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Military cronies expand control of Burmese media
Irrawaddy - July 29, 2010
Hset Lin, Rangoon – Family members of the military regime and their associates have extended their control of Burma's media scene by obtaining permits for the publication of 15 out of 20 news journals in Burma, according to journalist sources.
The latest to appear is Hot News, published by Hay Mar, daughter of Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than, former Rangoon Division commander and incumbent general in the Ministry of Defense. Its first issue appeared on July 23.
Hay Mar has taken the positions of both chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of the 48-page Hot News journal, which features news about the coming election and political parties, economic and foreign news and articles written by well-known writers.
The first issue of Hot News carried extensive coverage of the July 19 Martyrs' Day celebrations in Rangoon, including photographs, while other journals were not allowed to report on the event.
Three journals were reportedly granted publication permits in July. Ownership of one, Modern Times, is shared by the daughter of Soe Naing, former Major-General and currently minister at the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.
According to Rangoon journalists, The People's Age, supervised and published by well-known writers Maung Wuntha and Pe Myint, is the only privately owned journal that has been allowed to publish.
A news journal editor said permission for the publication of journals and magazines in Burma is often granted to those close to the regime and family members of the generals.
"Normally, those who aren't related to them [the authorities] are not granted publication permits," he said.
"They can control the editorial board only if the publisher is somehow associated with them. It is very rare that someone outside their community has ever been granted [permission to publish]."
The editor said The People's Age – the only privately owned journal he had seen – could have been given permission to publish "because the applicants were famous writers in Burma."
Journals that have been run by the children of the generals are: Ecovision and The Messenger, run by Zaw Min Aye, son of Lt-Gen Tin Aye, and Popular and Popular News, run by Kalayar, daughter of former Secretary 3 of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), Lt-Gen Win Myint.
Permission for the publication of The Myanmar Times, an English-Burmese dual language news journal which first appeared in 2000, was granted to Sonny, son of former military intelligence officer Brig-Gen Thein Swe. It was later handed over to Dr. Tin Htun Oo, who is close to the regime's information minister, Kyaw Hsan.
Permission for 7 Days, one of the best selling news journals in Burma, was granted to Thaung Su Nyein, son of former foreign minister Win Aung, who died in prison in November 2009, while his father was in office.
Permission for The Voice journal was granted to Dr. Nay Win Maung, son of a military officer. He had previously published Living Color magazine, before handing over to Ye Naing Win, son of former military intelligence chief Gen Khin Nyunt.
Other journals that have been run by the regime's associates are; Weekly Eleven and Bi Weekly Eleven, run by Dr. Than Htut Aung, who shares it with Col Soe Naing, officer in charge of Snr-Gen Than Shwe's office, Pyi Myanmar, run by Dr. Tin Htun Oo, who is close to Information Minister Kyaw Hsan, Envoy [owned by Kyaw Win who is close to Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye], run by Zinyaw Maung Maung, the Myanmar Post, run by Win Aung, who is close to Gen Thura Shwe Mann, and Monitor, run by Maj Hla Myint, an official from the Rangoon City Development Committee.
"In most cases, journals are managed by editorial boards, but, this is how they [the authorities] control journals and magazines," said a Rangoon journalist.
"When they don't like a certain editorial board or they don't want them to work anymore, they just tell the publisher or owner, who is close to them, to change the board."
He said journals that are not connected to the regime or its associates are subject to censorship by Burma's Press Scrutiny and Registration Division
More than 200 journals, including news and sports journals and magazines, are currently allowed to publish in Burma.
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