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)		 Internet
Buddhist RadioCharitySri Sambodhi Media NetworkSinhala101.3101.5Check-green.svg
City FMState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala89.689.8Check-green.svg
E FM Private EAP Broadcasting Company EnglishDecember 199988.3—Check-green.svg
FM Derana PrivateDerana Macro Entertainment under Dilith Jayaweera Sinhala29 March 200992.292.4Check-green.svg
Fox FM (formerly New FM, Allai)PrivateAsset Radio BroadcastingEnglish91.4—Check-green.svg
GoldFM PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationEnglishSeptember 199893.093.2Check-green.svg
Hiru FM PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala199896.196.3Check-green.svg
Lakhanda radio (formerly Lakhanda radio, ITN FM)State-owned Independent Television Network Sinhala93.593.7Check-green.svg
Kiss FM (formerly Kiss 898)PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkEnglish13 August 200996.9—Check-green.svg
Kothmale FM / Kotmale Community RadioState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala and Tamil97.6——
Lak FMPrivateLakview BroadcastingSinhala106.0106.2Check-green.svg
LakviruPrivateLakviru Radio and Television NetworkSinhala105.2105.4—
Legends FM (formerly Isura FM, Kirula FM)Private MBC Networks English96.6—Check-green.svg
Lite FMPrivateTNL Radio NetworkEnglish27 February 199987.687.8Check-green.svg
Neth FMPrivateAsset Radio BroadcastingSinhala94.895.0Check-green.svg
Pirai FM (Muslim)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil90.1——
Ran FM (formerly Ranone FM and Raja FM)PrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanySinhala88.1100.5Check-green.svg
Rangiri Sri LankaCharityRangiri Sri Lanka Media NetworkSinhala104.4105.7Check-green.svg
Real RadioPrivateVoice of Asia NetworkEnglish97.1—Check-green.svg
Red FMPrivateSky Media NetworkEnglish107.8—Check-green.svg
Rhythm FM (formerly Asura FM, Rhythm FM,Rhythm World)PrivateTNL Radio NetworkSinhala95.695.8Check-green.svg
Seth FMPrivateFriend Media NetworkSinhala103.1—Check-green.svg
Shaa FM (formerly Tharu FM)PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala90.991.1Check-green.svg
Shakthi FM Private MBC Networks Tamil20 November 1998103.9104.1Check-green.svg
Shree FM (formerly Savana Radio)PrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanySinhala1999100.0100.2Check-green.svg
Sitha FM (formerly Singha FM & Youth Radio)PrivateSky Media NetworkSinhala88.688.8Check-green.svg
Sirasa FM Private MBC Networks Sinhala2 March 1994106.5106.7Check-green.svg
Siyatha FM PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkSinhala98.298.4Check-green.svg
VidulaState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3107.5—
SLBC Commercial Service (Velanda Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala94.394.5Check-green.svg
Thendral FMState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil104.7104.9Check-green.svg
Radio Sri LankaState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation English97.497.6Check-green.svg
SLBC National Service (Swadeshiya Sevaya)State-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala91.791.9Check-green.svg
SLBC National ServiceState-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil102.1102.3Check-green.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—Check-green.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 CorporationTamil103.4103.6Check-green.svg
Sun FMPrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationEnglish98.798.9Check-green.svg
Supreme Radio (formerly Isira, Pearlbayradio)PrivateSupreme Global HoldingsSinhala89.189.3Check-green.svg
TNL Radio (formerly TNL Rocks)PrivateTNL Radio NetworkEnglish99.2101.8Check-green.svg
V FMPrivateLanka Television NetworkSinhala107.0—Check-green.svg
Vasantham FMState-owned Independent Television Network Tamil102.6102.8Check-green.svg
Star tamil radio (formerly Varanam FM, Vettri FM)PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkTamil11 February 200890.490.6Check-green.svg
Capital Radio (formerly Sath FM)PrivateSat NetTamil94.0—Check-green.svg
Y FMPrivate MBC Networks Sinhala1 December 200592.7—Check-green.svg
Yes FM Private MBC Networks English10 December 1993100.8101.0Check-green.svg
Tamil RadioPrivate Sky Media Network Tamil—99.799.5Check-green.svg
Athavan RadioPrivateLyca MediaTamilOctober 201695.3—Check-green.svg

Internet radio

StationOwnershipOwnerLanguageEstablished
My Radio 360PrivateMM Media Network (Pvt) LtdTamil,Sinhala,English,Hindi2024
Anurata RadioPrivateAnurata MediaSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2024
Starline FM Visual RadioPrivateStarline Media NetworkSinhala,Hindi,Tamil1 July 2024
Youth One RadioPrivateVibe Broadcasting NetworkSinhala28 June 2022
Hela Nada RadioPrivateVibe Broadcasting NetworkSinhala31 May 2024
HITZ fm 24PrivateVibe Broadcasting NetworkEnglish25 November 2022
WIDE RadioPrivateVibe Broadcasting NetworkEnglish31 May 2024
Ever FmPrivateEver Broadcasting GroupSinhala12 March 2021
Beat FMPrivateDigiBiz Holdings Pvt LtdSinhala,Tamil,English9 May 2015
Heart FMPrivateDigiBiz Holdings Pvt LtdSinhala,Tamil,English16 May 2021
Radio.lkPrivateDigiBiz Holdings Pvt LtdSinhala,Tamil,English25 November 2022
GOODFM.LKPrivateGood Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2017
FREEFM.LKPrivateGood Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2017
CSL FMPrivateCS BroadCasting LimitedSinhala/English2023
Mark FMPrivateMF GROUP PVT LTDSinhala2016
Amen FMPrivateMF GROUP PVT LTDEnglish2022
Haritha RadioCommunityHaritha Network (Haritha TV)Sinhala2022
Aquinas RadioPrivateAquinas University College.Sinhala and English2014
CRI Sri LankaPrivate China Radio International English and Sinhala2010
Daham Gagana RadioCharityEdirisingharama MonasterySinhala2011
Everlasting RadioPrivateMJF MediaEnglish
ilamai FM Privateilamai MediaTamil24 October 2012
Kirula RadioPrivateSinhala
Sabanda RadioPrivateSabanda NetworksSinhala10 October 2015
Siyeli HandaCharitySinhala Catholic RadioSinhala2013
Rasa FMPrivateSky Media NetworkSinhala
Tamil2 FMprivateTamil 2TamilJanuary 2016
Tamilaruvi RadioprivateNorth East MediaTamilMay 2011
Thaalam FMPrivateYellowin MediaTamil
TharuPrivateSinhala
Max digital radio [a] PrivateMGMR NetworksSinhala10 September 2006
Sanda RadioPrivateSinhala2024
Athavan RadioPrivateLyca MediaTamilOctober 2016

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

Notes

  1. ↑ formerly yathra fm, you fm, MAX Radio

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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