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Southeast Asia
Brunei
Population: 358,000. Head of state: Sultan Sir
Hassanal Bolkiah. GDP US$6 billion. Broadcasting
is state-controlled and in the hands of Radio
Television Brunei.
Cambodia
Population 14.1 million. Head of State: King
Norodom Sihanouk. Some television and radio is
controlled by Prime Minister Hun Sen. State
broadcasters exist in radio and television.
Indonesia
Population 220 million, GDP US$687 billion.
President: Megawati Sukarnoputri. Media freedom
has slowly spread to Indonesia, with commercial
operations on radio and television (many of the
radio services on the air are currently unlicensed)
competing with state television and radio
channels. The country operates an international
radio service, Voice of Indonesia.
Laos
Population 5.6 million. President: Khamtai
Siphandon. The media is highly controlled, with
a small joint venture commercial television
channel with a Thai company.
Malaysia
Population 24.4 million. Prime Minister: Mahathir
Mohamad. The media is strictly controlled with
Radio Television Malaysia operating two national
television channels and around 30 radio
channels. There is some commercial broadcasting
permitted. Voice of Malaysia is the country’s
international broadcaster.
Myanmar (Burma)
Population: 49.5 million. Head of State: Than
Shwe – he has ruled out transfer of power to the
National League for Democracy led by Aung San
Suu Kyi who won a landslide general election
victory in 1990. Media is tightly state controlled
and Reporters without Borders includes Burma
as one of the five countries with least press
freedom.
Philippines
Population: 80 million. President: Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo. There is commercial and state-
owned television in the Philippines, with a cable
television system reaching many parts of the
country.
Singapore
Population: 4.2 million. Prime Minister: Goh
Chok Tong. Media in Singapore is highly
regulated, although Singapore has worked hard
to position itself as the Asian media hub,
attracting major international channels to base
operations in the island State, including CNBC
Asia, Discovery Networks and MTV Asia. Domestic
media is all state controlled, with a duopoly
of MediaCorp and SPH Mediaworks. Singapore
has been active in digital broadcasting, both
DVB and DAB.
Key media organisation:
Media Development Authority
140 Hill Street
#04-01 MITA Building
Singapore 179369
Tel: +65 6837 9973
Fax: +65 6336 8023
Thailand
Population 62.8 million. Prime Minister: Thaksin
Shinawatra. Television and radio is principally
controlled by the Thai government and,
interestingly, the military, although there is an
active commercial radio market. There is an
ongoing process of deregulation that could
provide opportunities for new players in the
media industry in Thailand.
Vietnam
Population 81.4 million. President: Tran Duc
Luong. Secretary-General of the Communist Party:
Nong Duc Manh. Media is entirely controlled by
the Vietnamese Communist Party and television
is the most consumed medium. Cable operators
provide, in addition to VTV, the state-controlled
broadcaster, international channels including
CNN and Discovery – although it is unclear
whether the rights holder of premium content
gain any revenues from this. Radio listening is
reported to be relatively unpopular.
Flower Hmong mother and children,
northern Vietnam
This regional briefing has been
compiled by the AIB from its
extensive database about the
world’s broadcasters - both
domestic and international.
Through its Consulting division,
the AIB prepares market reports,
drawing on the AIB’s in-house
resources and those of other
specialists in the field.
To discuss how AIB Consulting can
help you formulate strategies and
evaluate markets, or deliver
content worldwide, contact us at
or telephone
+44 (0) 20 8297 3993
