Abstract
The Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), established as an amateur station in 1973, has gradually become more professional Bhutanese government policies emphasize the preservation of local values and national identity. In October 1992, however, in accordance with the objectives of the Seventh Five‐Year Plan (1992–1997), BBS was granted autonomy. BBS will eventually have to seek its own funds for operations, and, as a consequence, may have to reconsider its programming and overall policies.
This article presents the history of the BBS, the objectives of the radio station and a review of the present situation. It is argued that a basic understanding of the societal and communication context is needed to get a clear and realistic perspective of the problems BBS is facing.