The Vientiane Times was first published in 1994 as a weekly English-language newspaper. It is currently owned by Lao Press Foreign Languages, a government agency under the control of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. At various points in its history, the publication was issued twice a week.
Le Rénovateur is the only French-language publication distributed on a weekly basis in Laos. The newspaper is also operated by Lao Press in Foreign Languages.
Le Rénovateur was launched in 1998, coinciding with the implementation of a policy by the Laotian government aimed at opening the country to the world. In the early 2010s, the newspaper ceased print publication and continued only online. The decision to cease print publication was driven by a decline in both readership and revenue. At the time of its closure, the publication had a circulation of only 2,000 copies, distributed primarily in hotels in Laos and other countries from the former French Indochina.
Media assets
Publishing: Vientiane Times, Le Rénovateur
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
The agency assumes responsibility for the management of all Lao Press in Foreign Languages publications.
All personnel employed by Vientiane Times and Le Rénovateur are on the payroll of the Ministry of Information.
Source of funding and budget
The Lao Press in Foreign Languages agency does not publish any reports that document its activity. The agency provides financial support to all of its publications, but also expects them to generate revenue independently, primarily through advertising. However, according to information from local journalists and experts, none of the publications run by Lao Press in Foreign Languages is able to survive without government aid.
Editorial independence
Vientiane Times is a well-known party and state media outlet with a clear ideological mission. The publication’s website states that it “consistently adheres” to its vision of being the voice of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. The publication’s primary focus is on government policies and the dissemination of information related to the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. Its content includes reports on recently adopted legislation, government economic initiatives, and regulatory updates.
Despite the support from various cultural institutions in France, Le Rénovateur is regarded as a pro-government propaganda newspaper. The content published by the newspaper is in compliance with the censorship requirements in Laos. According to local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in December 2023, any attempts to publish content without the agreement of the Ministry have been suppressed in the past.
To date, no statute or independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate the editorial independence of the publications run by Lao Press in Foreign Languages has been identified.
September 2024