Passasson is a weekly newspaper that was established in 1950. It is the official publication of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the communist party that oversees the Lao government.
Media assets
Publishing: Passasson
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
As a party publication operating in a single-party state, Passasson’s management team must be endorsed by the party in order to be considered legitimate.
Source of funding and budget
Like many media outlets in Laos, Passasson has been attempting to generate revenue through advertising over the past five years. However, the majority of the publication’s budget is provided by the government, according to local journalists and industry experts interviewed for this report in December 2023. Financial figures are unavailable as the publication or the party has not released this information.
Editorial independence
As with all publications in Laos, Passasson is closely aligned with the party and government’s positions. As a party publication, it provides regular updates on the party’s activities and serves as a communication channel with other communist parties globally, according to local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in December 2023.
To date, no statute and no independent assessment mechanism to validate the editorial independence of Passasson have been identified.
September 2024