bbc burma pulls myanmar tv deal over rohingya censorship
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Insiders saying partners had clashed over coverage

BBC Burma pulls Myanmar TV deal over Rohingya 'censorship'

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today BBC Burma pulls Myanmar TV deal over Rohingya 'censorship'

leader Aung San Suu Kyi
London - Arab Today

The BBC's Burmese language service on Monday said it was pulling a broadcasting deal with a popular Myanmar television channel citing "censorship", with insiders saying the partners had clashed over coverage of the Muslim Rohingya minority.

The announcement is the latest blow to struggling press freedoms in the country and a remarkable turnaround for a news organisation that famously kept Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi up to date during her long years of house arrest under junta rule.

Since April 2014, BBC Burmese broadcast a daily news programme on MNTV with 3.7 million daily viewers.

On Monday the BBC said it was ending the deal after MNTV censored or pulled multiple programmes since March this year.

"The BBC cannot accept interference or censorship of BBC programs by joint-venture TV broadcasters as that violates the trust between the BBC and its audience," a report the BBC's Burmese website said.

The BBC statement did not detail what content was censored and MNTV did not respond to requests for comment.

But an official at the local channel said they objected to the BBC's use of the word "Rohingya" in their reports.

"That's why we cannot broadcast their service," the employee said, asking not to be named.

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar's western Rakhine who face severe state-sanctioned persecution and have fled in droves in recent years.

Most international media call them Rohingya because the community has long self-identified that way.

But Myanmar's government -- and most local media -- call them Bengalis, portraying them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh despite many living in the country for generations.

Hopes had been high that the new government of democracy icon Suu Kyi would usher in an era of free speech when they took power last year after half a century of military rule.

Suu Kyi was confined for years to a lakeside Yangon house under the junta but used to listen to the World Service and its Burmese language offshoot on her radio.

Yet since coming to power in landslide elections, her civilian-led government has frequently clashed with the media over their coverage.

Defamation prosecutions have also soared, increasingly targeting social media satirists, activists and journalists.

A major bone of contention with foreign media is coverage of Rakhine state, which has been under an army crackdown since a small group of Rohingya militants attacked police border posts last October.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh while smaller numbers of Buddhist refugees have headed in the opposite direction.

The UN believes the military's response to the militant attacks in Rakhine may amount to ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

Suu Kyi's government have denied reports of atrocities, refusing visas to UN officials charged with investigating the allegations.

They have frequently condemned international media coverage and blocked press access to much the war-torn region.

 

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

bbc burma pulls myanmar tv deal over rohingya censorship bbc burma pulls myanmar tv deal over rohingya censorship

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

bbc burma pulls myanmar tv deal over rohingya censorship bbc burma pulls myanmar tv deal over rohingya censorship

 



GMT 12:48 2016 Sunday ,27 November

Cilic, Dodig push Croatia to brink of Davis Cup

GMT 05:24 2017 Thursday ,28 December

Erdogan says 'terrorist' Assad cannot be part of Syria

GMT 12:59 2016 Saturday ,05 November

WB welcomes economic reforms in Egypt

GMT 18:40 2016 Saturday ,05 November

Egyptian GDRs in London down

GMT 10:57 2017 Wednesday ,06 December

Peru striker Guerrero has doping ban extended

GMT 17:51 2017 Tuesday ,07 March

Trump Signs New Travel Ban on Six Muslim Countries

GMT 10:30 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

Saudi Information Ministry praises media role during Hajj

GMT 15:29 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Mind games really do help your brain

GMT 06:55 2015 Thursday ,01 October

Boston Red Sox beat Yankees

GMT 08:17 2017 Monday ,28 August

Bahrain celebrates World Humanitarian Day 2017

GMT 02:07 2017 Tuesday ,28 February

Opposition seeks Russian support at Syria talks

GMT 11:06 2017 Wednesday ,27 December

Bahrain tourism projects valued at over $ 13 billion

GMT 20:35 2011 Tuesday ,10 May

New exhibition of Islamic ornaments

GMT 19:52 2016 Friday ,19 August

Nice joins wave of French towns banning burkinis

GMT 03:46 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

US-backed Syrian forces seize Raqqa mosque

GMT 22:22 2017 Friday ,15 December

BDF Military Museum open on National Day

GMT 09:47 2015 Wednesday ,02 December

Ryanair launches court action against Google, eDreams

GMT 10:46 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

Japan's February trade surplus hits multi-year high
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday