A short history of Sri Lankan radio
From gramophone records played through a captured submarine's radio in 1923 to Radio Ceylon, the “King of the airwaves” of South Asia, and today's FM stations streaming worldwide.
Timeline
The father of broadcasting
Edward Harper, Chief Engineer of the Telegraph Department, begins experimenting with wireless broadcasts and co-founds the Ceylon Wireless Club. He is remembered as the “Father of Broadcasting in Ceylon”.
Music on the air
The Telegraph Department broadcasts gramophone music on an experimental basis, using a transmitter its engineers built from the radio equipment of a captured German submarine.
Colombo Radio goes on air
Regular broadcasting begins from Welikada, Colombo, on a 1 kW medium-wave transmitter, with the Governor, Sir Hugh Clifford, among the first voices heard. Colombo Radio is often described as the oldest radio station in Asia.
Radio SEAC
Allied forces take over the Colombo station as Radio SEAC, broadcasting to troops across South and South-East Asia. Future BBC names David Jacobs and Desmond Carrington are among its announcers.
Radio Ceylon is born
After independence the station becomes a separate government department and takes the name Radio Ceylon.
The Commercial Service
Radio Ceylon's Commercial Service, founded by Australian broadcasting administrator Clifford Dodd under the Colombo Plan, adds a Hindi service. Its film songs reach millions of listeners across India and South Asia.
Binaca Geetmala
The Hindi film-song countdown Binaca Geetmala first airs, growing out of Greg Roskowski's English Binaca Hit Parade. Presented by Ameen Sayani, it becomes one of the most famous programmes in South Asian radio.
King of the airwaves
With All India Radio not playing film music at the time, Radio Ceylon becomes the most listened-to station in the region. Voices such as Vernon Corea, Livy Wijemanne, Pearl Ondaatje, Tim Horshington, Jimmy Bharucha and Karunaratne Abeysekera become household names.
Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation
Under the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1966, Radio Ceylon becomes a public corporation: the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation, headed by Neville Jayaweera.
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
When Ceylon becomes the Republic of Sri Lanka, the broadcaster is renamed the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), the name it still has today.
The FM era begins
As the state's monopoly ends, private FM stations are allowed. Yes FM is among the first on air, and SLBC moves from medium wave to FM. Listen to Yes FM →
Sirasa FM
Sirasa FM launches and becomes one of the best-loved Sinhala stations of the new FM generation. Listen to Sirasa FM →
Gold FM and Hiru FM
Gold FM, playing English golden oldies, and Hiru FM, soon one of the most popular Sinhala stations, both go on air. Listen to Hiru FM →
FM across the island
SLBC's FM network now reaches more than 95% of the population, and TNL's Lite FM joins the growing list of private stations.
80 years of broadcasting
Sri Lanka marks 80 years since Colombo Radio first went on air.
Sri Lankan radio online
Almost every Sri Lankan station now streams live online, so the voices of home are a click away wherever you live.
Why Radio Ceylon mattered so much
For a generation of listeners from Colombo to Calcutta, Radio Ceylon was the sound of music. In the 1950s and 1960s, when All India Radio did not play film songs, Radio Ceylon's Commercial Service filled the gap. Programmes like Binaca Geetmala drew huge audiences across India, while its English and Sinhala services launched broadcasters who became legends at home.
Frequently asked
When did radio start in Sri Lanka? Experimental broadcasts began in 1923, and Colombo Radio started regular broadcasting on 16 December 1925.
What was Radio Ceylon? The name of Sri Lanka's national broadcaster from 1949 until 1967. It is now the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).
When did private FM radio start in Sri Lanka? In the early 1990s. Yes FM went on air in December 1993 and Sirasa FM in March 1994.
Can I listen to Sri Lankan radio abroad? Yes. Most stations stream live on their own websites. See our Sri Lankan radio page.
Dates are taken from public sources, mainly Wikipedia's articles on Radio Ceylon, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and radio in Sri Lanka. Where sources disagree we've used the date most of them give: for example, one source dates the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation to 5 January 1967 rather than 30 September 1967. Spotted a mistake or have a memory to share? Email [email protected]. You might also enjoy our history of Sri Lankan TV.