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Legal Document
Title: Law on the Media No. 01/NA, dated 25 July 2008
Type: Ministerial Instructions
Responsible Agency: Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism
Issuing Date: 2008-07-25
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Contents

Chapter I:General Provisions

Article 1. Objective

Article 2.The Media

Article 3.Terms interpretation

Article 4.State’s Policies on Media Activities

Article 5.International Cooperation

Chapter II:Types and characteristics of the Media

Article 6.Types of the Media

Article 7.Printed Matters Media

Article 8.Electronic media

Article 9.Characteristics of Lao Media

Article 10.Realistic Characteristic

Article 11.Educational characteristic

Article 12.Organizational Directives Characteristic

Article 13.Fighting with Characteristic

Chapter III:Freedom’s rights of Lao Citizen in the Field of Media

Article 14.Freedom’s rights of Lao Citizens

Article 15.Rights to Freedom of Lao Citizens

Article 16.Freedom’s rights of Lao citizens on Information

Article 17.The Performance of Freedom’s Rights of Lao Citizens

Chapter IV:Media’s Activities

Article 18.Media’s Activities

Article 19.Seeking to know, Collecting Information

Article 20.Receiving the provision of Information from the Society

Article 21.Dissemination of texts, News and other Notifications

Article 22.Giving of Response

Article 23.Denying News

Article 24.Services

Article 25.Entertainment

Article 26.Organizational Structure of the Media

Article 27.The owner of the Media’s Organization

Article 28.Duties and Rights of the owner of the Media’s Organization

Article 29.Media’s Organization

Article 30.Duties and Rights of the Media’s Organization

Article 31.Association of the Reporters of the Lao PDR

Article 32.Personnel of the Media

Article 33.Head and Deputy Head of the Media’s Organization

Article 34.Qualification of the Head and Deputy Head of the Mass Media’s Organization

Article 35.Duties and Rights of the Head or Deputy Head of the Media Organization

Article 36.Qualification of Lao Reporter

Article 37.Duties and Rights of a Reporter

Article 38.Media’s Technicians

Article 39.Contributors

Chapter VI:Establishment and Activities of the Media’s Organization

Article 40.Conditions for the establishment of the Media’s Organization

Article 41.Establishment of the Representative office of the Media’s Organization

Article 42.Printing and Distribution of media’s printed Matters

Article 43.Increasing of Printed Pages of Media’s Printed Matters

Article 44.Increasing of Radio and Television Broadcasting Program

Article 45.Broadcasting program and Pictures

Article 46.Use of Media through Internet

Article 47.Duplication of media’s Products

Article 48.Press Release Conference’s arrangement

Article 49.Finance of the Media’s Organization

Chapter VII:Prohibitions

Article 50.Prohibitions to the Media’s Organization

Article 51.Prohibitions for Media’s personnel

Article 52.Prohibitions for Organizations and other Individuals

Chapter VIII:Administration and Inspection of the Media

Article 53.Media’s Administration Organization

Article 54.Duties and Rights of the Ministry of Information and Culture

Article 55.Duties and Rights of the Provincial, City’s Information and Culture Division

Article 56.Duties and Rights of the District, Municipal’s Information and Culture Office

Article 57.Duties and Rights of the Sector and other parties

Article 58.Mass Media’s Inspection Organization

Article 59.Duties and Rights of Media’s Inspection Organization

Article 60.Contents of the Inspection

Article 61.Forms of Inspection

Chapter IX:Day, Insignia and Seal of the Media

Article 62.The Media’s Day

Article 63.Insignia and Seal of the Mass Media

Chapter X:Privileges towards Productive Persons and Measures against the Violators

Article 64.Privileges towards the Productive Persons

Article 65.Measures against Violators

Chapter Xi:Final Provisions

Article 66. Implementation

Article 67. Effectiveness


LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity

No 108/P

Vientiane capital, 18 august 2008

 

DECREE

Of the President

of the LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

on the Promulgation of the Law on the Media

 

  • Pursuant to chapter VI, Article 67, point 1 of the constitution of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic which Provides for the promulgation of the constitution and of the laws adopted by the National Assembly;
  • Pursuant to Resolution No.94/NA, dated 25 July 2008 of the National Assembly of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic regarding the adoption of the Law on the Media;
  • Pursuant to the proposal No.22/NASC, dated 11 August 2008

The President

Of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic decrees that:

Article 1.         The Law on the Media is hereby promulgated

Article 2.         This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its signing.

The President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

 

(Seal and signature)

Choummaly SAYASONE

 

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity

 

National Assembly                                                                                                     No. 94/NA

 

RESOLUTION

of the

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

of the

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

on the Adoption of the Law on the Media

 

  • Pursuant to article 53, clause 2 of the constitution and Article 3, clause 2 of the Law on National Assembly of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, related to the rights and duties of the National Assembly.

Following the wide and in depth discussion by the 5th ordinary Session of the National Assembly (VI legislature) regarding the contents of the Law on the Media in the morning session on 25 July 2008.

 

The Session decides that:

Article 1.         The Law on the Media is adopted at qualified vote.

Article 2.         This Resolution shall enter into force on the date of its signing.

 

Vientiane capital, 25 July 2008

The President of the National Assembly

 (Seal and signature)

Thongsing THAMMAVONG

 

 

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity

 

National Assembly                                                                                                     No. 01/NA

Vientiane capital, dated 25 July 2008

 

LAW ON THE MEDIA

Chapter I

General Provisions

Article 1. Objective

The Law on the Media determines principles, rules and other measures regarding the organization, activities, development, management and control of the Media in order to develop the role, upgrade the quality of the Media and to ensure the rights of performance of liberty in the area of media by the population with the aim to contribute into the tasks of protection and development of the nation.

Article 2.The Media

The media is a stage to release information which is consist of printed matters, electronic and media’s products, has the role to be the voice of different organizations of the party, the state and the society in the dissemination, service training on the directives of the party, laws of the State, mobilizing the patriotism, providing data, political socio-economic, scientific, technology, news, knowledge, entertainment to the society, contributing to fight against the negative phenomena in the society, the misrepresentation of the reality, is a stage to develop the democracy and the rights to be the master of the nation of the multi-ethnic population.

Article 3.Terms interpretation

The terms used in this law must be read according to the meanings as follows:

  1. Means of the media are referred to printed matters, electronic mail media including the media’s products;
  2. Media’s products are referred to newspaper, information, leaflet, news bulletin, magazine, radio program, television program, micro program, internet, website, cassette, CD, VCD, DVD and others;
  3. Editor is referred to the person who is in charge to correct, control the contents and the form of a text, news and program of different media;
  4. Reporter is referred to personnel of the media organization who is in charge to gather information within the country and abroad then writes a text, news and program to provide to the means of the media;
  5. Internet is referred to the computer’s network that can send information to each other or communicate through electronic mail by sending the sound signal and pictures through the line or air. Such information can be kept in the website;
  6. Website is referred to information regarding a specific content which is in a letter, picture, light, color, sound that are created by people, other internal and foreign organizations which send signal through the internet network system and can get access by computer, digital television, mobile phone with a specific code;
  7. Periodical distribution is referred to the distribution timely, daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly and others.

Article 4.State’s Policies on Media Activities

The State promotes and develops the State’s media activities to have a widely expansion, a strength and a quality by implementing different policies such as: the capacity building and recruiting of personnel, providing budget, vehicles, technical materials and equipments, modern technology.

The State encourages both internal and foreign organizations to contribute in the development of the media by providing vehicles, materials and equipments, capital and others into the Lao media’s activities.

The State has the policies to persuade organizations and individuals to participate to conduct the media’s activities according to laws and regulations.

The State facilitates to the production, the diffusion and the distribution of lawful media’s products with a widely and thoroughly manner in the entire country and export to abroad as deemed reasonable.

The State promotes and protects the owner of the media’s agencies, media’s agencies, reporters, collaborators and media’s technicians who are legally operated according to laws and regulations.

The State guarantees to Lao citizens to enjoy their liberty and perform their obligations on the media, create opportunities, convenience and protects the persons who provide information, give opinion, present their views, make a critic though the media which are not in contradiction against laws and regulations and not contradict to the benefit of the nation and the population.

Article 5.International Cooperation

The State promotes the relationship and cooperation on the media with foreign countries, regional and in the world by encouraging the technical operations, the exchange of lessons, information, science, technology, the capacity building of personnel, the attraction of the support and assistance in different fields for the general benefit of the nation, making the Media’s activities to have a quality and modernization based on the observance of the independence, mutual integrity, mutual benefit.

 

Chapter II

Types and characteristics of the Media

Article 6.Types of the Media

The media is divided in two types, such as: printed matter’s media and electronics media which is printed in Lao language, ethnic language and foreign language.

Article 7.Printed Matters Media

The printed matters media is referred to means of information which are in pieces of paper that contain information in letters or pictures by having a specific name.

The printed matters media may distribute in daily or periodically which are consisted of news paper, magazines, leaflets, gazettes.

Article 8.Electronic media

The electronic media is a means to propagate information by creating a radio program, television program or other types of internet program then diffuse through the transmitter on line, on air or band frequency.

The electronic media consists of radio broadcasting, television, microphone, and internet.

Article 9.Characteristics of Lao Media

The Lao media has main characteristics as follows:

  1. Realistic characteristic;
  2. Educational characteristic;
  3. Organizational directives characteristic;
  4. Fighting with characteristic.

Article 10.Realistic Characteristic

The contents and forms of all types of Lao media shall be objective, proper to the reality, clear, prompt and consistent to the benefit of the nation and people.

Article 11.Educational characteristic

The contents and forms of all types of Lao media shall focus to educate, disseminate the directives of the party, laws and regulations of the state, other knowledge, promote outstanding persons, persuade the historical patriotism, unite the solidarity of people, and expand the fine culture of the nation in the protection and development of the nation.

Article 12.Organizational Directives Characteristic

The contents and forms of all types of Lao media shall aim to stimulate, organize, and direct the mass to implement the directives of the party, laws and regulations of the State, socio-economic development plan and correctly instruct and explain the rumor in the society.

Article 13.Fighting with Characteristic

The contents and forms of all types of Lao Media shall protect the correctness of the directives of the party, laws and regulations of the State, criticize all phenomena of violation against laws and regulations, negative phenomena in the society and react to all kinds of distortion, defamations that create the dishonor to the dignity, reputation, benefit of the nation and the population.

 

Chapter III

Freedom’s rights of Lao Citizen in the Field of Media

Article 14.Freedom’s rights of Lao Citizens

In the field of media the Lao citizen has the rights of freedom in the field of media by contributing their opinions, showing their views that are not in contradiction to laws and regulations, benefits of the nation, of the population and the reception of information on the internal and foreign counties situation, general knowledge, entertainment and other issues which are useful.

Article 15.Rights to Freedom of Lao Citizens

A Lao citizen has the freedom’s rights to contribute his opinion through the media regarding:

  1. The elaboration and implementation of directives of the party, laws and regulations of the State, State’s socio-economic development plan and State’s budget plan;
  2. The views to the internal and foreign counties situation;
  3. The critic to individual and organization in a manner of amity.

Article 16.Freedom’s rights of Lao citizens on Information

The Lao citizen has the freedom’s rights on information through the media as follows:

  1. Access and receive information concerning internal and foreign counties situation, general knowledge, entertainment and others;
  2. Appropriately, clearly, timely provide information to the media and be responsible before laws on the contents of such information.

Article 17.The Performance of Freedom’s Rights of Lao Citizens

A Lao citizen has received his performance of freedom’s rights through the media by a press or a diffusion of news, text, opinion, illustration, respond to the proposal, their suspended points of disagreement through the media or organization or interested person. In the event that it cannot be printed, diffused or responded, the media shall officially inform the reason to the citizen.

 

Chapter IV

Media’s Activities

Article 18.Media’s Activities

The media has the activities as follows:

  1. Seeking to know, collecting information;
  2. Receiving the provision of information from the society;
  3. Disseminating of texts, news and other notifications;
  4. Giving of response;
  5. Denying News;
  6. Services;
  7. Entertainment.

Article 19.Seeking to know, Collecting Information

The media shall activate for seeking to know, widely, completely, clearly, promptly and timely collect information, to make research, compose the text, news and other notifications.

Article 20.Receiving the provision of Information from the Society

The media has the rights to receive information from organizations and individuals to consider to publish news as deemed appropriate.

In the event that it has received information on the violation of laws and regulations and negative phenomena in the society, the media can inform to the interested organization or individual for consideration

For the case that is in the course of interrogation-investigation or the case that have not a court’s decision yet, the organization which takes action has the rights to reserve its confidentially on the information to the media, but the media has the right to publish the news according to the trust worthy news and be useful to the society by taking its responsibilities before law, unless it has on order to prohibit or suspend the publication of news from organization concerned.

The media cannot disclose the name of the provider of the information if it has seen that such will cause damages to the provider of information, except the provision as requested by the interrogation-investigation or prosecution office or people’s court organization.

Article 21.Dissemination of texts, News and other Notifications

When the media has collected information or received the information from the society; it shall meticulously consider, if it has seen that it is useful to the nation and the society then it will elaborate the texts, news, notifications and other programs in order to disseminate through its means to the society to completely and timely aware.

Article 22.Giving of Response

The media has the rights to propose to organization or an individual concerning the answer to the issues that a Lao citizen or other organizations have requested to have a clearly explanation when an organization or an individual has received such proposition then it shall have a timely response and be responsible to its response.

The Lao citizen and other organizations have the rights to propose to the media to clarify on the dissemination of news which are not clear and the media shall promptly give the response.

Article 23.Denying News

An organization or an individual has the rights to request the media to deny news which are published not proper to the reality.

The media organization which publishes the news that are not proper to the reality, lack of ground, touching to the role and dignity of the organization or individual shall deny the news and make an excuse through the media according to laws and regulations.

In the event that the media organization fails to apology or has properly apologies, such concerned media management organization or individual has the rights to propose to the supervision organization of the media or filing to the people’s court when it has seen damages are arisen.

Article 24.Services

The service of the media is the fact that the media has made goods advertising or provided services to customers without collecting services fees.

All types of media can make goods advertising or provide services to customers but it shall obtain the authorization from the concerned media’s supervision organization.

The contents of the goods advertising or services passing through all types of media shall be proper to the reality, not exaggerated, over the quality of the goods or such services and shall obtain the authorization from the concerned media’s supervision organization.

The goods advertising or providing services to customers through the media including the collection of services charges are provided in a separate regulation.

Article 25.Entertainment

The entertainment is an activity of the media to create an ambiance, a happiness for the society and also it is a propagation of information, an education training, an introduction, a mobilization to be alert, but must be responsible to participate in the protection and development of the country.

The entertainment which is done through the media is comprised of the cultural representation, singing, folk song, musical performance, theatrical representation, sport, gymnastics, literary work and others which is consistent to the directives of the party, laws and regulations of the State, custom, culture, fine tradition of the nation, of the ethnics and can connect with the region and the world.

Article 26.Organizational Structure of the Media

The organizational structure of the media includes:

  • The owner of the media’s organization;
  • The media’s organization;
  • Association of reporters of the Lao PDR.

Article 27.The owner of the Media’s Organization

The owner of the Media’s Organization are the Organizations of the Party, of the State, Lao National Front for Construction, Mass Organizations, Social Organizations, organizations and Individuals which have obtained the approval to establish the Media’s Organization and conduct the activities on the media according to laws and regulations.

Article 28.Duties and Rights of the owner of the Media’s Organization

The owner of the Media’s organization has the main duties as follows:

  1. Define the direction, objective, targets to serve, scope of the printing and distribution of media’s printed matters or the power of the transmitter, band frequency, timetable of the diffusion, scope of the spread of pictures, sound and languages;
  2. Organize the assistance’s mechanism, build personnel capacity and direct, administrate, inspect the performance of the role, duty, right, direction, plan and the activities of his media’s organization;
  3. Create conditions and facilitate to the activities operations of his media’s organization;
  4. Be responsible before laws according to his role, duty and rights in the media’s activities;

The owner of the media’s organization has the main rights as follows:

  1. Propose to establish and dissolve his media’s organization;
  2. Decide on the direction, plan and activities operations of his media’s organization;
  3. Appoint or remove the head or deputy head of his media’s organization according to regulations;
  4. Monitor, supervise the activities of his media’s organization;
  5. Participate to the meeting on media’s activities in domestic and foreign countries according to the assignment;
  6. Liaise and cooperate with international organizations in the field of the media according to laws and regulations.

Article 29.Media’s Organization

The media’s organization is an organization of the owner of the media’s organization which conduct activities of some types of media as provided in Article 6 of this law.

Article 30.Duties and Rights of the Media’s Organization

The media’s organization has the main duties as follows:

  1. Propagate, disseminate, protect the directives, policies plan, policies, laws and regulations and contribute into the safeguard of the economic, social and political integrity, preserve and expand the patriotic spirit, the solidarity of the national community;
  2. Disseminate information in the field of science, technique, technology, general knowledge, entertainment, promote the education, upgrade the knowledge of the population, extend the culture, fine custom of the multi-ethnics, promote the gender role, protect rights and benefits of women and children;
  3. Disseminate the good deeds of persons and introduce the views of the society;
  4. Protect the correctness of the Lao language and minority ethnics languages of the Lao PDR;
  5. Promote the link, cooperation, mutual understanding between friend’s counties and the world communities, participate in the cause of combating of the world community for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress;
  6. Undertake activities on printing and distribution of printed matters media, diffuse of pictures, sound and languages as provided in the authorized establishment certificate;
  7. Administrate the assistance mechanism, build and train personnel, and perform his role, duty, rights, direction, action plan and regularly report on the result of the activities operations to the owner of the Media’s organization and media’s supervision organization;
  8. Ensure the use of the freedom’s rights of the Lao citizen on the media;
  9. Be responsible before laws and to the owner of the media’s organization on his activities operations.

The media’s organization has the main following rights:

  1. Publish mews correctly to the reality concerning the domestic and foreign counties situation that bring benefits to the nation and the population;
  2. Criticize in the amity’s manner to the acts that are the violation to laws and regulations, negative phenomena appearance in the society such as; corruption, narcotics;
  3. Retort to all libels, distortions of the reality that created the discredit to the benefits of the nation and the population;
  4. Self develop to have a strength, progress and modernization;
  5. Consider the contents, forms of his media’s products;
  6. Propose, give opinions to the high level concerning his media’s activities operations;
  7. Have received the protection from laws in his proper activities operations;
  8. Create ambiance, happiness to the society;
  9. Participate into the meeting on media’s activities in domestic and foreign countries according to the assignment;
  10. Liaise and cooperate with the world according to the consent of the owner of the media’s organization and according to laws and regulations.

Article 31.Association of the Reporters of the Lao PDR

The Association of the Reporters of the Lao PDR is a political, social, professional organization of those who work in the field of media that having the role to educate, train, aggregate the solidarity and the duty to protect the equitable rights and benefits of its members and those who work on the media, participate into the implementation of directives, policies of the party, laws and regulations of the state and policy on the media.

The duties and rights of the association of the reporters of the Lao PDR are defined in a specific regulation.

Article 32.Personnel of the Media

The personnel of the media is composed of the Head, Deputy Head of the media’s organization, reporters, technicians in the field of media and contributors.

Article 33.Head and Deputy Head of the Media’s Organization

The Head and Deputy Head of the media’s organization:

  • Type of printed matter media is called; Editor in chief and Deputy Editor in chief;
  • Type of electronic media: Managing director and Deputy Managing Director, the appointment, transfer or removal of the media’s Organization is to the owner of the media’s organization to make decision by coordinating with the media’s supervision organization concerned or is the person who proposes to the organization which has the competent authority to consider according to regulations.

Article 34.Qualification of the Head and Deputy Head of the Mass Media’s Organization

The Head and Deputy Head of the mass media’s organization have the following main qualifications:

  1. To have a permanent residence in the Lao PDR;
  2. To have a Lao nationality and an age of twenty three years old or more;
  3. To have a certificate from high level up, an experience in the field of mass media, a capability to administrate the media’s organization;
  4. To have revolutionary principles and virtues, to master political lines;
  5. To know some of foreign languages;
  6. To be in good health.

Article 35.Duties and Rights of the Head or Deputy Head of the Media Organization

The head of the Media Organization is the person to direct and manage the activities of his media organization, has the duty and right to consider for approval of the news’ publication, texts in the printed matter media, the program of the broadcasting and pictures and also be responsible before the owner of the media organization concerning the contents of the advertisement and the operations of the media organization of which one’s takes charge of the responsibility.

The Deputy head of the Media Organization has the duty and right to assist the head in some works and tasks, takes in charge the post by interim when the Head is absent as assigned by the Head.

Article 36.Qualification of Lao Reporter

A Lao reporter has the main qualifications as follows:

  1. To have a permanent residence in the Lao PDR;
  2. To have a Lao nationality and an age from eighteen years old or over;
  3. To have a complete ethics of reporter;
  4. To have at least a diploma of middle level or over or a certificate, a knowledge, an experience and a talent in the field of media;
  5. To be in good health.

Article 37.Duties and Rights of a Reporter

A reporter has the main duties as follows:

  1. To seek to know, collect data, information in order to write to be a news, texts and program of propagation for dissemination through the media;
  2. To correctly, precisely write the news, texts on the internal and foreign countries situation in consistent with the national benefit and showing the just aspiration of the population;
  3. To disseminate the directives, policies and laws and regulations; exploit, promote the progressive factors, fight against ideas and acts that breach laws and regulations, retort to the distortions and libels that created the discredit to the dignity, benefits of the nation and the population;
  4. To study, learn, train himself to upgrade the level on politic qualification, ethic, technical profession, foreign languages and others;
  5. To apology and excuse on the publication of news through the media in case there is a mistake in writing news or there are no fundamental ground;
  6. To accept all critics from the society, be responsible before laws and the media organization concerning the contents of the news, texts and his wrong doing.

A reporter has the main rights as follows:

  1. To receive a reporter’s card, be subject to and undertake activities in some media organization;
  2. To perform activities on news in domestic and foreign countries according to the assignment;
  3. Regularly coordinate, cooperate with colleagues, seek to know, collect and receive information of media activities according to laws and regulations;
  4. Analyze, write news, texts, take other pictures, create media products that are innovative and useful, put the pen name on behalf of his own name or pseudonym;
  5. Receive the training, upgrade in the field of politic, media’s profession, receive the honorific title, allowances or other privileges;
  6. Receive the priority in undertaking of media’s activities according to laws and regulations;
  7. Receive the protection from laws in the performance of his proper professional duties.

Article 38.Media’s Technicians

A media’s technician is person who works in the media’s organization that are consisted of composers, poets, speakers, masters of ceremonies, program producers, stage directors, printing matters designers, painters, decorators, technical mechanic and other technicians who serve to produce other media’s products.

Rights and duties of the media’s technicians are provided in a specific regulation of each media’s organization.

Article 39.Contributors

The contributors are those who have not a professional skill as reporters but they write news, texts, take pictures to regularly provide to the media’s organizations by receiving their labour costs and other privileges from the media’s organization.

Duties and rights of the contributors are provided in a separate regulation.

 

Chapter VI

Establishment and Activities of the Media’s Organization

Article 40.Conditions for the establishment of the Media’s Organization

The establishment of the media’s organization shall have the following conditions:

  1. To define the name, objective, goal to serve, scope of the printing and distribution of media printed matters, power of the transmitter, fix the diffusion time, band frequency, scope of the band broadcasting and languages which will be used by such media’s organization;
  2. To have the organizational mechanism, a standard of personnel as provided in article 34, 36 and 38 of this law;
  3. To have a headquarters’ office, vehicles, technical equipments, fund to ensure its activities operations;
  4. To receive the approval from the media’s supervision organization.

Article 41.Establishment of the Representative office of the Media’s Organization

The government is the body to approve the establishment of a Lao representative office of the media’s organization in foreign countries and allow to foreign media’s organization to permanently enter or establish a headquarters’ office of foreign media’s organization in the Lao PDR. Reporters and technicians of media and the committee of responsibility of the foreign media’s organization which operates in the Lao PDR shall comply with laws and regulations of the Lao PDR.

Regulation on the establishment and activities of the internal and foreign media’s organization representative are separately regulated.

Article 42.Printing and Distribution of media’s printed Matters

The printing of the Lao media’s printed matters shall mainly print in the Lao PDR. All media’s printed matters that will be sent to print or distribute in foreign countries shall obtain the authorization from the concerned media’s supervision organization.

The media’s organization is the organizer to distribute its media’s printed matters or assign to some organization or individual to take in charge of the distribution service on its behalf.

Internal and foreign organization and individual that wishing to bring the foreign media’s printed matters to print, distribute in the Lao PDR shall request the approval from the concerned media’s supervision organization.

Article 43.Increasing of Printed Pages of Media’s Printed Matters

The media’s organization wishing to print and distribute additional media printed matters, increase the number of pages, print inserted or annexed sheets, print additional special announcement, such can be made according to his duties and rights but shall obtain the authorization from the concerned media’s supervision organization.

Article 44.Increasing of Radio and Television Broadcasting Program

The television and radio broadcasting station that needs to increase some program shall obtain the authorization from the concerned media’s supervision organization.

Article 45.Broadcasting program and Pictures

The broadcasting program and pictures of the Lao media shall produce and put on air from the territory of the Lao PDR. In the event that there is a purpose to broadcast such program in foreign counties it shall obtain the authorization from the concerned media supervision organization.

The broadcasting program and pictures of foreign counties that there is a purpose to put on air in the Lao PDR shall obtain the authorization from the government of the Lao PDR.

Article 46.Use of Media through Internet

The use, services through the internet shall coordinate and obtain the authorization from the competent concerned organization including to strictly implement laws and regulations.

Article 47.Duplication of media’s Products

All types of media’s products shall reserve the copyright, be duplicated and shall keep in good condition at least for a period of twenty five years.

Article 48.Press Release Conference’s arrangement

The organization and individual wishing to arrange a press release conference on some issues shall obtain the authorization from the media’s supervision organization after having coordination and the consent from the concerned organization.

Article 49.Finance of the Media’s Organization

The finance of the state’s media’s organization is supported by the state’s budget, academic income, the assistance from sponsors, individuals and organizations within the country and from overseas.

The media’s organization can correctly and appropriately establish a fund for development of the media in compliance with laws and regulations on the Finance.

The management and the use of money, the fund of the state’s media organization are regulated in a specific regulation in consistency with the Law on State’s Budget and other concerned laws.

The media’s organization has the right to conduct business and provide some services according to its possibilities and in compliance with laws and regulations in order to create an additional income for its own development.

 

Chapter VII

Prohibitions

Article 50.Prohibitions to the Media’s Organization

Prohibitions to the media’s organization include:

  1. It is prohibited to incite, promote the acts that create the damages to the benefits of the nation and the population;
  2. It is prohibited to disclose the secret of the nation and the official confidentiality;
  3. It is prohibited to divide the solidarity and the revenge between the multi-ethnics and the solidarity between nations;
  4. It is prohibited to promote the use of violence and the propagation to serve all types of invasion wars;
  5. It is prohibited to release news to distort the reality touching to the dignity of organizations and individuals;
  6. It is prohibited to propagate, to incite and promote commission of crime and misfortune: narcotic addicted, gambling, hooliganism, an act of indecency;
  7. It is prohibited to propagate to promote alcoholic drinks, blind belief and other negative phenomena;
  8. It is prohibited to publish news, texts and program that have been ordered to forbid or be already seized;
  9. Other prohibitions as provided in laws and regulations.

Article 51.Prohibitions for Media’s personnel

It is prohibited to reporters, contributors, media technicians to create all types of information that breach the ethics of Lao reporters, use the half breed language, and use the rude words including other prohibitions to media’s organization as provided in article 50 of this law. For the speaker, master of ceremonies, it is prohibited to wear impolite dress during the on air time on television.

Article 52.Prohibitions for Organizations and other Individuals

Prohibitions for organizations and other individuals are as follows:

  1. It is prohibited to obstruct the activities of the reporter and interfere the lawful contents of the news, texts and programs;
  2. It is prohibited to obstruct the production and dissemination of all types of lawful media’s products;
  3. It is prohibited to produce, import and disseminate the media’s products without obtaining the authorization;
  4. It is prohibited to bribe reporters or media’s organization to release news, texts according to their thinking;
  5. It is prohibited to use the violence, oppress, threat, libel, defamation, gross insult, use rudeness to reporters or media’s organizations;
  6. Other prohibitions as provided by laws and regulations.

 

Chapter VIII

Administration and Inspection of the Media

Article 53.Media’s Administration Organization

The government administrate the media in centralized and uniform manner in the entire country by assigning to the Ministry of Information and Culture to directly coordinate with ministries, other concerned sectors and the local administrative authorities in the administration of the media, the media’s administration organization is comprised of:

  • Ministry of Information and Culture;
  • Provincial, city’s Information and culture divisions;
  • District, municipality’s information and culture offices.

Article 54.Duties and Rights of the Ministry of Information and Culture

In the administration of the media, the ministry of information and culture on behalf of the logistic arm of the government has the following duties and rights:

  1. Study to draft law, policies, strategic plan, action plan, media’s development plan in order to propose to the government for consideration, decision then implement;
  2. Propagate, disseminate laws and regulations through the media;
  3. Organize, administrate and direct the activities of the media’s organization throughout the country;
  4. Build, train, upgrade the level to media’s officials in politics, professional subjects and ethics;
  5. Study, determine the technical standard and to use science, progressive and modern technology, in the area of the media;
  6. Study, consider, approve and withdraw the organization and activities license of the media’s organization, authorization of the live broadcasting, the use of band frequency of electronic media which is under its responsibility;
  7. Authorize and cancel the importation, exportation of all types of the media’s products according to its responsibility;
  8. Administrate the media’s printed matters and the duplication of the media’s products within the scope of its responsibility;
  9. Grant policies and impose other measures against the media’s organization and the personnel of the media which is under its responsibility;
  10. Prevent, solve the proposals and activities operations of the media that contradict to laws and regulations in respect to its roles;
  11. Coordinate with other concerned sectors and provincial, city administrative authorities in the administration of the activities of the media including Lao Media that has a connection with foreign countries and administrate the activities of foreign media in the Lao PDR;
  12. Monitor and summarize the propagation results, news release of the media in each period, analyze news of foreign media concerning the Lao PDR to be data and to regularly report to the government;
  13. Liaise and cooperate with the world on the media according to the assignment;
  14. Exercise such other duties and perform such other rights on the administration of the media as provide in laws and regulations.

Article 55.Duties and Rights of the Provincial, City’s Information and Culture Division

In the administration of the media, the provincial, city’s information and culture division has the following duties and rights:

  1. Study, propagate and implement policies, action plans, plans, laws and regulations, orders, instructions, notifications on the media;
  2. Study and make decision on the directives, dissemination program concerning its media from time to time;
  3. Administrate and direct the activities which are under its responsibility;
  4. Planning to administrate, improve promptly and extend the media’s activities to promptly, sharply and efficiently service, the political duties and services to multi-ethic population within the province, city;
  5. Administrate the activities of internal and foreign reporters to gather news within province, city;
  6. Administrate the media’s printed matters and the importation, exportation of all types of media’s products according to its responsibility;
  7. Study and propose to establish or dissolve the media’s organization that is subject to its responsibility to the Ministry of Information and culture for consideration according to the consent of the provincial, city’s administrative authority;
  8. Instruct, mobilize, encourage the concerned organization, individual to collect news and provide news to the media;
  9. Solve the proposals, implement policies and impose other measures to media’s organizations and personnel which are under its responsibility;
  10. Regularly monitor, summarize and assess the media’s activities then report to the governor of the province, the mayor of the city and the Ministry of Information and Culture;
  11. Liaise, cooperate on the media with foreign countries by the assignment of the concerned media’s organization;
  12. Exercise such other duties and perform such other rights concerning the administration of the media as provided by laws and regulations.

Article 56.Duties and Rights of the District, Municipal’s Information and Culture Office

In the administration of the media, the district, municipal’s information and culture office has the following duties and rights:

  1. Disseminate and implement laws and regulations, orders, instructions, notifications on the media within its District, Municipality;
  2. Instruct, mobilize, encourage the grass-root organization within the district, municipality in order to collect the information, provide news to the media;
  3. Administrate the media’s means that are operated within its district, municipality to be proper according to laws and regulations;
  4. Administrate the activities of internal and foreign reporters that collect news within its district, municipality;
  5. Administrate the importation, exportation of all types of the media’s products that are under its responsibility;
  6. Monitor, summarize and assess the activities of the media then report to the chief of the district, head of the municipality and the provincial, city’s information and culture division;
  7. Exercise such other duties and perform such other rights on the administration of the media as provided in laws and regulations;

Article 57.Duties and Rights of the Sector and other parties

Sectors, organizations and other concerned parties have duties and rights to coordinate with the information and culture sector in the administration, promotion and development of the media according to their roles;

Article 58.Mass Media’s Inspection Organization

The Mass Media’s Inspection organizations are comprised of:

  • Internal inspection organization that is the same the media’s administration as provided for in Article 53 of this law;
  • External inspection organization that are the owner of the mass media organization, ad hoc committee and other concerned parties.

Article 59.Duties and Rights of Media’s Inspection Organization

The Media’s Inspection organization has duties and rights as follows:

  1. Inspect the implementation of laws and regulations of the media;
  2. Inspect work as the same as activities of the mass media organization according to the scope of its responsibility;
  3. Issue orders, instructions, notifications to media organizations which are subject to one’s competency in order to improve, to alter or to cease the activities of the media that has seen not in consistency with laws and regulations;
  4. Propose to the concerned organizations to issue orders, instructions or notifications to improve, to alter or to cease the activities of the media if it is deemed not proper to laws and regulations depending case by case as provided in Article 50, 51 and 52 of this law;
  5. Liaise and coordinate with other relevant parties at the central and local level in the implementation of its activities’ inspection;
  6. Regularly summarize and report the result of the implementation of the inspection of activities from time to time to its higher level;
  7. Exercise such other duties and perform such other rights on the media inspection as provided in laws and regulations.

Article 60.Contents of the Inspection

The inspection of the media has the following main contents:

  1. Inspect the establishment and performance of plans, projects of media organization in each period;
  2. Inspect the contents of press release through news paper and electronic;
  3. Inspect the creation, training, using and incentive performance towards personnel of media;
  4. Inspect the availability and the use of the basis of materials, vehicles, equipment and budget of the media;
  5. Inspect the implementation of laws and regulations of the media.

Article 61.Forms of Inspection

The inspection of the media has three forms as follows:

  1. Regular inspection;
  2. Inspection upon advance notification;
  3. Immediate inspection.

An inspection upon advance notification refers to an inspection which is not performed according to plans but only when deemed necessary and of which the media to be inspected is notify in advance.

An immediate inspection refers to an emergency inspection of which the inspected person is not notified in advance. In performing the mass inspection, the officials shall strictly and properly comply with laws and regulations.

 

Chapter IX

Day, Insignia and Seal of the Media

Article 62.The Media’s Day

The 13th August is the National Media’s Day. In addition, the media of each country has also their particular day to celebrate and recall the history, achievements, lessons in order to improve, and better develop the media’s activities.

Article 63.Insignia and Seal of the Mass Media

The Media of each country has their own insignia and seal to use into the official activities that are set out by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

 

Chapter X

Privileges towards Productive Persons and Measures against the Violators

Article 64.Privileges towards the Productive Persons

Individuals or organizations which have outstanding deeds in the contribution to the media will receive commendations such as: medals, decorations, congratulation certificate, honorary titles and other privileges as deemed suitable.

Article 65.Measures against Violators

Individuals or organizations which violated laws and regulations on the activities of the media including prohibitions as provided in Article 50, 51 and 52 of this law will be imposed measures depending on the severity of the case such as be educated, admonished, fined, temporary suspended, withdrawn the establishment and activities’ license on the media, reporter’s card, media’s technician, liable to civil compensation or criminal penalty.

 

Chapter Xi

Final Provisions

Article 66. Implementation

The government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic implements this law.

Article 67. Effectiveness

This law enters into force after sixty days from the date of the president of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic issues a decree to promulgate it.

Any provisions, regulations which contradict to this law are hereby repealed.

 

The President of the National Assembly

(Seal and Signature)

Thongsing THAMMAVONG



Download English:Law on the Media No. 01/NA, dated 25 July 2008

Download Lao:Law on the Media No. 01/NA, dated 25 July 2008


List Measures Related to Legal Documents
NameDescriptionStatus
Approval for the use of the media through the InternetThe use and services provided through the internet shall require the obtaining of authorization from the competent concerned organizationActive
Head and Deputy Head of the Mass Media Organisation to be a Lao NationalThe Head and Deputy Head of the Mass media Organisation must be of Lao nationality and an age of twenty three years old or moreActive
Head and Deputy Head of the Mass Media Organisation to be at least 23 years oldThe Head and Deputy Head of the Mass media Organisation must be at least twenty three years oldActive
Head and Deputy Head of the Mass Media Organisation to be permanent resident of Lao PDRThe Head and Deputy Head of the Mass Media Organisation must have a permanent residence in the Lao PDRActive
Prohibition on Individuals and Organisations from bribing media personnel or media organisationsIndividuals and Organisations are prohibited from bribing media personnel or media organisationsActive
Prohibition on Individuals and Organisations from bribing media personnel or media organisationssIndividuals and Organisations are prohibited from bribing media personnel or media organisationsActive
Prohibition on Individuals and Organisations from interfering with the lawful contents of news, texts and programsIndividuals and Organisations are prohibited from interfering with the lawful contents of
the news, texts and programs
Active
Prohibition on Individuals and Organisations from obstructing the production and dissemination of all types of lawful media productsIndividuals and Organisations are prohibited from obstructing the production and dissemination of all types of lawful media productsActive
Prohibition on Individuals and Organisations from producing importing and/or disseminating media products without authorizationIndividuals and Organisations are prohibited from producing importing and/or disseminating media products without authorizationActive