Myanmar's state radio, TV launches new plan in new year

Myanmar's state radio, TV launches new plan in new year

By Feng Yingqiu

YANGON, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The state-run Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) started to introduce two new channels on Thursday, the first day of 2015, under a new plan of the Ministry of Information.

The two new channels are MRTV News Channel and MRTV Entertainment Channel with some international sports programs to be contributed by a private media -- Shwe Than Lwin.

The MRTV news channel will present daily news and events, weekly news-related programs and information about opportunities, education, health, telecommunication and infrastructural development, while the MRTV entertainment channel will be launched for children and adults, movie, video and educative programs.

In October 2013, MRTV added digital system or DVB T2 to the existing analogue system that covers the whole country. In addition to the main program, there has also been channels of Myanmar International, Ethnics, Parliament, Farmers and Readers.

The first phase of the digital system has covered 20.08 percent of the country's total population, while the second phase will cover 46.15 percent of the population. The third phase targets to reach additional 23.17 percent of the population on completion.

Myanmar has been carrying out media reform which includes transformation of state-owned broadcasting into public service broadcasting.

In March 2014, Myanmar promulgated a new Media Law allowing formation of private or public media companies as well as related joint ventures.

In May 2011, as part of its bid to promote the country's telecommunication and information sectors, the Myanmar government initiated a program of launching a satellite which cost about 200 million U.S dollars in cooperation with companies from Russia, China and Japan.

Myanmar then laid down policy with the launching of state- operated satellite, approved satellite-launching memorandums of understanding and other related documents, and carried out tasks aimed at obtaining space-related technology.

Myanmar has to hire satellite system from foreign countries to launch its communication and TV programs such as Sky Net, Myawaddy, MRTV and MRTV-4 spending about 15 million USD annually.

It also seeks cooperation with Thaicom for the development.

In October 2011, three China Central Television (CCTV) channels -- CCTV-4 (Chinese) , CCTV- News (English) and CCTV-9 (Documentary) started launching in Myanmar in cooperation with Myanmar's semi- government MRTV-4 and Sky Net.

MRTV-4 is operated by the state-run Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) with the cooperation of the private Forever media Group, while the Sky Net is run by the MRTV with the private Shwe Than Lwin company.

The three CCTV channels' programs are rebroadcast by MRTV-4 and Forever Media Group in Myanmar via Sky Net DTH Platform and Forever Group Digital Terrestrial Television System under a cooperative protocols reached among them.

In June 2012 after Myanmar embarked on a road to reform, MRTV and the Voice of America (VOA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in program broadcasting, according to which VOA will assist Myanmar with advanced equipment and conducting training courses for the employees of the MRTV to improve their technological skill.

With the increased opening of media sector in Myanmar, a number of foreign media such as DVB, CNN and Al Jazeera TV are making preparations to enter the local TV market competitively.

In November 2013, Australian Broadcasting Cooperation-ABC International joined Myanmar's program broadcasting under a MoU signed then.

In the latest development, China supplied TV series films and documentary films to Myanmar's Sky Net TV for broadcasting, bringing the two countries' cooperation in the sector to a new high.

MRTV is operated under Myanmar's Information Ministry.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmars-state-radio-tv-launches-new-plan-in-new-year/