INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TRANSITION: A CASE - STUDY FROM MYANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES - INTERNEWS
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INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TRANSITION: A CASE STudY FROM MYANMAR HOw TO INFORM, EMpOwER, ANd IMpACT COMMuNITIES Mon State, Myanmar Pilot Study Part tWO: additiOnal data analySiS
ABOuT THE AuTHORS ABOuT THE RESEARCH TEAM ExECuTIvE SuMMARY
Andrew Wasuwongse is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Established in 1995, Myanmar Survey Research (MSR)
University’s School of Advanced International Studies in is a market and social research company based in
Washington, DC. He holds a master’s degree in International Yangon, Myanmar. MSR has produced over 650
Relations and International Economics, with a concentration research reports in the fields of social, market, and
in Southeast Asia Studies. While a research assistant for environmental research over the past 16 years for UN
the SAIS Burma Study Group, he supported visits by three agencies, INGOs, and business organizations.
Burmese government delegations to Washington, DC,
including officials from Myanmar’s Union Parliament, ABOuT INTERNEwS IN MYANMAR
Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Industry. He has worked
as a consultant for World Vision Myanmar, where he led an Internews is an international nonprofit organization whose
assessment of education programs in six regions across mission is to empower local media worldwide to give people
Myanmar, and has served as an English teacher in Kachin the news and information they need, the ability to connect
State, Myanmar, and in Thailand on the Thai-Myanmar border. and the means to make their voices heard. Internews
He speaks Thai and Burmese. provides communities with the resources to produce local
news and information with integrity and independence.
Alison Campbell is currently Internews’ Senior Director With global expertise and reach, Internews trains both media
for Global Initiatives based in Washington, DC, overseeing professionals and citizen journalists, introduces innovative
Internews’ environmental, health and humanitarian media solutions, increases coverage of vital issues and helps
programs. She recently relocated to the US from Asia, establish policies needed for open access to information.
where she founded Internews Burma project in 2001, started
the Internews Burma Journalism School and has been The Internews Burma project opened its doors in January 2001
deeply involved in the recent exciting developments in the and has worked for the last 14 years to strengthen the capacity
M
media scene in Burma/Myanmar over the last few years. of Burmese media outlets both inside the country and within yanmar’s recent relaxing of political, The report draws from quantitative and qualitative
With a background in both journalism and humanitarian the exiled and international Burmese media community. Over research commissioned by the Internews Center for
the years Internews has provided comprehensive support economic, and social restrictions has
relief, she specializes in the design and troubleshooting
Innovation & Learning (the Center) from December 16,
of media projects in conflict, post conflict, peace building for Burmese and ethnic language publications, websites, provided a unique opportunity to conduct
and other transitional environments. Alison has worked bloggers, broadcasters, editors, managers and publishers. 2012 to January 5, 2013 in Mon State, Myanmar. The
This support includes training and mentoring in reporting on
research in Myanmar’s ethnic states. This report on research sampled respondents from across Mon State,
in various capacities for Internews over the last 15 years,
most recently as Regional Manager for Africa Programs environment, human rights, elections, gender, policy issues, Mon State’s information ecosystem is the first in a and combines quantitative data from a 500 household
overseeing projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda, media management, media law, small grants and technical
planned series of studies into the demographic, news survey covering urban, rural, non-conflict, and former
Uganda and South Sudan. She also established the support for publishing and production. As part of this program, conflict areas, with qualitative data from 12 focus
Internews program at the International Criminal Tribunal for Internews operated the first in-residence journalism school media, and information dynamics that characterize
group discussions and 24 key informant interviews in
Rwanda, providing a foundation for the important work that for Burmese and ethnic reporters in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Mon State as well as Myanmar’s six other ethnic
Internews still does in Rwanda. Before joining Internews, school trained hundreds of journalists and media professionals, both non-conflict and former conflict areas.
Alison worked in radio, print and television newsrooms and equipped a new generation of Burmese and ethnic media states—Chin, Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Kayin
in South Africa and in the UK before spending four years professionals with the skills to work full-time. Internews trained (Karen), Rakhine (Arakan), and Shan. The research focuses on three themes. Firstly, it
as a press officer for CARE, managing press relations and and provided technical and financial support to more than identifies and maps the information environment
policy in humanitarian emergencies including Rwanda, 15 different local organizations, both along the border and An information ecosystem is not a static entity; it is in Mon State in terms of technology and media
inside the country. These organizations have gone on
Burundi, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Bosnia. by nature constantly evolving and changing. Nor is it use across urban, rural, non-conflict, and former
to play leading roles in disseminating quality news and
information about Burma to the world and to the Burmese a discrete form; it can be defined at many levels, from conflict geographic areas. Secondly, the flow of news
COvER pHOTO population alike. Internews’ work in Myanmar continues global to national to community to interest-based and information is examined to see how individuals
today, and has expanded beyond support for traditional groupings within communities. Any examination of receive information and then make decisions about
A villager reads a journal at a tea shop in
media to include the country’s first-ever hackathon in an information ecosystem goes beyond traditional sharing it with others. Thirdly, the report examines
Ye Township, Kaw Dut Village.
2014, which brought together 76 of the country’s most audience research on media access and consumption; the dynamics underlying the trust and influence of
talented young developers, designers and entrepreneurs.
it adds considerations of information needs and news and information among individuals in Mon
www.internews.org information creation and distribution as fluid systems State.
that adapt and regenerate according to the broader
developmental challenges and needs of a given
community.
1
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS
ExECuTIvE SuMMARY
dESpITE THE HIgH COST OF MOBIlE ACCESS IN In this study, news and information sources that are It is true to say that media content and media and
considered trusted—with trustworthiness defined in
MYANMAR AT THE TIME OF THIS RESEARCH, terms of a source’s accuracy and reliability—tended
information channels will always be primary factors
of supply in any information ecosystem. However, it is
NEARlY HAlF OF All uRBAN MON STATE strongly to be the sources that were best-known and necessary to guard against drawing conclusions about
RESpONdENTS HAvE A MOBIlE pHONE familiar to respondents. Few people indeed trust what media access and “openness” based on a “production
they are not familiar with. As a result, friends and family + distribution = better informed citizenry” model
ranked highest for trust, but perhaps surprisingly, so did that cannot adequately account for the quality of the
state-owned media, such as MRTV (jointly-operated information available, or flow, trust and uptake factors
with the private Forever Group Ltd.) and Nay Pyi in complex environments.
There can be few places left in the world where almost The research indicates that, despite the high cost of Daw Myanmar Radio National Service (Nay Pyi Daw
half the population does not know what the internet is. mobile access in Myanmar at the time of this research, Myanma Ah-Than). Overall, however, people in Mon In Myanmar today there exists the risk that under
The Mon State pilot research has particular value in nearly half of all urban Mon State respondents have State remain generally skeptical of the news they hear, the guise of increased media access, the formerly
attempting to describe the information ecosystem of a a mobile phone. This penetration would have been a habit held-over from a time when information sources “information dark” ecosystems which prevailed
target community situated at an unprecedented tipping unthinkable just a few years ago. Nevertheless, were few and rumors abundant. Most people regularly across much of the country under military rule
point in the history of a closed society. Key structural widespread lack of electricity continues to significantly validate the news and information they hear against may be seamlessly replaced with “information lite”
factors (governance, technology, economy) are hamper full mobile phone usage. Furthermore, only other sources, never fully trusting any source completely. ecosystems in which unsophisticated media audiences
changing suddenly, simultaneously exerting profound 2% of mobile phone users in Mon State use their consume primarily entertainment and “managed”
change in the ways in which citizens access and use phones to access the Internet. In the urban areas of Findings around the reach and impact of formerly news content. This sleight of hand would replicate
information. Whilst experience drawn from other Mon State, TV has replaced radio as the main source exiled (pro-democracy) media indicated little the information ecosystems of the “disciplined
political transitions may be indicative of future trends of news and information. However in rural locations, awareness of exiled print media. However, there is a democracies” of Singapore, Malaysia and China - to
in Myanmar, there has rarely been an opportunity to qualitative interviews indicated that TV is mainly used solid recognition of shortwave international Burmese which Myanmar aspires - by (at best) doing nothing
track and chart such sudden and extreme change, and as an entertainment medium, not to access news and language services, and strikingly high recognition for to foster the development of an informed citizenry
establish a baseline before social media and other forces information. However, a large proportion of Mon State Democratic Voice of Burma TV. and (at worst) perpetuating state influence over the
disrupt and transform the information environment. residents do not watch TV at all. Nearly half of the architecture of public information and discourse.
total sample said they had never watched TV (46%). Serious consideration needs to be given to the more
Some of the key findings of this report are consistent nuanced, and perhaps less rosy outlook brought to For those who wish to see an increase in both the
with the current image of Myanmar opening its doors In rural and former conflict areas, radio is the most the surface by the ecosystem research responses quantity and quality of content feeding into local
and airwaves to a brave new influx of information. common source. Once information enters a community on trust. Not only did state-owned radio show up information ecosystems as a way of enhancing
More frequently there emerges a mixed picture as to however, its flow is overwhelmingly face-to-face sharing as significantly better recognized and trusted than development or democracy/governance goals, it will
access, and some thought-provoking findings around through word of mouth. Moreover, this information flow the international stations, but qualitative research be important to temper runaway excitement about
trust and flow of information. largely takes place in the home (78% of respondents), revealed mixed or decreased trust in foreign news Myanmar’s “opening” with an understanding of some
and to immediate friends and family. Indeed, only sources. This is primarily due to strong perceptions of the constraints and idiosyncrasies in the country’s
28% of respondents saw themselves as a source of among some respondents of biased reporting on the national and local information ecosystems. It is the
news for the greater community, indicating that most conflict between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine contention of this paper that a better understanding
information exchange tends to stay close to home. State by foreign news media. of the information ecosystem of any given community
or population will be helpful in developing holistic
strategies that harness dynamics in that ecosystem to
improve the chances of information actually reaching
its destination.
2 3
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS
TABlE OF CONTENTS uSE OF MEdIA & TECHNOlOgY
ExECuTIvE SuMMARY 1 INFORMATION FlOwS 17
67% 66% FIGURE 1
uSE OF MEdIA & TECHNOlOgY 5 infOrMatiOn ACCESS TO MEDIA DEVICES IN MON STATE
flOWS: Key findingS 17
(PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SAMPLE THAT HAD
USe Of Media and technOlOgy: Key findingS 5 Key infOrMatiOn SOUrceS 18 59% THE FOLLOWING IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD)
acceSS tO Media deViceS – Where dOeS infOrMatiOn eXchange haPPen? 22
MOBile highly ValUed 6
tyPeS Of neWS and infOrMatiOn Shared 23
liMited acceSSiBility tO electricity
iMPactS USe – tWO thirdS MOSt PeOPle Share neWS 25%
Of MOn State are nOt cOnnected tO the grid 7 infreQUently OUtSide Of the hOUSehOld 24
teleViSiOn – half Of MOn State Key infOrMatiOn diSSeMinatOrS 24
reSidentS haVe neVer Watched 8
uNdERSTANdINg TRuST & INFluENCE 25 6%
4% 4%
alMOSt all Watch tV in their OWn hOMe 2% 2% 1%
Or in the hOMe Of faMily Or neighBOrS 9 UnderStanding trUSt and inflUence: Key
dOMeStic tV StatiOnS findingS 25 DVD/VCD TV RADIO MOBILE MP3 LANDLINE DIGITAL INTERNET COMPUTER TABLET
PLAYER PHONE PLAYER PHONE CAMERA PC
are the MOSt POPUlar 9 MOSt trUSted SOUrceS BASE: 500 RESPONDENTS
tV iS USed Mainly tend tO Be the MOSt Well-KnOWn 26
tO Watch MOVieS in rUral areaS 10 trUSt in eXiled/diaSPOra Media 27
radiO 11 ValidatiOn Of neWS thrOUgh
MOBile PhOneS 13 triangUlatiOn iS eSSential 29 ∞ In former conflict areas, radio is the main
infOrMatiOn flOW MaPPing 29 uSE OF MEdIA ANd preferred technology source for news and
Falling prices, increasing access 13 TECHNOlOgY: KEY FINdINgS information.
Networks 14 ∞ 90% or more of radio listeners have heard of the
Most people only use mobile phones to make calls 14 BBC, VOA, and RFA radio stations, but only 60%
Cost is a main barrier to mobile phone use 14
∞ 67% of respondents in Mon State have a TV and have listened to programs on them.
DVD/VCD player in their home. ∞ 100% of radio listeners have heard of Nay
Mobile phone use in former conflict areas 14
∞ TV use is highest in urban areas. In rural or Pyi Daw Myanmar Radio National Service,
internet 15
former conflict areas, access to TV stations Myanmar’s state-run national radio service. 98%
Print Media 15 without a satellite connection is either have listened to its programs.
challenging or not possible. ∞ Two other domestic radio stations are highly
∞ Radio use has declined in Mon State overall as popular, Padauk Myay and Shwe FM. Each are
access to TV and electricity has improved. known by close to 90% of radio listeners and
∞ 77% of the sample did not have access to grid- listened to by over 80%.
connected electricity. ∞ Weekly journals and newspapers are typically
∞ 21% of respondents own a mobile phone. 54% of only available in towns, and rarely in villages.
all urban respondents have a mobile phone in ∞ 98% of respondents have never used the Internet.
their household, while 47% own one themselves. Over 70% either do not know what the Internet is
∞ Only 2% of mobile phone users use their phones or do not know how to use it.
to access the Internet.
4 5
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART ONE: RESE ARCH FINDINGS
uSE OF MEdIA & TECHNOlOgY
FIGURE 2
ACCESS TO MEDIA DEVICES FIGURE 3
(WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU HAVE WORKING IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?) HOUSEHOLD ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
(WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU HAVE WORKING IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?)
NON-CONFLICT CONFLICT (FORMER) URBAN RURAL
58%
69% DVD/VCD 50% 85% DVD/VCD 62% MAINS ELECTRICITY GENERATOR
PLAYER PLAYER
68% TV 46% 83% TV 62%
26%
RADIO MOBILE 23% 23% 23%
60% 48% 54% 18% 21%
PHONE
15% 15%
MOBILE
14% RADIO 61% 10%
26% 49%
PHONE
2%
MP3 MP3
6% 6% 15% PLAYER 4%
PLAYER
TOTAL SAMPLE URBAN RURAL NON-CONFLICT FORMER CONFLICT
5% LANDLINE 0% 13% LANDLINE 2%
Base: 100 urban respondents, 400 rural; 450 non-conflict, 50 former conflict area respondents
PHONE PHONE
4% DIGITAL
CAMERA
8% 6% INTERNET 1%
lIMITEd ACCESSIBIlITY
TO ElECTRICITY IMpACTS
uSE – TwO THIRdS
DIGITAL
2% INTERNET 0% 6% 4%
CAMERA
OF MON STATE ARE NOT
2% COMPUTER 2% 4% COMPUTER 1%
CONNECTEd TO THE gRId
0.4% TABLET PC 2% 1% TABLET PC 1% Access to a regular electricity supply remains a
critical infrastructure issue affecting Myanmar’s
Base: 450 non-conflict, 50 former conflict area respondents Base: 100 urban respondents, 400 rural development, and has a strong impact on the access
and use of new technology and media by respondents
in Mon State. It is an important factor in explaining
ACCESS TO MEdIA dEvICES –
“ AS
the differences in technology use between urban and
utility of mobile phones, over half (54%) of urban
ElECTRICITY SupplY
MOBIlE HIgHlY vAluEd respondents had access to a device in their home. In rural respondents.
BECOMES REgulAR, pEOplE
rural communities with even poorer accessibility, 18%
Across the state as might be expected there is significant have access to a mobile phone. Of all respondents surveyed only 32% reported that MAINlY wATCH Tv. pEOplE
variability in the levels of access to media devices,
ranging from the urban parts of non-conflict areas Use of technology and access to media devices varied
their communities had access to grid-connected
electricity, and only one quarter of these had access
IN plACES wITHOuT
down to rural former conflict areas broadly mirroring across urban and rural locations and non-conflict and in their homes. Close to three-quarters reported ElECTRICITY lISTEN TO THE
relative levels of affluence. Perhaps reflecting the great former conflict areas. In urban areas, use of all devices access to electricity by generator (72%), while almost RAdIO."
value of mobile communications and a clear signal was predictably higher than in rural areas, with the one-quarter reported access to electricity in their U r b a n r e s p o n d e n t,
of the future, despite the high expense and limited exception of radios, as seen in Figure 2. communities by solar power (22%). Z ay ya r M o n W a r d , K ya i K H t o t o W n s H i p
6 7
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART ONE: RESE ARCH FINDINGS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISfamily members and
neighbors watch a movie
on tV through Sky net
uSE OF MEdIA ANd TECHNOlOgY
TElEvISION – HAlF AlMOST All wATCH Tv FIGURE 6
FIGURE 4
COMMUNITY ELECTRICITY SUPPLY OF MON STATE RESIdENTS IN THEIR OwN HOME THINK ABOUT THE TV WHERE YOU GET NEWS
(WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU HAVE WORKING IN YOUR HAvE NEvER wATCHEd OR IN THE HOME AND INFORMATION MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU.
WHERE IS THIS TV LOCATED?
HOUSEHOLD?)
A large proportion of Mon State residents do not OF FAMIlY OR NEIgHBORS OTHER MONASTERY OR TEMPLE
URBAN RURAL
watch TV at all. Nearly half of the total sample said
76% 74,5% IN A TEA SHOP IN A SHOP
they had never watched TV (46%). The least frequent Nearly all respondents who used TV as a news and
60% viewers were respondents in former conflict areas, of information source watched TV either in their own 1%
whom 70% had never watched TV, followed by rural home, another family member’s home, or in the home NEIGHBOR’S 4% 2% 1%
respondents (51%). of a neighbor (92%). Only 4% relied on a TV in a tea HOME
30%
shop for their source of news, while the remaining 4% 13%
21% 20,3%
The most frequent reason cited was a lack of interest. reported that the TV they relied on was in a temple,
Among urban respondents, lack of interest accounted shop, or other location. Compared to urban and non-
for 84% of responses. Respondents who had never conflict area respondents, individuals living in rural
ELECTRICITY VIA ELECTRICITY BY ELECTRICITY BY
MAINS SUPPLY GENERATOR SOLAR POWER watched TV were predominantly female (65%), and former conflict area were slightly more dependent 14%
65%
Base: 100 urban respondents, 400 rural employed (59%), working at least 30 hours per week on sources outside the home to watch TV, but only by
(68%), lower middle class (76%), and possessing less a margin of 5-10%.
NON-CONFLICT CONFLICT (FORMER) than a middle school-level education (80%).
73%
58% 58% Other frequently cited reasons for not watching TV NO ELECTRICITY FOR OTHER OTHER FAMILY AT HOME
MEMBER’S
were the lack of a TV signal, prohibitive cost, or the A TV
HOME Base: 270 respondents who watch TV
35%
lack of electricity. The inability to watch TV because 1%
CAN’T AFFORD
18% of a lack of signal was highest in former conflict areas A TV 4%
(29%) and rural communities (27%). Cost was also dOMESTIC Tv STATIONS
2% a main factor. Among respondents living in former ARE THE MOST pOpulAR
conflict areas, 43% reported they did not watch TV 23%
because they could not afford to buy one, while 24% of
ELECTRICITY VIA ELECTRICITY BY ELECTRICITY BY
MAINS SUPPLY GENERATOR SOLAR POWER Among TV stations, four stations, all domestic, were
FIGURE 5
Base: 450 non-conflict area respondents, 50 for conflict area rural respondents reported the same. recognized by nearly all respondents in Mon State
WHAT IS THE MAIN
who watched TV—Myanmar Television (MRTV),
REASON YOU DO NOT
Myawaddy Television (MWD), Sky Net satellite TV,
WATCH TV?
and MRTV 4. Each station was recognized by 90%
or more of TV watchers. The foreign TV stations
48%
24%
most recognized by TV watchers were DVB Burmese
(71%), BBC World News (63%), VOA Burmese and RFA
Burmese (each 59%).
NO INTEREST IN TV
NO TV SIGNAL
Base: 230 respondents who do not watch TV
8 9
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISuSE OF MEdIA ANd TECHNOlOgY
“ CAN
BECAuSE wE HAvE A Tv, wE
SHOw MOvIES TO OuR
RAdIO
Most respondents who use the radio listened to a radio
guESTS ANd FRIENdS." program within the past week (61%). Responses were
r U r a l r e s p o n d e n t, highest among rural respondents (65%), compared
M o K e K a M a U t V i l l a g e , K ya i K H t o t o W n s H i p
to urban respondents (43%), and among non-conflict
area respondents (62%), compared to former conflict
“ wE wATCH Tv BECAuSE
wE wANT TO ACCESS
area respondents (50%).
Of those who had never listened to a radio program,
INFORMATION ABOuT OuR the percentage was highest in urban areas (44%),
COuNTRY." followed by former conflict areas (36%), non-conflict
areas (26%), and rural areas (23%). Of the total
r U r a l r e s p o n d e n t,
yo g o V i l l ag e , M aW l a My i n e toW n s H i p sample, close to one third of respondents (27%) had
community members watch a movie in a village video theater never listened to the radio.
Tv IS uSEd MAINlY “ EvEN THOugH wE ARE
ABlE TO RECEIvE THE MRTv
Echoing a pattern of low engagement, the primary
reason almost all urban respondents cited for not
TO wATCH MOvIES STATION HERE, MOST pEOplE listening to the radio was a lack of interest.
IN RuRAl AREAS dON'T wATCH IT." In rural areas, about two-thirds of those who did not
F o r M e r c o n F l i c t a r e a r e s p o n d e n t, listen to the radio said it was due to a lack of interest,
In former conflict areas, qualitative respondents pa l ain g Kee V ill ag e , y e toWns Hip
while the remaining third said they could not afford to
said their villages typically had electricity from buy one. Although the price for a radio ranged between
6-10pm each day, and this was the time when most 2,500 and 7,000 kyats ($3 and $8 USD) at the time
people turned on their TVs. Households that owned of research, price combined with cost and necessity
generators watched TV until late at night, mostly to travel to the nearest town to buy one put personal
watching movies or listening to music. Many of these radios out of reach for about 20% of all former conflict
households had a TV but no antenna to enable them to radios for sale in a shop in Mawlamyine town area respondents.
watch either local or foreign stations. One respondent
mentioned that some TV owners are able to access
more than 70 channels from Myanmar and around
the world with a satellite connection.
Qualitative research indicated that as access to TV and
“ IFOR
lISTEN TO THE RAdIO duRINg THE RAINY SEASON
THE wEATHER. IT IS BROAdCASTEd pROMpTlY.
electricity in Mon State has improved, radio use has FOR Tv, SOMETIMES wE HAvE BlACKOuTS ANd IT IS
declined. Respondents reported that radio listeners INCONvENIENT TO TuRN ON THE gENERATOR. IT IS IMpORTANT
are now primarily those who cannot afford to buy a TO KNOw ABOuT STORMS, SO I lISTEN TO THE RAdIO
TV, the elderly who still prefer the radio, or villagers in
remote communities where TV reception is poor and ONlY FOR wEATHER REpORTS. RAdIO IS gOOd FOR THAT."
there is little or no electricity. U r b a n r e s p o n d e n t, Z a r ya r M o n W a r d , K ya i K H t o t o W n s H i p
10 11
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISuSE OF MEdIA ANd TECHNOlOgY
FIGURE 7
RADIO STATIONS MOST RECOGNIZED AND LISTENED TO IN MON STATE “ THE FAMIlIES wHO HAvE
SONS ANd dAugHTERS
HEARD OF THE STATION LISTENED TO THE STATION wORKINg ABROAd ARE
100%
NAY PYI DAW
MYANMAR RADIO 98% NOw BuYINg THAI MOBIlE
NATIONAL SERVICE
pHONES TO STAY IN TOuCH
96%
BBC WORLD
SERVICE
62% wITH THEIR FAMIlY
PADAUK MYAY RADIO
MEMBERS."
93% STATION
81%
F o r M e r c o n F l i c t a r e a r e s p o n d e n t, K a W d U t
Vill age , ye toWnsHip
VOICE OF AMERICA 61%
91%
(VOA)
Mobile phone shop Mawlamyaing - Pan Bae dan Ward
90% RADIO FREE ASIA 60%
(RFA) the purchase of phones by paying in installments
SHWE FM
MOBIlE pHONES which had increased phone ownership.
89% 85%
Qualitative respondents agreed that communication
65% YANGON CITY 33% FAllINg pRICES, INCREASINg ACCESS has vastly improved from previous years. The
89.0 FM
Use of mobile phones has increased primarily due installation of more mobile phone towers has made
57% MANDALAY CITY 19%
to large decreases in SIM card prices, together with reception better and improved communication in
87.9 FM
slowly improving network coverage in recent years. As areas that were previously without any reception.
recently as 2010, the cost of a mobile phone SIM card
51% DEMOCRATIC VOICE 51%
OF BURMA (DVB) was equal to about $2,500 USD. At the time of research, Respondents also described how mobile phones
NAY PYI DAW the price had fallen to $230. With the introduction of are becoming more popular in Myanmar as cheap
43% MYANMAR RADIO 45% SIM cards costing as little as 1,500 kyats ($2 USD) by handsets, particularly ones made in China, are now
98.0 FM (IN YANGON)
the government in April 2013, mobile phone use stands available for 20,000 Kyats ($20 USD). While richer
33% OTHER 93% to increase much more. However, because the supply urban families prefer to use name-brand smartphones
introduced by the government was insufficient to meet with touch screens and Internet access, the average
FEB MYANMAR
existing high demand, these low-cost SIM cards have mobile phone user used a Chinese handset that did
22% 56%
RADIO been found selling on the black market for as much not support Internet access. On average, minute top-
as 70,000 kyats ($70 USD). In qualitative interviews, up cards could be purchased for 10,000 Kyats, and
20% ALL INDIA RADIO 72% respondents reported a recent change which enabled depending on use, could last up to three months.
(AIR)
“ YEARS AgO wE HAd TO gO TO [THE NEAREST TOwN] TO uSE
19% ABC/RADIO 62%
AUSTRALIA
16%
CHINA RADIO
63%
MOBIlE pHONES. NOw wE CAN uSE THEM IN OuR vIllAgE.
IN OuR OpINION THE COMMuNICATION SYSTEMS ARE MORE
INTERNATIONAL
(CRI) - BEIJING Base: 364 respondents who listen to the radio
dEvElOpEd THAN BEFORE."
r U r a l r e s p o n d e n t, M o K e K a M a U t V i l l a g e , K ya i K H t o t o W n s H i p
12 13
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISuSE OF MEdIA ANd TECHNOlOgY
NETwORKS COST IS A MAIN BARRIER TO MOBIlE pHONE uSE pRINT MEdIA
The majority of mobile phone users in Mon State Of respondents who did not use a mobile phone 77%
connect to a Burmese network. In rural areas along said the reason was because they could not afford to Many magazines, daily newspapers, and weekly
the border with Thailand, however, respondents made buy one. Among other reasons for not using mobile news journals are currently available in Mon State,
use of Thai mobile phones and access to the Thai phones, 8% of respondents said they did not use one providing news and information about local, national,
mobile network. 12% of rural mobile phone users because they did not have a network in their area, and international events. Qualitative respondents
used a phone on a Thai network. Burmese with family while former conflict areas held the largest percentage noted government newspapers such as The Mirror
members working abroad also purchased Thai mobile of respondents who either did not know how to use and The New Light of Myanmar were the only sources
phones to communicate with their loved ones. a mobile phone (14%) or had no interest in mobile of information in the past, but now a large number
phones (14%). of publications exist. Respondents mentioned that
MOST pEOplE ONlY uSE MOBIlE internet access is available in most urban areas, but people living
journals were more interesting than newspapers
pHONES TO MAKE CAllS DON’T KNOW HOW HAVE A LANDLINE, in rural or former conflict areas have to go to the nearest town. because they had better news, better writing, as well
TO USE SO DON’T NEED as pictures and graphics, which added value to the
NO MOBILE CAN’T AFFORD news content.
FIGURE 8
HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE A MOBILE PHONE
NETWORK
IN MY AREA 1%
TO CHARGE ONE INTERNET
FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING? 5% Of the sample, 36% said they used newspapers,
8%
Internet access is available in most urban areas, but magazines, and journals as an information source.
ONCE
A
LESS THAN
ONCE A people living in rural or former conflict areas have to Use of print media was highest among urban
DAILY WEEK WEEK go to the nearest town. respondents (61%) compared to rural respondents
9% FIGURE 9
(30%), and lowest among former conflict area
RECEIVING CALLS 19% 20% 56% WHAT IS THE MAIN Internet access on mobile phones has been gaining in respondents (24%) compared to non-conflict
MAKING CALLS 18% 19% 53% REASON YOU DO popularity, respondents said, but only for those who area respondents (38%). Most readers of print
SENDING TEXT MESSAGES (SMS) 3% 4% 2% NOT USE A can afford to buy a smartphone, which can cost between media (54%) had read a publication within the
RECEIVING TEXT MESSAGES (SMS) 2% 4% 3%
MOBILE PHONE? 150,000 and 200,000 Kyats ($170-$230 USD), while previous seven days, while 32% had done so during
ACCESSING THE INTERNET 2% 0% 0% most mobile users can only afford phones that cost the previous month. The remaining 14% read
77%
TAKING A PHOTO 1% 3% 9%
45,000 to 50,000 Kyats ($50-$60 USD). publications less frequently.
SENDING A PHOTO TO
NO INTEREST For the remaining 64% of the sample that did not use
OTHER PEOPLE 1% 2% 1% IN MOBILE
PHONES CAN’T AFFORD TO BUY print media, the most frequently cited reason was a
RECORDING AUDIO ON
Base: 183 respondents who do not use mobile phones lack of interest. Many respondents prefer TV or radio
YOUR MOBILE PHONE 1% 1% 2% when available, which provide more immediate news
TAKING A VIDEO 1% 1% 8% updates than Myanmar’s weekly journal publications
(at the time of research, only Myanmar’s state-owned
MOBIlE pHONE uSE IN FORMER CONFlICT AREAS
newspapers were published on a daily basis). Many
In Ye Township, which is close to Thailand, villagers respondents also cited an inability to get print media
are able to use the Thai mobile network. Using in their areas or the inability to read.
Thai mobile phones, villagers are able to call other
countries cheaply, with one minute costing only 300
“ NEwSpApERS ARE NOT AS INFORMATIvE AS jOuRNAlS."
Kyats ($0.30 USD)
U r b a n r e s p o n d e n t, p a b e d a n W a r d , M a W l a M y i n e t o W n s H i p
14 15
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISuSE OF MEdIA ANd TECHNOlOgY INFORMATION FlOwS
∞ The most frequently shared types of information
FIGURE 10 FIGURE 11
INFORMATION are disaster news or weather forecasts (shared by
MOST HEARD OF AND READ PUBLICATIONS RECOGNITION AND READERSHIP OF EXILED FlOwS: KEY FINdINgS 79% of respondents), health information (67%),
MEDIA IN MON STATE IS MODERATE TO LOW religious information (57%), and news about
∞ The most common sources of news and ethnic conflict (54%).
HEARD OF READ HEARD OF READ information are radio, friends and family, and TV. ∞ Less than one-third of respondents saw
MYANMAR AHLIN D WAVE ∞ TV is the most important source in urban areas themselves as a disseminator of news and
99% (NEWSPAPER) 82% 63% (JOURNAL) 64%
(used by 62% of urban respondents), while radio information to other members of the community.
is the most important source in rural areas (used Most news is passed on to friends and family.
98% KYAYMON 83% 43% THAN LWIN 55% by 62% of rural respondents). ∞ Only 2% of the sample—business owners,
(NEWSPAPER) TIMES (JOURNAL)
∞ In the former conflict areas where access to professionals, military, and students—strongly
77% PYI MYANMAR 71% 13% IRRAWADDY 17% news and information is most limited, trusted viewed themselves as a source of information for
(JOURNAL) (MAGAZINE) interpersonal sources are the most used. others.
∞ Currently, just 1% of respondents use the ∞ Over 26% of respondents in former conflict
77% AH PYO SIN 54% 11% IRRAWADDY 30%
(MAGAZINE) (JOURNAL) Internet to get news and information. Qualitative areas do not share news and information at all.
interviews indicated that university students use However, qualitative interviews revealed an
76% POPULAR 62% 10% MIZZIMA NEWS 32% the Internet more than any other demographic. active network of information exchange before
(JOURNAL) (MAGAZINE)
∞ Information is most often shared by word of the ceasefire to protect villagers from the location
MA HAY THI GUIDING STAR/ mouth (88% of respondents), while just 5% of of landmines or potential battle zones.
73% 64% 7% SA-NONG-TIME 25%
(MAGAZINE)
(NEWSPAPER)
respondents share news over the phone. Just 1% ∞ Despite the prominence of monks in recent
share by email or SMS. political events in Myanmar, such as the 2007
70% 7 DAYS NEWS 69% Base: 181 respondents who use print media as an information source “Saffron Revolution,” respondents in Mon State
(JOURNAL)
did not consider monks to be a source of political
D WAVE FIGURE 12 news or information, and only sought them out
63% 64%
(JOURNAL)
TWO GOVERNMENT-RUN PAPERS ARE AMONG for religious information.
YADANABON
THE HIGHEST RECOGNIZED AND READ
60% 12%
(NEWSPAPER) PUBLICATIONS IN MON STATE
HEARD OF READ
59% KUMUDRA 42%
(JOURNAL) 99% 98%
82% 83%
58% RA MA NYA 50%
(JOURNAL)
60%
54% INN ARR 47%
(JOURNAL)
27%
WEEKLY 12% 14%
52% ELEVEN 61%
NEWS
MYANMAR KYAYMON KYAYMON THE NEW LIGHT
AHLIN (NEWSPAPER) (NEWSPAPER) OF MYANMAR
Base: 181 respondents who use print media as an information source
(NEWSPAPER) (NEWSPAPER)
16 17
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISINFORMATION FlOwS
57% FIGURE 14
FIGURE 13
MOST FREQUENTLY USED INFORMATION SOURCES COMPARISON OF KEY INFORMATION SOURCES BY LOCATION
45% (PEOPLE GET NEWS FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES. FOR EACH ONE (PERCENTAGE THAT USES EACH SOURCE DAILY OR AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK)
41% OF THE SOURCES I MENTION, PLEASE TELL ME WHETHER YOU USE THAT
SOURCE TO GET NEWS AND INFORMATION EVERY DAY OR MOST DAYS
OF THE WEEK, AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, LESS THAN ONCE A WEEK OR NON-CONFLICT CONFLICT (FORMER) URBAN RURAL
WHETHER YOU DO NOT USE IT FOR INFORMATION AT ALL)
(PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS THAT USE EACH SOURCE DAILY OR RADIO TV
24% 59% 46% 62% 36%
AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK TO GET NEWS AND INFORMATION)
13% 13% 9% FRIENDS OR FRIENDS OR
44% FAMILY 48% 50% FAMILY 43%
MEMBERS MEMBERS
2% 2% 2% 1% 1%
43% TV 20% 39% RADIO 62%
RADIO FRIENDS OR TV WORK JOURNALS NEWS- COMMUNITY SMS LOCAL CASUAL MONKS INTERNET
FAMILY COLLEAGUES PAPERS ELDERS GOVERN- ACQUAIN- OR
MEMBERS OR OR MENT TANCES NUNS WORK
CLASSMATES MAGAZINES OFFICIALS 24% COLLEAGUES 16% 39% JOURNALS 7%
BASE: 500 RESPONDENTS OR CLASSMATES
NEWSPAPERS
14% JOURNALS 6% 32% OR 8%
media is also used much more frequently in urban MAGAZINES
KEY INFORMATION SOuRCES settings than in rural areas (62% vs. 36%). Use of text
messaging and the Internet, while still very low, are 13%
NEWSPAPERS
OR 6% 26%
WORK
COLLEAGUES 23%
In Mon State, news and information flow to also higher in urban than rural areas. However, the MAGAZINES OR CLASSMATES
communities through three main information use of friends or family members as sources of news
sources: radio, friends or family members, and TV. and information remain relatively uniform across all 10% COMMUNITY 6% 9% SMS 1%
ELDERS
Print media or other individuals in the community are areas.
far less frequent sources. At the bottom end, very few
3% SMS 0% 5% COMMUNITY 10%
people in Mon State—less than 2%—get their news or In rural areas, radio serves as the most frequently ELDERS
information from the Internet, monks or nuns, local used source for information, where it is used on a daily
officials, or by text message. or weekly basis by over 60% of rural respondents. LOCAL
4% 0%
2% GOVERNMENT 4% INTERNET
TV use is much lower, used by just over one-third of OFFICIALS
“ NEwS
I gET THE INFORMATION ANd
wE wANT TO KNOw
rural respondents, due to challenges posed by lower
financial resources and lower access to electricity. Use
of print media in rural areas is low. Community elders
2% CASUAL
ACQUAINTANCES
2% 4% CASUAL
ACQUAINTANCES
1%
FROM THE RAdIO ANd BY and local government officials are used as sources of
1% INTERNET 0% 3%
MONKS
1%
wORd OF MOuTH." news and information in rural areas slightly more AND
NUNS
than by urban dwellers.
r U r a l r e s p o n d e n t, n g a p ya W ta W V i l l a g e , K ya i K LOCAL
Hto toWnsHip MONKS
1% 2% 1% GOVERNMENT 2%
In former conflict areas, use of almost all sources
AND
NUNS OFFICIALS
In Figure 14, a cross-comparison of information is less than in other locations, except for family and
sources by geographic location reveals several key friends. In remote areas with low access to electricity, Base: 100 urban vs. 400 rural respondents;
distinctions. In urban areas, TV is clearly the most respondents relied much more heavily on word of
important source for news and information. Print mouth through people—primarily family and friends.
18 19
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISINFORMATION FlOwS
FIGURE 15 FIGURE 16
FIRST SOURCE TO GET MORE INFORMATION FIRST SOURCE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
(WHEN YOU HEAR THERE IS A MAJOR EVENT THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT, WHAT DO YOU DO TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION? (WHEN YOU HEAR THERE IS A MAJOR EVENT THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT, WHAT DO YOU DO TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?
WHO OR WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST SOURCE YOU WOULD GO TO FIND OUT INFORMATION?) WHO OR WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST SOURCE YOU WOULD GO TO FIND OUT INFORMATION?)
URBAN RURAL NON-CONFLICT CONFLICT (FORMER)
MYANMAR RADIO FRIENDS OR FAMILY
7% 26% 24% 38%
NATIONALSERVICE MEMBERS
FRIENDS OR FAMILY MYANMAR RADIO
28% MEMBERS 25% 21% NATIONALSERVICE 26%
MYANMAR TELEVISION MYANMAR TELEVISION
21% (MRTV) 12% 14% (MRTV) 10%
4% SHWE FM 11% 11% SHWE FM 2%
8% SKY NET 4% 5% SKY NET 2%
CHANNELS CHANNELS
5% BBC 3% 4% BBC 0%
WORK COLLEAGUES INTERNATIONAL
2% OR CLASSMATES 3% 3% FOREIGN TV 0%
1% COMMUNITY 3% 3% JOURNALS WRITTEN 2%
ELDERS INSIDE MYANMAR
1% VOA 3% 2% MRTV (4) (LOCAL 0%
CHANNEL)
0% RFA 2% 2% VOA 2%
MRTV (4) (LOCAL COMMUNITY
3% CHANNEL) 2% 2% ELDERS 4%
7% INTERNATIONAL 2% 2% WORK COLLEAGUES 8%
FOREIGN TV OR CLASSMATES
JOURNALS WRITTEN RFA
9% 1% 2% 0%
INSIDE MYANMAR
Base: 100 urban vs. 400 rural respondents Base: 450 non-conflict vs. 50 former conflict area respondents
20 21
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISINFORMATION FlOwS
FIGURE 17
TYpES OF NEwS ANd
PLACES WHERE NEWS IS SHARED
FIGURE 18
WHAT KIND OF NEWS AND INFORMATION DO
INFORMATION SHAREd
(WHERE IN GENERAL IS NEWS AND INFORMATION PASSED ON, FOR EXAMPLE, AT HOME, IN PUBLIC PLACES SUCH AS MARKETS,
AT THE TEMPLE ETC.?) YOU COMMUNICATE TO OTHERS? Four types of news and information were shared
URBAN RURAL NON-CONFLICT CONFLICT (FORMER) DISASTER NEWS/
by over half of the Mon State sample: disaster news
79%
WEATHER FORECASTS (including weather forecasts), health news, religious
news, and news about ethnic conflict.
75% HOME 79% 80% HOME 64%
HEALTH AND HEALTH
CARE 67%
31% WORK 18% 22% WORK 8% These trends held relatively true across urban and
RELIGION
57% rural and non-conflict and former conflict locations.
25% TEASHOP 7% 20% STREET 6% Similar to previous trends, respondents in rural or
NEWS ABOUT ETHNIC
54%
former conflict areas tended to share less news and
CONFLICT
information than others.
13% TEMPLE 14% 14% TEMPLE 6%
NEWS ABOUT MON
49%
STATE Figure 19 shows the percentage of each segment of
13% STREET 20% 10% TEASHOP 10% the sample that shared news about political topics.
NEWS ABOUT
BURMA 47% The segment that shared this type of news the most
5% SOCIAL 2% 10% FARMING 16% is highlighted in light green, while respondents
EVENTS FIELD BUSINESS NEWS AND
THE ECONOMY 47% who shared the least are marked in light blue. The
4% FARMING 12%
aforementioned trend holds for each news type except
FIELD
Base: 100 urban, 400 rural respondents; 450 non-conflict, 50 former conflict area respondents
NEWS ABOUT AUNG
41%
for news about the NLD and human rights, which
SAN SUU KYI
were shared by a higher percentage of respondents in
NEWS ABOUT PRESIDENT
the former conflict areas. Surprisingly, respondents
29%
THEIN SEIN in former conflict areas shared news about ethnic
wHERE dOES INFORMATION
ExCHANgE HAppEN? “ THE TEASHOp IS THE KEY,
IMpORTANT plACE TO
base: 500 respondents
conflict the least.
After receiving information from a news source like
TV or the radio, people in Mon State tend to share
ExCHANgE OR SHARE NEwS
AMONg THE vIllAgERS IN
“ IpOlITICAl
AM INTERESTEd IN
NEwS. I REAd dE
news by word of mouth in a variety of locations. OuR vIllAgE. " HlAINg (d.wAvE) jOuRNAl
Qualitative respondents explained how people in
r U r a l r e s p o n d e n t, ANd I SHARE THE NEwS
their village sometimes visited the local monastery,
which had a TV and satellite dish. Respondents said
ForMer conFlic t are a , K aW dUt Vill age , ye
toWnsHip wITH OTHERS.”
that people saw news on the monastery’s TV about U r b a n r e s p o n d e n t, Z aya r M o n W a r d , K ya i K H t o
toWnsHip
the conflict in Rakhine State and an earthquake in
Sagaing Region, and then shared this news with other
people in the village at tea shops, markets, weddings,
public ceremonies, and at home. The sharing of news
and information often happens organically, whenever
friends and peers meet or come across each other.
22 23
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISINFORMATION FlOwS uNdERSTANdINg TRuST & INFluENCE
uNdERSTANdINg TRuST ANd ∞ Despite this, respondents repeatedly said that
INFluENCE: KEY FINdINgS
FIGURE 19
they did not trust any news source completely.
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS WHO SHARE NEWS ABOUT POLITICAL TOPICS
Instead, most respondents felt the need to always
NON- CONFLICT ∞ The sources of information people in Mon State validate information against other sources.
URBAN RURAL CONFLICT (FORMER)
trust the most are friends and family, Nay Pyi A common theme was that triangulation was
NEWS ABOUT ETHNIC CONFLICT 58% 53% 57% 28% Daw Myanmar Radio National Service, MRTV, essential prior to fully trusting any information
NEWS ABOUT AUNG SAN SUU KYI 47% 40% 42% 38% and Shwe FM. or passing such information on to others.
NEWS ABOUT PRESIDENT THEIN SEIN 33% 28% 30% 18% ∞ Several factors underlie decisions about trust.
POLITICAL NEWS 32% 21% 23% 24% Respondents had a high degree of trust in news
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 28% 15% 18% 8% from a familiar source, news presented with The easing of censorship and other restrictions on news
NEWS ABOUT POLITICAL DISSIDENTS 25% 8% 12% 8% video or photographs, news spread by word of media providers has elevated the position of domestic
NEWS OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY (NLD) 20% 9% 10% 22% mouth, and news shared by elders and local news sources. Many people now feel that domestic
NEWS ABOUT LOCAL POLITICS 20% 19% 20% 12% authorities. news content, including content from government-
HUMAN RIGHTS 16% 9% 10% 18% ∞ The newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations owned news sources, has improved greatly, causing
NEWS ABOUT THE MILITARY 9% 2% 4% 2% that are trusted by the most people in Mon State a shift away from foreign media providers for news
Base: 100 urban, 400 rural respondents; 450 non-conflict, 50 former conflict area respondents
are all government-owned. The most trusted on events inside Myanmar. As one respondent noted,
media sources in Mon State are also the ones “reporters are writing real news now.”
that have the greatest reach and coverage. These
stations are Nay Pyi Daw Myanmar National In this study, news and information sources that are
MOST pEOplE SHARE NEwS KEY INFORMATION Radio Service (trusted by 94% of users), MRTV considered trusted—with trustworthiness defined in
INFREQuENTlY OuTSIdE OF dISSEMINATORS (91%), and the newspapers Kyaymon (76%) and terms of a source’s accuracy and reliability—tended
THE HOuSEHOld Less than one-third of respondents viewed ∞
Myanmar Ahlin (73%).
Trust in foreign vs. domestic new sources is
strongly to be the sources that were best known and
familiar to respondents. Few people indeed trust
Most respondents share news and information outside themselves as a source for news and information for changing. 46% of respondents said they trust what they are not familiar with. As a result, friends
of the household infrequently. 45% of the sample said other members of the community. Out of the entire information from news sources inside Myanmar and family ranked highest for trust, but perhaps
they discussed or shared news and information with sample, only 28% saw themselves as a news source more than three years ago. In general, 81% of all surprisingly, so did state-owned media, such as MRTV
family, friends, or their social network outside of in the community, while 70% did not. Furthermore, respondents said they trust information from (jointly-operated with the private Forever Group
their own household only every few months, while an only 1% of respondents viewed themselves strongly sources inside Myanmar more than foreign Ltd.) and Nay Pyi Daw Myanmar Radio National
additional 12% said they never shared news at all. as an information source. Those who strongly sources. Service (Nay Pyi Daw Myanma Ah-Than). Both have
identified as being viewed as a source of news and ∞ Trust in government news sources appears to significant coverage and reach, and perhaps do not
information for their community tended to be either be increasing due to reforms that have enabled “appear” government-owned, due to the variety of
prominent community members, such as business government media to be more open. Another programming and content they provide.
owners, professionals, or military personnel, or highly primary reason, however, is the belief among
educated people, such as students. many respondents that foreign reporting of
the July 2012 conflict between Buddhists and
Muslims in Rakhine State was biased and
“ THOSE wHO wOuld lIKE TO gET NEwS COME TO ME. THEY dON’T
gO TO OTHERS. THEY COME ANd ASK ME MOSTlY wHEN wE ARE
discriminatory towards Buddhists. These
respondents noted that reporting by government
media was more fair, and as a result, they have
SITTINg AT TEA SHOpS. dIFFERENT pEOplE gATHER ANd CHAT. " begun to trust foreign media much less than
r U r a l r e s p o n d e n t, F o r M e r c o n F l i c t a r e a , l a b o r s U p e r V i s o r , p a l a i n g g y i V i l l a g e , y e t o W n s H i p before.
24 25
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISuNdERSTANdINg TRuST & INFluENCE
MOST TRuSTEd
SOuRCES TENd TO FIGURE 20 FIGURE 21
CHANGES IN TRUST IN NEWS SOURCES ACROSS ETHNICITIES
BE THE MOST wEll-KNOwN OF ALL THESE INFORMATION SOURCES,
WHICH DO YOU TRUST THE MOST? QUESTION: “HAS YOUR TRUST IN INFORMATION FROM INSIDE MYANMAR CHANGED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS? DO YOU TRUST
INFORMATION FROM MYANMAR MORE, LESS, OR THE SAME AS BEFORE?”
FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS 25%
Overall, the two most trusted sources of information INDIAN/
PAKISTANI
among Mon State respondents are friends and family MYANMAR RADIO NATIONAL SERVICE 22% KARENNI /BANGLADESHI
members and Nay Pyi Daw Myanmar Radio National BAMAR KAREN SHAN MON RAKHINE (KAYAH) CHINESE /NEPALI OTHER MIXED
MYANMAR TELEVISION (MRTV) 14%
Service, followed by MRTV and Shwe FM. These four
information sources make up 75% of the sample’s most SHWE FM 10% Same as before 51% 42% 17% 40% 0% 0% 0% 35% 22% 70%
trusted sources, as shown in Figure 20. I trust Myanmar sources more 38% 46% 83% 52% 100% 0% 100% 46% 44% 20%
SKY NET CHANNELS 4%
I trust Myanmar sources less 2% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 19% 0% 0%
In qualitative interviews, respondents described how BBC 4% Don't know 9% 12% 0% 7% 0% 100% 0% 0% 33% 10%
the source of information determined whether they
INTERNATIONAL / FOREIGN TV 3%
believed or trusted the information. According to BASE: 188 BAMAR RESPONDENTS, 89 KAYIN, 23 SHAN, 151 MON, 2 RAKHINE, 1 KAYAH, 1 CHINESE, 26 SOUTH ASIAN, 9 OTHER, AND 10 MIXED
respondents from different focus group discussions, JOURNALS WRITTEN INSIDE MYANMAR 3%
trust was established based upon familiarity with
WORK COLLEAGUES OR CLASSMATES 2%
the news source. For these respondents, news was
considered trustworthy if it came from the local VOA 2% As shown in Figure 21 above, nearly half of all TRuST IN ExIlEd
authorities, elders, local news channels, DVB, BBC, or
MRTV (4) (LOCAL CHANNEL) 2%
respondents trust Myanmar news sources more now /dIASpORA MEdIA
Thai TV channels. than they did three years ago. In the survey results, this
COMMUNITY ELDERS 2% trend was apparent regardless of geographic location Exiled/diaspora media are generally not well known
“ THERE IS A 50-50 CHANCE
FOR THE TRuSTwORTHINESS
RFA
MYANMAR RADIO PADAUK MYAY SERVICE
1%
1%
and across ethnicities and religious affiliations,
with the exception of Muslims and respondents of
South Asian descent. While these groups still saw an
in Mon State. The lower rates of trust in the figures
presented below are primarily a reflection of large
percentages of respondents who had never heard of
OF NEwS RECEIvEd 1%
increase in trust of Myanmar news sources, likely due the station. In most cases, around 25% also did not
FROM vARIOuS SOuRCES.
NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES WRITTEN INSIDE MYANMAR
to Myanmar’s recent political reforms, the two groups know whether or not they trusted the station, most
also saw a greater increase than other groups in their likely due to a lack of a strong familiarity with the
SOME NEwS IS BEINg NO ONE 1%
trust of foreign news sources. station.
ExAggERATEd OR SOME RELIGIOUS LEADERS - MONKS AND NUNS 1%
NEwS IS uNdERSTATEd. TO
dECIdE IF NEwS IS CREdIBlE
DVB
THE INTERNET: BURMESE WEBSITES
0.4%
0.4%
“ I TRuST THE NEwS
BROAdCASTEd wITHIN
Among the exiled/diaspora media, TV had highest
levels of trust and, correspondingly, the lowest levels
of those who simply did not know the station. DVB-TV
OR NOT: IF I SEE IT wITH MY PEOPLE OUTSIDE MYANMAR 0.4% MYANMAR MORE. THE was most trusted, followed by VOA and RFA TV.
OwN EYES OR A vERY ClOSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 0.4%
NEwS HAS BECOME MORE
A large majority of respondents from Mon State
FRIENd HAS MENTIONEd IT OTHER 0.4%
TRANSpARENT ANd were not aware of exiled/diaspora publications.
TO ME, ONlY THEN dO I TRuST REpORTERS ARE wRITINg Relative levels of trust in exiled/diaspora print media
IT. THAT IS HOw I vAlIdATE." MYAWADDY TELEVISION (MWD) 0.2%
REAl NEwS NOw." appears to be reasonably high among those aware
base: 500 respondents
of the publications and certainly few were actively
U r b a n r e s p o n d e n t, n o n - c o n F l i c t a r e a , U r b a n r e s p o n d e n t,
pab edan Ward, M aWl a Myine toWns Hip pab edan Ward, M aWl a Myine toWns Hip distrusted. The most trusted, Than Lwin Times
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INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSIS PART T WO: ADDITIONAL DATA ANALYSISuNdERSTANdINg TRuST & INFluENCE
FIGURE 22
vAlIdATION OF NEwS INFORMATION FlOw MAppINg
THROugH TRIANgulATION IS
FIGURE 23
TRUST IN EXILE/DIASPORA TV FOR NEWS TRUST IN EXILED/DIASPORA PRINT MEDIA
AND INFORMATION SOURCES FOR NEWS AND INFORMATION ESSENTIAl Based on the quantitative, qualitative and
observational research, the following simple pathways
(PERCENTAGE OF TV WATCHERS WHO TRUST OR DISTRUST) (Percentage of print media users who trust or distrust)
Illustrating a significant degree of sophistication were identified for Mon State Residents.
DON'T
DON'T as news consumers, a consistent theme shared by
DON'T KNOW
NOT KNOW
TRUST DISTRUST KNOW STATION
TRUST DISTRUST SURE PUBLICATION respondents throughout the qualitative research was The flow of current affairs news and information can
that news needed to be validated by triangulation be seen below. Issues considered for this mapping
DVB-TV IN BURMESE 42% 1% 27% 29% Than Lwin Times (journal) 15% 1% 22% 62%
against other news sources before respondents felt included land issues, ethnic conflicts, election news,
VOA-TV IN BURMESE 1% 32%
27% 41% Irrawaddy (journal) 9% 0% 4% 87% they could share or fully trust the information. Many copper mine conflict, earthquake in Sagaing, and other
RFA-TV IN BURMESE 24% 1% 34% 41% Mizzima News (magazine) 3% 1% 7% 90% respondents mentioned that no particular information Myanmar news. The flow of news and information
VOA TV / ENGLISH 8% 1% 22% 69% source was completely trustworthy. As a result, they from the urban areas where access to primary sources
Guiding Star / Sa-Nong
Base: 270 respondents who watch TV had to validate news from one source by comparing it is much greater to relatively information poor rural
-Time (newspaper) 2% 0% 5% 93%
to other sources. areas through influential nodes is clear. Be they
Irrawaddy (magazine) 1% 0% 12% 87% respected elders, affluent rural, or officials, such nodes
Base: 181 users of print media
Reflecting the need to see evidence in support of news, may vary according to the types of information being
journal, was trusted by 40% of those who were aware the use of photographs and video lends authenticity to conveyed as might the means of this transmission.
of its existence. content. Additionally volume of sources is important. For example, through officials in more affluent areas
Respondents trusted information they heard if they transmission is conducted to rural areas primarily
“ OvERSEAS
could confirm it with others or if many people were
While the survey data revealed very few who outright
distrusted exiled media, qualitative data revealed a
IN THE pAST I TRuSTEd sharing the same news. One respondent commented
via phone to trusted elders and family members.
These disseminators in turn communicate with their
degree of mixed trust or uncertain trust. Similar to NEwS, BuT NOw that he believed information when seven out of 10 networks of trusted family and community members
the findings regarding trust in foreign media, some I KNOw THEIR NEwS IS NOT people were discussing it, while another respondent at locations such as tea shops, religious ceremonies
degree of these mixed feelings is likely correlated to
sensitivities over foreign vs. domestic reporting on
TOTAllY CORRECT. NOw I said that they typically “question whether information
is accurate or not by asking our elders.” Others
and home visits.
the tensions in Rakhine State over the situation of the FEEl lIKE THEY ARE TRYINg remarked that the reliability of news depended on
Rohingya. TO INCITE SOMETHINg whether both Myanmar media and international
BETwEEN THE pEOplE ANd media had similar broadcasts. Only after verifying
news against an additional source did respondents
THE gOvERNMENT. dvB feel news was credible enough to share with others.
NEwS IS AlSO INCORRECT.
THEIR NEwS IS NOT ExACT
ANd MAKES AN INSTIgATION
BETwEEN THE pEOplE ANd
THE gOvERNMENT."
r U r a l , F o r M e r c o n F l i c t a r e a r e s p o n d e n t, M a l e ,
a g e 3 1- 4 5 , K a W d U t V i l l a g e , yay t o W n s H i p
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INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS IN TR ANSITION: A CASE STUDY FROM M YANMAR HOW TO INFORM, EMPOWER, AND IMPACT COMMUNITIES
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