| Lao National Television | |
| Type: | State television network |
| Branding: | Lao National Television (TNL LNTV) |
| Country: | Laos |
| Available: | Nationwide |
| Headquarters: | Saythany, Vientiane, Laos |
| Broadcast Area: | Laos and some border cities in Thailand |
| Language: | English, French, Khmer, Thai, Lao |
| Groups: | Television |
| Owner: | Department of Broadcasting |
| Parent: | Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism |
| Key People: | Phoumy Pengsavath |
| Analog: | LNTV1, LNTV3 |
| Website: | http://www.lntv.gov.la |
Lao National Television (officially abbreviated as TNL LNTV, Lao: ໂທລະພາບແຫ່ງຊາດລາວ (ສທລ) (ທຊລ)|Tholaphap Heng Xat Lao) is the national television station of the country of Laos. It is divided into 2 television channels, LNTV1 and LNTV3. The network's logo is based on the national symbol – Pha That Luang. LNTV has broadcast in English, French, Khmer, Thai and Lao languages.[1]
Long before the creation of LNTV, Laotians had access to overspill television signals from neighboring Thailand.[2]
Lao National Television was established and began broadcasting television programs on December 1, 1983. At that time, the television station carried out pilot broadcasts twice a week, and later gradually increased the broadcast time.[3]
At the beginning of its operations, LNTV broadcast only in Vientiane with Soviet support. Resources to operate the station were poor, coupled by the country's geographic and economical problems, with a small number of viewers having access to the channel and its schedule lasted for an average of two to three hours per evening.[4]
On September 2, 2015, Lao National Television signed a cooperation agreement with Vietnam Television, and Lao National Television started producing and broadcasting Vietnamese-language news programs[5]
In September 2019, with the aid of China, LNTV Channel 3 was upgraded from standard definition to high definition.[6]
| Name | Channel | Launched | Broadcasting hours | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNTV1 | VHF 9 | 1983 | 05:00-23:00 | [7] |
| LNTV3 | UHF 33 | 1994 | 05:00-23:00 |