Radio in Sri Lanka

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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.

Contents

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. [4]

Terrestrial radio

StationOwnershipOwnerLanguageEstablished FM 1
(MHz)		 FM 2
(MHz)		 Digital
(DRM) 		Internet
Buddhist RadioCharitySri Sambodhi Media NetworkSinhala101.3101.5—Yes check.svg
City FMState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala89.689.8—Yes check.svg
E FM Private EAP Broadcasting Company EnglishDecember 199988.3——Yes check.svg
FM Derana PrivateDerana Macro Entertainment under Dilith Jayaweera Sinhala29 March 200992.292.4—Yes check.svg
Fox FM (formerly New FM, Allai)PrivateAsset Radio BroadcastingEnglish91.4——Yes check.svg
GoldFM PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationEnglishSeptember 199893.093.2—Yes check.svg
Hiru FM PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala199896.196.3—Yes check.svg
Isira PearlbayradioPrivate https://pearlbayradio.com/ Sinhala89.189.3—Yes check.svg
ITN FM (formerly Lakhanda radio)State-owned Independent Television Network Sinhala93.593.7—Yes check.svg
Kiss FM (formerly Kiss 898)PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkEnglish13 August 200996.9——Yes check.svg
Kothmale FM / Kotmale Community RadioState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala and Tamil97.6———
Lak FMPrivateLakview BroadcastingSinhala106.0106.2—Yes check.svg
LakviruPrivateLakviru Radio and Television Network—105.2105.4——
Legends FM (formerly Isura FM, Kirula FM)Private MBC Networks English96.6——Yes check.svg
Lite FMPrivateTNL Radio NetworkEnglish27 February 199987.687.8—Yes check.svg
Neth FMPrivateAsset Radio BroadcastingSinhala94.895.0—Yes check.svg
Pirai FM (Muslim)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil90.1———
Ran FM (formerly Ranone FM and Raja FM)PrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanySinhala88.1100.5—Yes check.svg
Rangiri Sri LankaCharityRangiri Sri Lanka Media NetworkSinhala104.4105.7—Yes check.svg
Real RadioPrivateVoice of Asia NetworkEnglish97.1——Yes check.svg
Red FMPrivateSky Media NetworkEnglish107.8——Yes check.svg
Rhythm World (formerly Asura FM, Rhythm FM)PrivateTNL Radio NetworkSinhala95.695.8—Yes check.svg
Seth FM (Negombo only)PrivateFriend Media NetworkSinhala101.8——Yes check.svg
Shaa FM (formerly Tharu FM)PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala90.991.1—Yes check.svg
Shakthi FM Private MBC Networks Tamil20 November 1998103.9104.1—Yes check.svg
Shree FM (formerly Savana Radio)PrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanySinhala1999100.0100.2—Yes check.svg
Sitha FM (formerly Singha FM & Youth Radio)PrivateSky Media NetworkSinhala88.688.8—Yes check.svg
Sirasa FM Private MBC Networks Sinhala2 March 1994106.5106.7—Yes check.svg
Siyatha FM PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkSinhala98.298.4—Yes check.svg
VidulaState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3107.5——
SLBC Commercial Service (Velanda Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala94.394.5—Yes check.svg
Thendral FMState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil104.7104.9—Yes check.svg
Radio Sri LankaState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English97.497.6—Yes check.svg
SLBC National Service (Swadeshiya Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala91.791.9—Yes check.svg
SLBC National ServiceState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil102.1102.3—Yes check.svg
SLBC Regional Service (Dabana)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala97.6———
SLBC Regional Service (Jaffna)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala/Tamil90.1———
SLBC Regional Service (Kandurata Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala/Tamil107.3——Yes check.svg
SLBC Regional Service (Rajarata Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala107.3———
SLBC Regional Service (Ruhunu Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala107.3107.5——
SLBC Regional Service (Uva)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala107.3———
SLBC Regional Service (Wayamba Handa)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala90.1———
SLBC Sports ServiceState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3107.5——
Sooriyan FM PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationTamil103.4103.6—Yes check.svg
Sun FMPrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationEnglish98.798.9—Yes check.svg
TNL Radio (formerly TNL Rocks)PrivateTNL Radio NetworkEnglish99.2101.8—Yes check.svg
V FMPrivateLanka Television NetworkSinhala107.0——Yes check.svg
Vasantham FMState-owned Independent Television Network Tamil102.6102.8—Yes check.svg
Star tamil radio (formerly Varanam FM, Vettri FM)PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkTamil11 February 200890.490.6—Yes check.svg
Capital Radio (formerly Sath FM)PrivateSat NetTamil94.0——Yes check.svg
Y FMPrivate MBC Networks Sinhala1 December 200592.7——Yes check.svg
Yes FM Private MBC Networks English10 December 1993100.8101.0—Yes check.svg
Tamil RadioPrivate Sky Media Network Tamil—99.799.5—Yes check.svg

Internet radio

StationOwnershipOwnerLanguageEstablished FM 1
(MHz)		 FM 2
(MHz)		 Digital
(Website) 		Internet
WoW RadioPrivate TBN Radio Network Sinhala1 January 2021——trn.lk/wowradioYes check.svg
Sky RadioPrivate TBN Radio Network English25 November 2020——trn.lk/skyradioYes check.svg
Radio GoldPrivate TBN Radio Network English12 June 2022——trn.lk/radiogoldYes check.svg
Colour RadioPrivate TBN Radio Network Sinhala25 April 2023——trn.lk/colourradioYes check.svg
GOODFM.LK PrivateGood Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2017———Yes check.svg
FREEFM.LK PrivateGood Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2017———Yes check.svg
CSL FM PrivateCS BroadCasting LimitedSinhala/English2023———Yes check.svg
Mark FMPrivateMF GROUP PVT LTDSinhala2016———Yes check.svg
Amen FMPrivateMF GROUP PVT LTDEnglish2022———Yes check.svg
Haritha RadioCommunityHaritha Network (Haritha TV)Sinhala2022———Yes check.svg
Aquinas RadioPrivateAquinas University College.Sinhala and English2014———Yes check.svg
Beat FMPrivateSinhala,English,Tamil2015———Yes check.svg
CRI Sri LankaPrivate China Radio International English and Sinhala2010———Yes check.svg
Daham Gagana RadioCharityEdirisingharama MonasterySinhala2011———Yes check.svg
Everlasting RadioPrivateMJF MediaEnglish———Yes check.svg
ilamai FM Privateilamai MediaTamil24 October 2012online——Yes check.svg
Kirula RadioPrivateSinhala———Yes check.svg
Sabanda RadioPrivateSabanda NetworksSinhala10 October 2015———Yes check.svg
Siyeli HandaCharitySinhala Catholic RadioSinhala2013———Yes check.svg
Rasa FMPrivateSky Media NetworkSinhala———Yes check.svg
Tamil2 FMprivateTamil 2TamilJanuary 2016———Yes check.svg
Tamilaruvi RadioprivateNorth East MediaTamilMay 2011———Yes check.svg
Thaalam FMPrivateYellowin MediaTamil———Yes check.svg
Tharu PrivateSinhala———Yes check.svg
Max digital radio(formerly yathra fm, you fm, MAX Radio)PrivateMGMR NetworksSinhala10 September 2006———Yes check.svg

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

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nihal Bhareti</span>

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<i>Kiddies Corner</i>

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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 . Archived from the original on 11 September 2006.
  4. ↑ "Sri Lankan FM Radio Frequency Complete List 2021". 10 March 2021.
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