Two Burmese journalists for Reuters were honoured in absentia with the PEN America 2018 Barbey Freedom to Write Award on Tuesday in New York, as they remain behind bars more than 8,000 kilometres away, facing charges for what the international news agency says was “simply doing their jobs.”
Journalists in Burma believe their government is failing to defend media freedom despite the transition from harsh military rule to the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a survey published to mark World Press Freedom Day.
A coalition of a dozen Burmese media advocacy groups has come to the defence of two local Reuters journalists arrested Tuesday in Yangon, calling on the government to respect their right to gather information and urging that they be released from custody.
Our podcast looks at the situation of press freedom in Burma since the dark years of censorship, at the height of democracy uprisings in 1988 and 2007, and up until the current situation.
More than 100 reporters in Burma are preparing to protest against laws seen as curbing free speech.
On 2 December 1766, the Swedish Riksdag adopted the world’s first Freedom of the Press Act.
Lead Story Media News Rohingya
Phuketwan editor Alan Morison and his colleague were pronounced ‘not guilty’ of defamation charges in Phuket. DVB speaks exclusively to him about the trial.
Burma’s opposition leader joins chorus of voices challenging government’s backsliding on media freedom.
Human Rights Lead Story Media News
The Myanmar Journalists Network met with Information Minister Ye Htut on Tuesday to discuss their concerns about the rising number of legal actions lodged against media employees.
The Unity Weekly trial continued on Tuesday, with members of the media testifying to the court about the importance of press freedom.
The Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA) appealed to the Thai military government on Wednesday to restore press freedom after a 22 May coup. Upon takeover, the National Peace and Order Maintaining[…]
One month after a court in Magwe handed DVB video journalist Zaw Pe a year-long prison sentence, more than 200 protestors took to the streets of the central Burmese city to stage an unauthorised demonstration in support of press freedom.
Analysis Lead Story Media News
The Burmese media landscape is blighted by the existence of six imprisoned media workers while the Ministry of Information (MoI) appears driven by an agenda seemingly at odds with a revitalised Burmese media community.
A series of public campaigns for press freedom and the release of jailed reporters are being prepared by media organisations and correspondents across Burma.
The US and British embassies speak out, as do other members of the international community, against the jailing of a DVB reporter and an apparent ongoing government policy of backsliding on media reform.
Lead Story Media News Politics Uncategorized
Burma’s ‘democratic spring’ may be cooling down as progress towards media freedom stagnates, according to the 2014 World Press Freedom Index.
DVB Debate Features Lead Story Video
At a time when Burma is navigating its way through a democratic transition, is it appropriate to give the press free reign or should the media be regulated until the country is more stable?
For the first time in its history, journalists and government officials in Rangoon and Mandalay observed World Press Freedom Day
Paris-based media watchdog says in 2010 Index that nothing has improved in one of the world’s most draconian press environments
Oct 20, 2009 (DVB), The sentencing of Burmese journalists and bloggers in September last year has pushed the country another spot lower in an annual press freedom index. Burma has[…]
Francis WadeMay 4, 2009 (DVB), Yesterday, international media watchdogs and analysts were united in their criticism of the deteriorating state of the world's media. To mark World Press Freedom Day,[…]
Francis WadeMay 4, 2009 (DVB), Yesterday, international media watchdogs and analysts were united in their criticism of the deteriorating state of the world's media. To mark World Press Freedom Day,[…]
Rights groups on Tuesday released a joint report giving the ruling National League for Democracy government abysmal marks on matters related to press freedom and free expression over the party’s first year in power.
International Relations Lead Story News Refugees Rohingya
Bangladesh opens talks with neighbouring Burma on Monday with the aim of securing the return home of more than half a million Rohingya Muslim refugees from Burma, most of whom have arrived since late August.
Lead Story Media News Opinion Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi is treating the press in Burma poorly, and that may impede her efforts to democratise the conflict-wrought country.
Burma rose 12 places in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, amid larger global trends over the past year indicating “that media freedom is under threat now more than ever,” according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which has compiled the index annually since 2002.
The former UN chief said both issues had been discussed with Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.
Arts Culture Feature Features Features (OLD) News
Burma’s artists explore the possibilities of creative life in the post-censorship age
Human Rights Law Lead Story News
Civil society organisations say despite the new Freedom of Association Law passed in June last year, there are still many restrictions that should be dropped.
Burma’s media community is divided over whether to back the country’s government-sponsored Press Council or to push for further reforms.
