Radio in Sri Lanka explained

See 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.[4]

Terrestrial radio

! Station! Ownership! Owner! Language! Established! FM 1
(MHz)! FM 2
(MHz)! Digital
(DRM)
! Internet
Buddhist Radio Charity Sri Sambodhi Media Network Sinhala 101.3 101.5
City FM State-owned Sinhala 89.6 89.8
Private English December 1999 88.3
Private Sinhala 29 March 2009 92.2 92.4
Fox FM (formerly New FM, Allai) Private Asset Radio Broadcasting English 91.4
Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation English September 1998 93.0 93.2
Private Asia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala 1998 96.1 96.3
Isira Pearlbayradio Private https://pearlbayradio.com/ Sinhala 89.1 89.3
ITN FM (formerly Lakhanda radio) State-owned Sinhala 93.5 93.7
Kiss FM (formerly Kiss 898) Private Voice of Asia Network English 13 August 2009 96.9
Kothmale FM / Kotmale Community Radio State-owned Sinhala and Tamil 97.6
Lak FM Private Lakview Broadcasting Sinhala 106.0 106.2
Lakviru Private Lakviru Radio and Television Network Sinhala 105.2 105.4
Legends FM (formerly Isura FM, Kirula FM) Private English 96.6
Lite FM Private TNL Radio Network English 27 February 1999 87.6 87.8
Neth FM Private Asset Radio Broadcasting Sinhala 94.8 95.0
Pirai FM (Muslim) State-owned Tamil 90.1
Ran FM (formerly Ranone FM and Raja FM) Private EAP Broadcasting Company Sinhala 88.1 100.5
Rangiri Sri Lanka Charity Rangiri Sri Lanka Media Network Sinhala 104.4 105.7
Real Radio Private Voice of Asia Network English 97.1
Red FM Private Sky Media Network English 107.8
Rhythm World (formerly Asura FM, Rhythm FM) Private TNL Radio Network Sinhala 95.6 95.8
Seth FM (Negombo only) Private Friend Media Network Sinhala 101.8
Shaa FM (formerly Tharu FM) Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation Sinhala 90.9 91.1
Private Tamil 20 November 1998 103.9 104.1
Shree FM (formerly Savana Radio) Private EAP Broadcasting Company Sinhala 1999 100.0 100.2
Sitha FM (formerly Singha FM & Youth Radio) Private Sky Media Network Sinhala 88.6 88.8
Private Sinhala 2 March 1994 106.5 106.7
Private Voice of Asia Network Sinhala 98.2 98.4
Vidula State-owned English,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3 107.5
SLBC Commercial Service (Velanda Sevaya) State-owned Sinhala 94.3 94.5
Thendral FM State-owned Tamil 104.7 104.9
Radio Sri LankaState-owned English 97.4 97.6
SLBC National Service (Swadeshiya Sevaya) State-owned Sinhala 91.7 91.9
SLBC National Service State-owned Tamil 102.1 102.3
SLBC Regional Service (Dabana) State-owned Sinhala 97.6
SLBC Regional Service (Jaffna) State-owned Sinhala/Tamil 90.1
SLBC Regional Service (Kandurata Sevaya) State-owned Sinhala/Tamil 107.3
SLBC Regional Service (Rajarata Sevaya) State-owned Sinhala 107.3
SLBC Regional Service (Ruhunu Sevaya) State-owned Sinhala 107.3 107.5
SLBC Regional Service (Uva) State-owned Sinhala 107.3
SLBC Regional Service (Wayamba Handa) State-owned Sinhala 90.1
SLBC Sports Service State-owned English,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3 107.5
Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation Tamil 103.4 103.6
Sun FM Private Asia Broadcasting Corporation English 98.7 98.9
TNL Radio (formerly TNL Rocks) Private TNL Radio Network English 99.2 101.8
V FM Private Lanka Television Network Sinhala 107.0
Vasantham FM State-owned Tamil 102.6 102.8
Star tamil radio (formerly Varanam FM, Vettri FM) Private Voice of Asia Network Tamil 11 February 2008 90.4 90.6
Capital Radio (formerly Sath FM) Private Sat Net Tamil 94.0
Y FM Private Sinhala 1 December 2005 92.7
Private English 10 December 1993 100.8 101.0
Tamil Radio Private Tamil 99.7 99.5
Athavan RadioPrivateLyca MediaTamilOctober 201695.3

Internet radio

It has been possible to identify several media organizations that currently run online radio channels in Sri Lanka.For your convenience in identifying them, the names of some of those media organizations and their channels have been noted below.

Station! valign="bottom"
OwnershipOwnerLanguageEstablishedFM 1
(MHz)
FM 2
(MHz)
Digital
(Website)
Internet
Youth One Radio PrivateMax Streaming NetworksSinhala16 July 2022OnlineOnlinehttps://youthoneradio.godaddysites.com/
Hela Nada RadioPrivateMax Streaming NetworksSinhala24 July 2024OnlineOnlinehttps://helanada.godaddysites.com/
HITZ fm 24PrivateMax Streaming NetworksEnglish8 May 2023OnlineOnlinehttps://hitzfm24.godaddysites.com/
WIDE RadioPrivateMax Streaming NetworksEnglish24 July 2024OnlineOnlinehttps://wideradio.godaddysites.com/
Ever FmPrivateEver Broadcasting GroupSinhala12 March 2021OnlineOnlineeverfm.live
Beat FMPrivateDigiBiz Holdings Pvt LtdSinhala,Tamil,English 9 May 2015 beatfm.lk
Heart FMPrivateDigiBiz Holdings Pvt LtdSinhala,Tamil,English 16 May 2021 heartfm.lk
Radio.lkPrivateDigiBiz Holdings Pvt LtdSinhala,Tamil,English 25 November 2022 radio.lk
WoW Radio Private Sinhala 1 January 2021 trn.lk/wowradio
Sky Radio Private English 25 November 2020 trn.lk/skyradio
Radio Gold Private English 12 June 2022 trn.lk/radiogold
ONE Radio Private Sinhala Soon on Stream trn.lk/oneradio
GOODFM.LKPrivateGood Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi 2017
FREEFM.LKPrivateGood Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi 2017
CSL FMPrivateCS BroadCasting LimitedSinhala/English 2023
Mark FMPrivateMF GROUP PVT LTDSinhala 2016
Amen FMPrivateMF GROUP PVT LTDEnglish 2022
Haritha RadioCommunity Haritha Network (Haritha TV) Sinhala 2022
Aquinas RadioPrivate Aquinas University College. Sinhala and English 2014
CRI Sri Lanka Private English and Sinhala 2010
Daham Gagana Radio Charity Edirisingharama Monastery Sinhala 2011
Everlasting Radio Private MJF Media English
Private ilamai Media Tamil 24 October 2012 online
Kirula Radio Private Sinhala
Sabanda Radio Private Sabanda NetworksSinhala 10 October 2015
Siyeli Handa Charity Sinhala Catholic Radio Sinhala 2013
Rasa FM Private Sky Media Network Sinhala
Tamil2 FM private Tamil 2 Tamil January 2016
Tamilaruvi Radio private North East Media Tamil May 2011
Thaalam FM Private Yellowin Media Tamil
Tharu Private Sinhala
Max digital radio(formerly yathra fm, you fm, MAX Radio) Private MGMR Networks Sinhala 10 September 2006
Sanda RadioPrivateSinhala2024OnlineOnlinesandaradio.lk
Athavan RadioPrivateLyca MediaTamilOctober 2016OnlineOnlinehttps://athavanradio.com/

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

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sterling, Christopher H.. Encyclopedia of Radio: Volume 1. 2003. Taylor & Francis. 0-203-48428-2. 166.
  2. News: From Radio Ceylon to SLBC. The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 25 January 2009.
  3. News: Sambandan. V. S.. When Ceylon ruled the airwaves. https://web.archive.org/web/20060911030848/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2006/01/01/stories/2006010100150400.htm. dead. 11 September 2006. The Hindu. 1 January 2006.
  4. Web site: Sri Lankan FM Radio Frequency Complete List 2021. 10 March 2021.