Burma’s Isolationalist Regime Launches International TV Station

From our correspondent in Rangoon

Burma’s notoriously isolationalist dictatorship has launched a new 24 hour English language TV station, Myanmar International TV. The station replaces MRTV3, which has been broadcasting globally for many years.

The new TV station features foreign presenters, including one who is apparently English and, perhaps embarrassed by her new employers, only gives her name as Sophie.

Early features on the new TV station included a visit to Burma by the Vietnamese Prime Minister, and a planned Burmese delegation visit to India. As well as news, the station also broadcasts several programmes promoting tourism to Burma, as well as business investment and trade. Programmes also featured the recently expanded international airport in Rangoon, which has two million passengers a year and is served by 16 international airlines. Pop music video’s feature Rangoon’s busy port docks as a backdrop.

China Central Television (CCTV), Cable Networks News (CNN) of the USA, and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) are providing news items for the channel.

Chinese news agency Xinhua reported: “MITV beams reach North America, Europe, Australian, New Zealand, China, India and Indochina regions and arrangements have been made for its round-the-clock programs to cover the whole world.”

Analysts cited the station as yet more evidence of the futility of western and other foreign countries attempting to put pressure on Burma’s generals, who have used foreign investment and trade to double the size of Burma’s army, and who have at least $5bn hidden in bank accounts in Singapore.

“A 24 hour English language TV station being broadcast worldwide via satellite at great expense demonstrates once again that Burma’s generals don’t care about world opinion, and that only uncritical engagement will make a difference,” said one analyst.

Aung Myint Oo, an American author who has visited Burma on many occasions, and who claims that western sanctions reinforce the generals ‘default position’ of isolationalism, was not available for comment.