All newspapers are published by the government, including two foreign language papers: the English-language daily Vientiane Times and the French-language weekly Le Rénovateur. Additionally, the Khao San Pathet Lao, the country's official news agency, publishes English and French versions of its eponymous paper. Laos currently has nine daily newspapers, 90 magazines, 43 radio stations, and 32 TV stations operating throughout the country. As of 2011, Nhân Dân (The People) and the Xinhua News Agency are the only foreign media organisations permitted to open offices in Laos—both opened bureaus in Vientiane in 2011.
The Lao government heavily controls all media channels in order to prevent critique of its actions. Lao citizens who have criticized the government have been subjected to enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and torture.
Internet cafes are now common in the major urban centres and are especially popular with the younger generation.
Since the founding of the Lao PDR only very few films have been made in Laos. One of the first commercial feature length films was the 2008 Sabaidee Luang Prabang. Australian filmmaker Kim Mordount's first feature film was made in Laos and features a Laotian cast speaking their native language. Entitled The Rocket, the film appeared at the 2013 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) and won three awards at the Berlin International Film Festival. Recently a few local production companies have succeeded to produce Lao feature films and gain international recognition. Among them are Lao New Wave Cinema's "At The Horizon" directed by Anysay Keola, that was screened at the OzAsia Film Festival and Lao Art Media's Chanthaly directed by Mattie Do, which was screened at the 2013 Fantastic Fes