Exploring the Burmese Media: Understanding Media Training and Audience Needs

BBC Media Action formed a partnership to undertake audience research with young people inside Burma. The project enabled young volunteers to engage in peer-to-peer research in urban centres as well as conduct research with rural youth populations, a particularly hard-to-access and under-researched group in Burma. The research aimed to inform the production of a youth-focused radio programme, Lin Lait Kyair Sin, as well as BBC Media Action's work to: stimulate discussion on social and civic issues; support the state broadcaster MRTV during its transition to public service broadcaster; and build capacity of local journalists through online and face-to-face training for Burmese journalists based inside and outside of the country. The Burma Horizon project is funded by the United States (US) State Department and the Oak Foundation.

"BBC Media Action undertook research to inform the project’s programming and training outputs. The research explored the conditions under which Burmese journalists work, including the practicalities of operating as a journalist and the current level of journalism skills and training needs in the country. In-depth interviews were conducted with Burmese media experts and practitioners, and a questionnaire was administered to the 100 journalism trainees.

Discussions and participatory exercises were conducted with 15 groups of young people (five groups in urban and 10 in rural areas across Burma) to explore their lifestyles, outlook and news sources. Young people were asked about their media habits and what their ideal radio programme would sound like and gave feedback on a pilot episode of the programme."

Findings include the following:

• "Participants felt the media landscape in Burma is subject to high levels of regulation, a lack of freedom of expression and strict censorship. This has had an impact on the way in which journalists inside Burma can operate and how journalists outside Burma access and receive news and information from inside."
• "Most journalists worked in print media, and there were a variety of training needs which depended upon a journalist’s background, skill and motivation. Their needs differed depending on whether they were working inside Burma or outside, in the exiled media." 
• "Young people in Burma consumed news and information and trusted media broadcasters in different ways depending on their location. Whereas all rural youth listened to radio, most urban youth did not. Urban youth were much more likely to get news from multiple forms of media and multiple broadcasters, but rural youth had less access to news and used few media sources. Both groups identified education, justice and rights or opportunities as the most important issues to be covered in a radio programme aimed at people like them. Young people said they would like a programme which has a youth-oriented style, content and presentation with useful, practical information."

The research confirmed a need for training, especially in radio production. Most journalists worked in "print media and had little experience of working in radio production, which impacts on the co-ordination and targeting of training." Researchers also suggested ideas for programme content, as well as development and style. The audience research data on young people's attitudes and their outlook on Burma  is aimed to inform future projects.