Background to DW-AKADEMIE’s media projects in Laos

Posted by Simon Didszuweit on July 8, 2009 under Laos Info, Radio, TV, View all | Be the First to Comment

Preface
As “Landlocked Least Developed Country” (LLDC) positioned between China and Myanmar in the north, Thailand in the west, Viet Nam in the east and Cambodia in the south, People’s Republic of Laos (Laos PDR) is one of the poorest countries in the region. Between 1990 and 2005 there were more than 27% of the population living with not more than 1$ per day. On UNDP Human Development Index Laos (with a scale of 0.608) ranks 133rd of 179. Laos still suffers from the results of massive bombardments during the so called “Secret War” and the war in Viet Nam: Today, some 78 million “Unexploded Ordinances” (‘UXO’) remain threatening everyday life troughout Laos. Laos is one of the key partners of German development co-operation in the region.

Background: The media situation in Laos PDR
Regarding freedom of the press, Laos media still undergo strict oversight by the centralist communist government, but currently begins opening up (mainly in terms of economic freedom). Yet, Laos ranks no. 164 of 173 on Reporters Without Borders’ “World Press Freedom Index” and is regarded as “not free” by Freedom House, who argue that the leading communist party were using media only “to link the people to the party, deliver party policy messages, and disseminate political ideology”. All major media is either owned or controlled by the government or the communist party, yet few examples are allowed in the entertainment sector. Until 2008, there has been no press- or media-law. According to freedomhouse, Laos media were suffering from self-censorship although the constitution grants Laos citizens freedom of speech and information and there is no official censorship.

Thai TV rendering Lao Radio useless
Radio has a lot of potential and could lead to promising developments: Laos’ radio receivers per-capita value is one of the highest in the region, but the audience would rather consume Thai media (due to similarities in language, many Laotians understand almost all Thai). The Laotian audience is simply turning away from what in their experience is mere ‘Protocol-News’ (This is the observation of a high ranking Lao media official, based on Audience surveys conducted by Lao National Radio, UNICEF and SIDA). Laotian people lose grip of ‘their news’ and ‘their stories’.

On the other hand, there is considerable economic growth (especially in transfer-areas like Savannakhet, where newly built roads and bridges connect Thailand in the west with Viet Nam in the east). Together with a relative independence of the provincial sector and accompanied by ‘beacon-projects’ carried out with support by UNESCO, UNDP, SIDA, DW-AKADEMIE and others, a development towards more audience-oriented community-radio formats has begun. The first media-law has recently been signed, raising hopes on a further consolidation of Laotian media.