The Myanmar Times
Encyclopedia
The Myanmar Times is a weekly newspaper based in Bo Aung Kyaw Street
, Yangon
, Burma.
It is published in both English
and Burmese
. The 40-page English version is published on a Monday, while the 68-page Burmese version is published on a Thursday. The Myanmar Times was founded by Ross Dunkley, an Australian, and Sonny Swe (Myat Swe), from Burma, in 2000, making it the only Burmese newspaper to have foreign investment. The newspaper is privately-owned by Myanmar Consolidated Media Co. Ltd. (MCM), which is 51 percent locally owned and 49 percent foreign owned. However, The Myanmar Times is often perceived as being close to the government in part because Sonny Swe’s father, Brigadier General Thein Swe, was a senior member of the now-disbanded Military Intelligence department. Following Sonny Swe’s imprisonment in 2005, another Burmese media entrepreneur, Dr Tin Tun Oo, acquired the locally owned share of MCM in controversial circumstances.
Like all media in Myanmar, The Myanmar Times is heavily censored
by the Ministry of Information’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division
, commonly known as the Press Scrutiny Board. According to CEO Ross Dunkley, on average 20 per cent of the articles submitted to the censorship board are rejected and the gaps are filled with soft news stories.
When it was first established, The Myanmar Times was the only publication in the country to be censored by Military Intelligence, rather than the Press Scrutiny Board. This created some resentment locally, among both the Ministry of Information and other journals. Internationally, the paper has been derided as “sophisticated propaganda” and a public relations tool for more progressive elements in the government, like General Khin Nyunt
, Myanmar's former Prime Minister. However, since Military Intelligence was abolished the paper has been censored by the Press Scrutiny Board. It is also now forced to print government propaganda, albeit under a “State Opinion” banner.
Myanmar Consolidated Media is the largest private media company in Myanmar and employs more than 300 staff and has bureaus in Mandalay
and Naypyidaw
. The paper has a circulation of around 25,000 copies in Burmese and 3,000 copies in English. A January 2008 report said the Burmese edition is the country’s largest circulation newspaper, while the English edition is the only privately owned and operated English-language newspaper in the country.
As well as The Myanmar Times, Myanmar Consolidated Media also publishes Crime Journal, a weekly tabloid, and NOW! Magazine, a weekly fashion, entertainment and celebrity news journal. Foreign shareholders in The Myanmar Times have also acquired a stake in The Phnom Penh Post, a Cambodia
n English-language newspaper.
In December 2009 the English edition celebrated its 500th edition with a 72-page feature.
His arrest and sentencing were generally considered political and linked to his father’s senior position in Military Intelligence, a government body that was purged in 2004 after a power struggle within the military. Following Sonny Swe’s arrest, his stake in The Myanmar Times was transferred to his wife, Yamin Htin Aung, who continued to hold the local share with another investor, Pyone Maung Maung, for almost a year.
However, she was forced by the Ministry of Information to sell her stake to another local media entrepreneur, Dr Tin Tun Oo, whose company, Thuta Swe, publishes four other journals. Dr Tin Tun Oo is the secretary of the Myanmar Writers and Journalists' Association and is believed to have a close relationship with the Ministry of Information. When Myanmar Consolidated Media’s shareholders initially refused to comply with the ministry, rumours circulated that the paper would be shut down. Australia's Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer
reportedly flew to Yangon to intervene, although his office denied this.
The newspaper is still widely referred to as semi-official or government-owned, despite the fact it is run by a private company. When, on January 17, 2011, the state-owned paper The Mirror implied that Tin Tun Oo had taken over as editor-in-chief of MCM, fueling rumors of a power struggle between Ross Dunkley and Tin Tun Oo, it received a formal complaint from the media group.
”, a reference to Burma's head of state. The bogus advertisement appeared to be a call for tourists from Scandinavia and contained the word Ewhsnahtrellik – or “killer Than Shwe” in reverse – as well as a supposed “old Danish poem”, the acrostic of which read “freedom”. The group said it placed the ad to “show that you can find cracks or holes in even the worst regimes”. The controversy made that week’s edition a “best-seller” and copies were sold for two times their face value by local newspaper vendors.
While no serious action was taken against The Myanmar Times for publishing the advertisement, two staff at the Press Scrutiny Board were removed from their positions and copies of the newspaper were pulled from the shelves. The stunt was widely criticised by those in the local media industry but Surrend founder Jan Egesborg defended the group’s prank, saying “we are very sorry for the people ... but if [the authorities] do something like that it says something about the regime”.
. The investors were identified as Ross Dunkley and Bill Clough, an Australian mining and oil and gas entrepreneur. (3) Six months after the takeover, The Phnom Penh Post, which was established by American Michael Hayes in 1991, went from publishing fortnightly to daily.
Bo Aung Kyaw Street
Bo Aung Kyaw Street or Road, formerly Sparks Street is a major street , passing south-north through Kyauktada Township and Botataung Township in southern Yangon, Burma...
, Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
, Burma.
It is published in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
. The 40-page English version is published on a Monday, while the 68-page Burmese version is published on a Thursday. The Myanmar Times was founded by Ross Dunkley, an Australian, and Sonny Swe (Myat Swe), from Burma, in 2000, making it the only Burmese newspaper to have foreign investment. The newspaper is privately-owned by Myanmar Consolidated Media Co. Ltd. (MCM), which is 51 percent locally owned and 49 percent foreign owned. However, The Myanmar Times is often perceived as being close to the government in part because Sonny Swe’s father, Brigadier General Thein Swe, was a senior member of the now-disbanded Military Intelligence department. Following Sonny Swe’s imprisonment in 2005, another Burmese media entrepreneur, Dr Tin Tun Oo, acquired the locally owned share of MCM in controversial circumstances.
Like all media in Myanmar, The Myanmar Times is heavily censored
Censorship in Burma
Censorship in Burma refers to government policies in controlling and regulating certain information, particularly on religious, ethnic, political, and moral grounds...
by the Ministry of Information’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division
Press Scrutiny and Registration Division
The Press Scrutiny and Registration Division is a division under the Ministry of Information, responsible for censorship of media in Burma today. Its current director is Major Tint Swe. PSRD censors all forms of media, ranging from publications such as newspapers and magazines and other published...
, commonly known as the Press Scrutiny Board. According to CEO Ross Dunkley, on average 20 per cent of the articles submitted to the censorship board are rejected and the gaps are filled with soft news stories.
When it was first established, The Myanmar Times was the only publication in the country to be censored by Military Intelligence, rather than the Press Scrutiny Board. This created some resentment locally, among both the Ministry of Information and other journals. Internationally, the paper has been derided as “sophisticated propaganda” and a public relations tool for more progressive elements in the government, like General Khin Nyunt
Khin Nyunt
General Khin Nyunt is an officer and politician in Myanmar. Khin Nyunt is of Burmese Chinese descent. He held the office of Chief of Intelligence and was Prime Minister from 25 August 2003 until 18 October 2004. He is married to Khin Win Shwe, a medical doctor, and father to a daughter, Thin Le Le...
, Myanmar's former Prime Minister. However, since Military Intelligence was abolished the paper has been censored by the Press Scrutiny Board. It is also now forced to print government propaganda, albeit under a “State Opinion” banner.
Myanmar Consolidated Media is the largest private media company in Myanmar and employs more than 300 staff and has bureaus in Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
and Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw is the capital city of Burma, also known as Myanmar. It is administered as the Naypyidaw Union Territory, as per the 2008 Constitution. On 6 November 2005, the administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a greenfield 3.2 km west of Pyinmana, and approximately...
. The paper has a circulation of around 25,000 copies in Burmese and 3,000 copies in English. A January 2008 report said the Burmese edition is the country’s largest circulation newspaper, while the English edition is the only privately owned and operated English-language newspaper in the country.
As well as The Myanmar Times, Myanmar Consolidated Media also publishes Crime Journal, a weekly tabloid, and NOW! Magazine, a weekly fashion, entertainment and celebrity news journal. Foreign shareholders in The Myanmar Times have also acquired a stake in The Phnom Penh Post, a Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n English-language newspaper.
In December 2009 the English edition celebrated its 500th edition with a 72-page feature.
Ownership
Co-founder of The Myanmar Times and Deputy CEO Sonny Swe was arrested on November 26, 2004. In April 2005 he was given a 14-year jail sentence for publishing the papers without approval from the Ministry of Information’s Press Scrutiny Board. The charges were imposed retroactively after Military Intelligence was declared an illegal organisation, which in turn meant The Myanmar Times had been effectively publishing uncensored material since its launch. He received jail terms of seven years for each edition. Sonny Swe is now serving his sentence at Lashio prison in northern Shan State.His arrest and sentencing were generally considered political and linked to his father’s senior position in Military Intelligence, a government body that was purged in 2004 after a power struggle within the military. Following Sonny Swe’s arrest, his stake in The Myanmar Times was transferred to his wife, Yamin Htin Aung, who continued to hold the local share with another investor, Pyone Maung Maung, for almost a year.
However, she was forced by the Ministry of Information to sell her stake to another local media entrepreneur, Dr Tin Tun Oo, whose company, Thuta Swe, publishes four other journals. Dr Tin Tun Oo is the secretary of the Myanmar Writers and Journalists' Association and is believed to have a close relationship with the Ministry of Information. When Myanmar Consolidated Media’s shareholders initially refused to comply with the ministry, rumours circulated that the paper would be shut down. Australia's Foreign Minister
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In common with international practice, the office is often informally referred to as Foreign Minister...
Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
reportedly flew to Yangon to intervene, although his office denied this.
The newspaper is still widely referred to as semi-official or government-owned, despite the fact it is run by a private company. When, on January 17, 2011, the state-owned paper The Mirror implied that Tin Tun Oo had taken over as editor-in-chief of MCM, fueling rumors of a power struggle between Ross Dunkley and Tin Tun Oo, it received a formal complaint from the media group.
Killer Than Shwe advertisement
In July 2007, a Danish group named Surrend placed an advertisement in The Myanmar Times’ English edition that contained the concealed messages “freedom” and “killer Than ShweThan Shwe
Senior General Than Shwe is a Burmese military leader and politician who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011. During the period, he held key positions of power including commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and head of Union Solidarity and...
”, a reference to Burma's head of state. The bogus advertisement appeared to be a call for tourists from Scandinavia and contained the word Ewhsnahtrellik – or “killer Than Shwe” in reverse – as well as a supposed “old Danish poem”, the acrostic of which read “freedom”. The group said it placed the ad to “show that you can find cracks or holes in even the worst regimes”. The controversy made that week’s edition a “best-seller” and copies were sold for two times their face value by local newspaper vendors.
While no serious action was taken against The Myanmar Times for publishing the advertisement, two staff at the Press Scrutiny Board were removed from their positions and copies of the newspaper were pulled from the shelves. The stunt was widely criticised by those in the local media industry but Surrend founder Jan Egesborg defended the group’s prank, saying “we are very sorry for the people ... but if [the authorities] do something like that it says something about the regime”.
Banned for one week
In January 2008, The Myanmar Times’ Myanmar-language edition was banned from publishing for one week. The ban was imposed by the Press Scrutiny Board after the newspaper’s editors published a story on January 11 about satellite licence fees, despite being warned not to do so. The ban was subsequently condemned by Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association. In the following week’s English edition, CEO Ross Dunkley defended the article as “good journalism” and denied that he had been told to sack four editors. However, he did announce an editorial “reshuffle” and the creation of an Editorial Steering Committee to both “safeguard the company from conflict with the authorities” and “plan improvements and expansion”.Arrest of Ross Dunkley
On February 10, 2011, Ross Dunkley, the founder and editor-in-chief of the weekly, was arrested and charged with breaching immigration law by assaulting a sex worker. He was released on bail on 29 March, but the case continues. On 13 February 2011, after Dunkley's arrest, Dr. Tin Tun Oo of Swesone Media and Mr Bill Clough of Far Eastern Consolidated Media (FECM) were appointed as editors-in-chief of the Burmese and English language editions.Links with The Phnom Penh Post
In late 2007 investors in Myanmar Consolidated Media took a controlling interest in well-regarded English-language newspaper The Phnom Penh Post, based in CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. The investors were identified as Ross Dunkley and Bill Clough, an Australian mining and oil and gas entrepreneur. (3) Six months after the takeover, The Phnom Penh Post, which was established by American Michael Hayes in 1991, went from publishing fortnightly to daily.