 N/A sooriyanfm.lk
Sun FM Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation English 98.7 98.9 N/A sunfm.lk
Tamil FM Private Sky Media Network Tamil 99.5 99.7 N/A tamilfm.lk
Tamil2 FM private Tamil 2 Tamil January 2016 N/A N/A N/A tamil2fm.com
Tamilaruvi Radio private North East Media Tamil May 2011 N/A N/A N/A tafm24.com
Thaalam FM Private Yellowin Media Tamil N/A N/A N/A thaalamradio.com
Tharu Private Sinhala N/A N/A N/A tharu.net
TNL Radio (formerly TNL Rocks) Private TNL Radio Network English 99.2 101.8 N/A tnlradio.com
V FM Private Lanka Television Network Sinhala 107.0 N/A N/A vfmradio.lk
Vasantham FM State-owned Independent Television Network Tamil 102.6 102.8 N/A vasanthamfm.lk
Varnam FM (formerly Vettri FM) Private Voice of Asia Network Tamil 11 February 2008 90.4 90.6 N/A varnamfm.com
VIP Radio (formerly Sath FM) Private Sat Net Sinhala 94.0 N/A N/A vipradiosl.com
Y FM Private MBC Networks Sinhala 1 December 2005 92.7 N/A N/A yfm.lk
Yes FM Private MBC Networks English 10 December 1993 100.8 101.0 N/A yesfmonline.com
You FM (formerly MAX Radio) Private MGM Networks Sinhala 10 September 2006 95.3 N/A N/A N/A youfm.lk

International broadcasters

Several international broadcasters operate radio stations aimed at Sri Lankan audiences but broadcasting from outside Sri Lanka:

Some broadcasters use local transmitters to relay their broadcasts. Deutsche Welle broadcasts are relayed via Trincomalee on medium wave and short wave. Trans World Radio India broadcasts on medium wave using SLBC's transmitter in Puttalam. The International Broadcasting Bureau broadcasts programmes from Voice of America, Radio Azadi, Radio Free Afghanistan, Radio Free Asia, Radio Liberty and Radio Sawa on short wave using the relay station at Iranawila.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sterling, Christopher H. (2003). Encyclopedia of Radio: Volume 1. Taylor & Francis. p. 166. ISBN 0-203-48428-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "From Radio Ceylon to SLBC". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 25 January 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sambandan, V. S. (1 January 2006). "When Ceylon ruled the airwaves". The Hindu.
  4. ↑ "Beat FM". beatfm.lk. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
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