The development of the news media was discussed in the Pyithu Hluttaw yesterday.
In response to a question from U Pe Than, Hluttaw representative of Myaybon constituency, Dr Pe Myint, Union Minister for Information said the status of the media was healthy and diverse.
“Our government, chosen by the people, is describing the policies and performance of the government daily to make known to the public in state-owned newspapers which are standing as the dailies representing the people. Under the printing and publishing work law enacted in 2014, there are 39 newspapers, including three Chin Dailies, published in the Chin language.
And 476 journals, including 40 national language versions, 370 magazines, including seven national language versions, were allowed. Of the 3,431 applications for certificates to run the enterprises of newspapers, journals, magazines and general publishing and news agencies, 3,429 have already been issued. Starting in August, 2012, the system of censorship of stories was been abolished in Myanmar.
After that, freedom of publication was granted. With a view to the appearance of free and independent media and development of the Myanmar media world, conferences, seminars, workshops and dialogues were held in cooperation with the Ministry of Information, UNDP, UNESCO, IMS, DW Academic, Action, Aid, Article 19, USAID, Myanmar News Media Council, Myanmar Journalists Association, Myanmar Journalist Network, Myanmar Journalist Union and national ethnic media.
Through these dialogues and seminars, solutions for problems and challenges encountered in various media spheres on finance, management and human resources were discovered.”
The Union Minister added: “As for the development of national ethnics’ media, BNI (Burmese News International) helped for leasing rights to run media in the country and for holding ethnic media conferences. For the development of ethnic media, in a typical press branch (Mawlamyaing), news on development of socio economy of the national people, photos, articles are published every weekend on four pages in Mon, Sakaw Kayin, Po Kayin and PaO languages. The Ministry of Information is holding political paper readings, book-fair festivals, children literature festivals, contemporary historical paper readings for the development of Myanmar language and survival of private media. One-hundred sixty-six representatives from Literary Central and ethnic literature and cultural committees attended the 1st coordination meeting held on 10 November 2016, at the Theinbyu road, Yangon.
In other words, the newspapers are reporting how the government is implementing government policies for the benefit of the people through newspapers. During the reign of the new government, types of presentation of the news are not the forms of sending propaganda, and it is performing as a mean of communicating people and the government. In doing so, newspapers are conducting its routines in accord with media ethics.
It can be seen in the Mirror dailies, a new sector describing the opinions of outsiders, a platform for people’s opinion has been opened.
A platform for the new generation is designed for the emergence of young enthusiasts for literature and future literary workers and for children to read widely.”
Reference: GNLM