Did you know that the Mongolian National Broadcaster is the oldest broadcasting organization in Mongolia? It is also the only public service broadcaster in the country. Let’s delve into the story of Radio and Television in Ulaanbaatar.
The Mongolian National Broadcaster or MNB is the official state-funded broadcaster. It is shortened as MNB in Mongolian. Its headquarters are in Ulaanbaatar. MNB’s purpose is to be independent and impartial. It serves public interests only. MNB promotes Mongolia to the world. It does this through external service broadcasting programs. These programs target foreign audiences.
Today, MNB reaches over 1.8 million households in Mongolia. This is over 90 percent of the population. The Law on Public Radio and Television was adopted in 2005. According to this law, MNB is a non-profit legal entity. It carries out a nationwide broadcasting service. The National Council of the MNB is its highest governing body. It consists of 15 members. The Director-General runs the organization. The National Council appoints them.
Broadcasting in Ulaanbaatar began in May or June 1931. Gombyn Sodnom, Minister of Trade and Industry, organized it. In the early 1960s, local radio broadcasting started for Ulaanbaatar. A second national radio channel was established.
Four more longwave transmitters opened. One opened in 1965 in Ölgii. Others opened in 1978 in Altai, Dalanzadgad and Choibalsan. In 1981, the Mörön transmitter began broadcasting on mediumwave. The international shortwave service started in 1964. It was renamed Voice of Mongolia in 1997. The Ölgii station also carries local programming in Kazakh. In 2011, P3 was launched as a youth program.
Television broadcasts started in September 1967. A second channel launched in July 2011. The RTBN operates the transmitters. RTBN stands for Radio and Television Broadcasting Network.
MNB’s television services consist of four channels. These are MNB, MNB News, MNB Sport HD and MNB World. MNB World is an English language channel.
MNB’s radio services consist of two domestic networks. There is also one international service. MNB-1 broadcasts nationwide on longwave. It is also available in Ulaanbaatar on FM 106. P3 FM broadcasts nationwide. It is also in Ulaanbaatar on FM 100.9. Voice of Mongolia is the international shortwave radio service. It broadcasts in seven languages. These are Mongolian, English, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and German.
Since its foundation, MNB has worked to develop international relations. It cooperates with international broadcasters. In January 1997, it became a full member of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. Besides broadcasting domestically produced material, it also has program exchanges. These exchanges are with Russian Public TV, NHK, CNN, ZDF and Deutsche Welle.
The Voice of Mongolia is the country’s only overseas broadcasting service. It is operated by the Mongolian National Broadcaster. Short-wave international broadcasting in Mongolia dates back over 30 years. The first broadcast was in September 1964. It was a half hour transmission in Mongolian and Chinese. It targeted China. The English service of Radio Ulaanbaatar was renamed The Voice Of Mongolia on January 1, 1997. It launched on January 29, 1965.
Today, the Voice Of Mongolia provides information about Mongolia and Mongolians. It covers their history, traditions and culture. It broadcasts 8 hours a day in 5 languages. These are Mongolian, English, Chinese, Russian and Japanese. All broadcasts come from the Khonkhor Transmitting Station. It is about 25 km east of Ulaanbaatar. It broadcasts through Soviet-made transmitters. These are 100, 250, and 500 kW transmitters. They use curtain antennas built in the mid sixties.
So, the next time you tune into a broadcast from Ulaanbaatar, remember the rich history and dedication behind the Mongolian National Broadcaster, bringing the voice of Mongolia to the world.