Radio in 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.

Main article: Media of Sri Lanka

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 RadioCharitySri Sambodhi Media NetworkSinhala101.3101.5—Yes
City FMState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala89.689.8—Yes
E FMPrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanyEnglishDecember 199988.3——Yes
FM DeranaPrivateDerana Macro Entertainment under Dilith JayaweeraSinhala29 March 200992.292.4—Yes
Fox FM (formerly New FM, Allai)PrivateAsset Radio BroadcastingEnglish91.4——Yes
GoldFMPrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationEnglishSeptember 199893.093.2—Yes
Hiru FMPrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala199896.196.3—Yes
Isira PearlbayradioPrivatehttps://pearlbayradio.com/Sinhala89.189.3—Yes
ITN FM (formerly Lakhanda radio)State-ownedIndependent Television NetworkSinhala93.593.7—Yes
Kiss FM (formerly Kiss 898)PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkEnglish13 August 200996.9——Yes
Kothmale FM / Kotmale Community RadioState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala and Tamil97.6———
Lak FMPrivateLakview BroadcastingSinhala106.0106.2—Yes
LakviruPrivateLakviru Radio and Television Network—105.2105.4——
Legends FM (formerly Isura FM, Kirula FM)PrivateMBC NetworksEnglish96.6——Yes
Lite FMPrivateTNL Radio NetworkEnglish27 February 199987.687.8—Yes
Neth FMPrivateAsset Radio BroadcastingSinhala94.895.0—Yes
Pirai FM (Muslim)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationTamil90.1———
Ran FM (formerly Ranone FM and Raja FM)PrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanySinhala88.1100.5—Yes
Rangiri Sri LankaCharityRangiri Sri Lanka Media NetworkSinhala104.4105.7—Yes
Real RadioPrivateVoice of Asia NetworkEnglish97.1——Yes
Red FMPrivateSky Media NetworkEnglish107.8——Yes
Rhythm World (formerly Asura FM, Rhythm FM)PrivateTNL Radio NetworkSinhala95.695.8—Yes
Seth FM (Negombo only)PrivateFriend Media NetworkSinhala101.8——Yes
Shaa FM (formerly Tharu FM)PrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationSinhala90.991.1—Yes
Shakthi FMPrivateMBC NetworksTamil20 November 1998103.9104.1—Yes
Shree FM (formerly Savana Radio)PrivateEAP Broadcasting CompanySinhala1999100.0100.2—Yes
Sitha FM (formerly Singha FM & Youth Radio)PrivateSky Media NetworkSinhala88.688.8—Yes
Sirasa FMPrivateMBC NetworksSinhala2 March 1994106.5106.7—Yes
Siyatha FMPrivateVoice of Asia NetworkSinhala98.298.4—Yes
VidulaState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationEnglish,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3107.5——
SLBC Commercial Service (Velanda Sevaya)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala94.394.5—Yes
Thendral FMState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationTamil104.7104.9—Yes
Radio Sri LankaState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationEnglish97.497.6—Yes
SLBC National Service (Swadeshiya Sevaya)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala91.791.9—Yes
SLBC National ServiceState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationTamil102.1102.3—Yes
SLBC Regional Service (Dabana)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala97.6———
SLBC Regional Service (Jaffna)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala/Tamil90.1———
SLBC Regional Service (Kandurata Sevaya)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala/Tamil107.3——Yes
SLBC Regional Service (Rajarata Sevaya)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala107.3———
SLBC Regional Service (Ruhunu Sevaya)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala107.3107.5——
SLBC Regional Service (Uva)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala107.3———
SLBC Regional Service (Wayamba Handa)State-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationSinhala90.1———
SLBC Sports ServiceState-ownedSri Lanka Broadcasting CorporationEnglish,Sinhala,Tamil
107.3107.5——
Sooriyan FMPrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationTamil103.4103.6—Yes
Sun FMPrivateAsia Broadcasting CorporationEnglish98.798.9—Yes
TNL Radio (formerly TNL Rocks)PrivateTNL Radio NetworkEnglish99.2101.8—Yes
V FMPrivateLanka Television NetworkSinhala107.0——Yes
Vasantham FMState-ownedIndependent Television NetworkTamil102.6102.8—Yes
Star tamil radio (formerly Varanam FM, Vettri FM)PrivateVoice of Asia NetworkTamil11 February 200890.490.6—Yes
Capital Radio (formerly Sath FM)PrivateSat NetTamil94.0——Yes
Y FMPrivateMBC NetworksSinhala1 December 200592.7——Yes
Yes FMPrivateMBC NetworksEnglish10 December 1993100.8101.0—Yes
Tamil RadioPrivateSky Media NetworkTamil—99.799.5—Yes

Internet radio
Station Ownership Owner Language Established FM 1
(MHz)		 FM 2
(MHz)		 Digital
(Website)		 Internet
WoW RadioPrivateTBN Radio NetworkSinhala1 January 2021——trn.lk/wowradioYes
Sky RadioPrivateTBN Radio NetworkEnglish25 November 2020——trn.lk/skyradioYes
Radio GoldPrivateTBN Radio NetworkEnglish12 June 2022——trn.lk/radiogoldYes
ONE RadioPrivateTBN Radio NetworkSinhala25 September 2023——trn.lk/oneradioYes
GOODFM.LK Private Good Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2017———Yes
FREEFM.LK Private Good Media Network LimitedSinhala,English,Tamil,Hindi2017———Yes
CSL FM Private CS BroadCasting LimitedSinhala/English2023———Yes
Mark FM Private MF GROUP PVT LTDSinhala2016———Yes
Amen FM Private MF GROUP PVT LTDEnglish2022———Yes
Haritha RadioCommunityHaritha Network (Haritha TV)Sinhala2022———Yes
Aquinas RadioPrivateAquinas University College.Sinhala and English2014———Yes
Beat FMPrivateSinhala,English,Tamil2015———Yes
CRI Sri LankaPrivateChina Radio InternationalEnglish and Sinhala2010———Yes
Daham Gagana RadioCharityEdirisingharama MonasterySinhala2011———Yes
Everlasting RadioPrivateMJF MediaEnglish———Yes
ilamai FMPrivateilamai MediaTamil24 October 2012online——Yes
Kirula RadioPrivateSinhala———Yes
Sabanda RadioPrivateSabanda NetworksSinhala10 October 2015———Yes
Siyeli HandaCharitySinhala Catholic RadioSinhala2013———Yes
Rasa FMPrivateSky Media NetworkSinhala———Yes
Tamil2 FMprivateTamil 2TamilJanuary 2016———Yes
Tamilaruvi RadioprivateNorth East MediaTamilMay 2011———Yes
Thaalam FMPrivateYellowin MediaTamil———Yes
TharuPrivateSinhala———Yes
Max digital radio(formerly yathra fm, you fm, MAX Radio)PrivateMGMR NetworksSinhala10 September 2006———Yes

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
  • "FM Channel Assignment Plan" (PDF). Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka. 1 May 2015.
  • Alan G. Davies. "Radio Stations in Sri Lanka". Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  1. Sterling, Christopher H. (2003). Encyclopedia of Radio: Volume 1. Taylor & Francis. p. 166. ISBN 0-203-48428-2.
  2. "From Radio Ceylon to SLBC". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 25 January 2009.
  3. 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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