Mongols take radio as a companion to start the day and intermittently return to this friend during the course of the day. Listeners expect this companion to both inform and entertain them. A great wave of changes took place in the 1990s with the establishment of a number of private radio studios. At present, 26 FM radio stations broadcast nationwide. They attract more listeners usually by offering a broad range of music and advertisements. Despite the increasing popularity of television, radio still has an expanding audience in Mongolia. Presently 90 per cent of Mongolian people have access to listen to radio. Mongolian Central Radio is responsible for radio services throughout Mongolia. Given the country's scarce population and huge territory, its broadcasting is the main means of mass information.
It was the only radio station in the country until the 1990s. Its weekly broadcasting program is 6695 minutes, 19 per cent of which is devoted to the news and information, 6 per cent to education /youth and children, 1.5 per cent to sports, 19 per cent to music, 5 per cent to documentaries, drama, 15 per cent to socio-political and economic life, 4 per cent to art /culture/, 3.5 per cent to entertainment and 23 per cent advertisements. Today Mongolian radio broadcasts eight hours a day in English, Japanese, Chinese and Russian to audiences in Asia, Europe, Far East and the Pacific region. Mongolian Radio maintains links with radio networks in over a dozen countries. It exchanges personnel as well as music and feature programmes with the London Radio Service, Radio France International, Voice of Russia, China Radio International, Radio Canada International and Korean Broadcasting Systems etc,.
