Cheap internet on its way?

KPL News reports the signing of an MoU between the National Internet Centre and the Japanese company NTT Communications. According to the article NTT will conduct research into a 'reportedly cheap internet and telephone network provision project'.

The MoU was signed by the head of the National Internet Centre, Khamkhit Saysongkham, and the vice-president of NTT.

China Radio International opens Laos office

Following on from the opening of the Xinhua bureau back in January, China Radio International (CRI) now have a presence in Vientiane. The radio station will be broadcasting Lao language programming, in addition to what the Vientiane Times called, 'reports on the news and socio-economic development in China'.

The office was opened by the head of the People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee Propaganda and Training Board and the Chinese ambassador to Laos. CRI has been transmitting news to Laos since November 2006 when a transmitter was set up.

The plans are to have six and a half hours of live programming a day, beginning in October 2011. Those present at the opening ceremony were quoted by the Vientiane Times as saying that this is a 'good model for media cooperation between the two countries'.

This blog is live...

After a few months break the latest media developments in Laos will be updated again on this blog. The rapid social and economic growth of Laos is also reflected in regular developments within the Lao media. As a result this blog will carry bi-weekly updates of the latest news within the Lao media.

Media to play its role in elections

On Saturday 30^th April elections for the National Assembly will take place across the country. In a front page article in the Vientiane Times the media are urged to report in depth to ensure people understand their democratic rights. The elections will be broadcast live to “convey the atmosphere and up to the minute results.”

The local media have been carrying two page spreads with brief profiles of candidates in the build up to the elections. As of yet there has been little international coverage however there are some foreign journalists in country to cover the elections.

As the article states the National Assembly represent the rights and benefits of all Lao people. However whether any of the candidates are actually non-party members is not clear.

On another note from the Friday 29 April Vientiane Times - a workshop on the use of messages and materials in this year’s dengue fever campaign was held for journalists. This was conducted by a behavior change communication specialist from the Academy for Educational Development in Bangkok and funded by USAID. The journalists received journalistic training in how to report about dengue fever and in raising awareness about the virus.

Developments for Lao media

The front page of the Vientiane Times, Friday 11 March, features a story about the donation of money from the Japanese Government to improve the quality of programmes on Lao National Television. In the article the funding was announced at the same time as USD 6 million also from the Japanese for Laos public transportation system.

Japan will give USD 920,000 to Lao National Television in the hope of attracting greater audiences through higher quality programmes. Specifically the Japanese will provide 484 cultural and educational TV programmes to contribute to, “ the improvement of basic education in Laos while promoting better understanding of Japanese culture among the people of Lao PDR.”

In further developments for the media in Laos a new radio and television station has been launched in Luang Prabang. The Wednesday 9^th March article states that with support from the Vietnamese government this new station will cover 12 districts in the Province. The television station will have five news broadcasts daily and also receives news from Lao National Television.

In addition to programming in Lao language the article states that in line with the Government’s 5-year development plan the radio and television stations will work to also provide news in the Khmu and Hmong ethnic group languages.

The article also covers the planned naming of 200 model cultural villages in the province. These are part of the government’s attempts to remove Laos from the list of least developed countries by 2020. 

Lao media to go digital

The February 21^st Vientiane Times article stated that Laos will convert its media systems from analog to digital by 2020. According to the Deputy Director-General of Lao National Radio, 60-70 percent of Lao electronic media systems in production and editing are currently digital but the transmission and receiver equipment is still analog.

According to the article the Government may fund the project itself or look for international assistance and loans to cover the estimated $100 million to carry out the conversion.

The main challenges highlighted are the financial constraints and insufficient manpower. All production equipment at the Lao National Radio Station will be replaced with digital as part of a pilot project.

There is a proposed roll out of Provinces converting to digital with the three ‘major provinces’ converting first from 2013 to 2015.

Digital mapping given boost

The Finnish government has announced support of US$8 million to help develop a digital mapping project for Laos. According to the Vientiane Times, Wednesday 9th February, the programme will help the National Geographic Department to create, manage and distribute a modern national spatial data service. 

As Laos continues its rapid pace of development the use of land is becoming an important issue. As the article states this is a very necessary project as the country lacks reliable and up to date maps. The programme could as the VT states, play a vital role in monitoring inappropriate land use. If it is used in this way this can only be a positive development as forest cover in Laos, for example, has declined from 70 percent to 42 percent in 2002 (the latest figures). 

This programme is also a further example of Laos developing its ICT capabilities. As Mr Suominen, the project advisor is quoted as saying, 'the project would also introduce the latest ICT technology applied to local conditions, which has the potential to accelerate many aspects of development in Laos.