Newspapers controlled by private owners made their debut in the Myanmar newsstands for the first time in decades. A new freedom has swept through the media industry after years of tight control by the military junta. Four Burmese-language publications, “The Voice”, “The Golden Fresh Land”, “The Union” and “The Standard Time” they completed the transition from weeklies to dailies after new rules abolished the state monopoly on daily publications. “We have been preparing for six months to become a daily newspaper. We wanted to be part of this historic moment,” says Aung Soe of “The Voice”.
Le newsagents in Yangon they have been attacked by citizens eager to read the free press after decades of dictatorship. “The Voice was sold out within minutes of the newsstand opening” commented newsagent Phyu Phyu “even though I had asked for twice as many copies as other papers. People want to read the private press, and often do it for the first time”. A military junta had gained control of the media in 1964. Draconian pre-publication rules were lifted last August. Since then, sixteen private newspapers have been approved for sale, including dissident Suu Kyi's party newspaper.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/other/2013/04/02/374878/Daily-papers.ht
Attachments: chinapost
