Lao TV ready for trouble-free broadcast

Lao National Television (LNTV) has assured audiences the 25th SEA Games opening and closing ceremonies and sporting activities will be clearly broadcast so overseas viewers can watch the events.

LNTV Director General Dr Bounchom Vongphet said broadcasting will be more satisfactory after new television transmission systems were recently installed.

With the newly installed facilities, transmission can go out directly from the National Stadium and the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) to two communications satellites if the normal transmission link experiences a failure.

Dr Bounchom admitted that broadcasts of sporting activities earlier this month suffered technical problems when a fibre optic cable linking the IBC to LNTV broke on December 1.

This meant that picture quality was poor. However, he said the problem had been fixed and all future broadcasts should now be clear.

“We are ready now. If we have a similar problem we can transmit from the IBC and the stadium directly to the satellites.”

Additionally, audiences in more foreign countries will be able to watch the SEA Games on LNTV after the station agreed to collaborate with Lao Star Television.

This will allow LNTV programmes to be broadcast through Lao Star Television's Internet Protocol television system, which means more foreign countries can receive LNTV programmes.

As well as live broadcasts, LNTV will broadcast news on sport events on Channel 1 on a daily basis at 8am, from 11.30am to 12 noon, and from 8pm to 8.30pm.

Those who miss the live broadcasts and news programmes can watch the daily one-hour news programme, which summarises all sports results on Channel 3 at 10.30pm.

About two-thirds of the Lao population can access the programmes.

LNTV broadcasts news on the SEA Games in the languages of several ethnic groups in Laos , as well as in French and English.

LNTV was granted broadcast rights to the games by the Phetchampa Advertising Company, who won copyright from the government to cover the event.

Many Asean countries have also bought copyright to broadcast the games.

Though Cambodia and Myanmar have not bought copyright, they are allowed to broadcast via LNTV if they display the LNTV logo during their broadcasts.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update Decembe 8 , 2009)