• Burmese
Friday, May 23, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
27 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Thein Sein Urges Burma’s Media to Refrain From ‘Personal Attacks’

Kyaw Hsu Mon by Kyaw Hsu Mon
October 1, 2013
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
Thein Sein Urges Burma’s Media to Refrain From ‘Personal Attacks’

A woman sells newspapers in Rangoon on April 1

4.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RANGOON — Burma President Thein Sein used a regular address to the nation Tuesday to warn the country’s nascent private media against making “groundless” personal attacks.

In his monthly speech broadcast repeatedly on state radio, Thein Sein lauded efforts to develop and unite Burma since his quasi-civilian government took power in 2011. But he also appeared to hit out at the media, which has enjoyed increasing freedom as the country opens up.

“I would like to urge the media industry to keep a strict adherence to media ethics and discipline of the media, and refrain from producing groundless news and making personal attacks through the media, [at a time] when we are promoting freedom of media, which is a necessary thing for the democratic transition period,” he said.

RelatedPosts

Nowhere Are the Threats Facing Journalism More Real Than in Myanmar

Nowhere Are the Threats Facing Journalism More Real Than in Myanmar

May 3, 2025
709
From Resistance to Survival: Myanmar’s Free Press Battles US Aid Cuts

From Resistance to Survival: Myanmar’s Free Press Battles US Aid Cuts

April 28, 2025
1.2k
We Need Your Support—Your $5 Helps Keep The Irrawaddy’s Mission Alive

We Need Your Support—Your $5 Helps Keep The Irrawaddy’s Mission Alive

March 27, 2025
603

“In this reforming period, we should all unite to work together without making personal attacks and using media freedom as a tool.”

A senior official close to Thein Sein, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the president was suggesting that personal or political rivalries were being played out through the media.

“Behind the scenes are some people who are facing difficulties because of reform process and open business environment,” the source said.

“Some of them are hardliners trying to attack leading reformists because of interests including politics, religious, business and the 2015 election.”

The official said the president accepts that there will be some resistance to change, but wants the media to be “responsible” during the transition.

The message to be cautious will cause concern among some journalists in an industry only briefly out of censorship. Only in March were the first private daily newspapers in decades granted licenses to publish in Burma.

Thiha Saw, editor of the only English-language daily publishing at present, the Myanma Freedom Daily, said some local newspapers have been taking advantage of the new freer publishing environment to write poorly sourced stories about the affairs of former leaders.

“Some journals are publishing what seem to be personal attacks on people. They are all looking to increase their circulations by publishing some unethical stories,” he said.

“But I don’t think the President is trying to influence the media industry through his message.”

Zay Yar Myat Khine, deputy chief editor of the Monitor journal, said it is the media’s job to expose the mistakes of leaders.

“I want to ask the president that what is the meaning of ‘groundless’ sources, and what is the standard of media freedom that he believes we have?” he said.

Although Thein Sein was not specific about which media outlets he was addressing, last month, local media reported that the Burma government has stashed US$11 billion in five foreign bank accounts, citing as a source Jelson Garcia of the Bank Information Center. Some local reports misidentified Garcia as a World Bank employee, and the government soon held a press conference to address the story, insisting that only $7 billion was kept in overseas bank accounts.

“He should not criticize all media, he should mention which ones are doing this,” said Zay Yar Myat Khine.

“Whatever he means—the government’s $11 billion bank accounts case, or whatever—we will have to cover the news.”

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Media
Kyaw Hsu Mon

Kyaw Hsu Mon

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Elon Musk Calls for Closure of Radio Free Europe, Voice of America
World

Elon Musk Calls for Closure of Radio Free Europe, Voice of America

by Naung Naung
February 10, 2025
7.1k

The billionaire’s call to shut down the US-funded media organizations, which reach hundreds of millions of people globally, follows his...

Read moreDetails
Illustration entitled ‘Rebellious Reporters’ by Harn Lay for The Irrawaddy.
Specials

Our Fight For Press Freedom

by The Irrawaddy
May 3, 2024
103.3k

To mark World Press Freedom Day, The Irrawaddy presents a compendium of its articles on press freedom and the repression...

Read moreDetails
Burma

Myanmar Junta Rages Against E. Timor President After Defection Call

by The Irrawaddy
December 14, 2023
5.2k

The regime’s newspapers were filled with tirades against José Ramos-Horta after he urged junta troops to defect, and its backers...

Read moreDetails
Junta Watch: Football Field Dreams Amid Battlefield Disasters; Regime Propaganda’s Parallel Reality; and More
Junta Watch

Junta Watch: Football Field Dreams Amid Battlefield Disasters; Regime Propaganda’s Parallel Reality; and More

by The Irrawaddy
January 20, 2024
4.5k

Also this week, China appeased after Taiwan election, forced recruitment as resistance threatens to decouple main cities, power plea for...

Read moreDetails
Reclaiming Autonomy: Challenging the Narrative of Fragmentation in Myanmar
Guest Column

Reclaiming Autonomy: Challenging the Narrative of Fragmentation in Myanmar

by Zung Ring
June 18, 2024
2.6k

The media’s increasing obsession with ‘national disintegration’ is playing into the junta’s hands and threatening progress toward peaceful federalism.

Read moreDetails
Junta Watch: Propaganda Boosted to Drown Out Military Defeats; Drone Phobia Grips Regime; and More
Junta Watch

Junta Watch: Propaganda Boosted to Drown Out Military Defeats; Drone Phobia Grips Regime; and More

by The Irrawaddy
November 25, 2023
2.3k

Also over the past seven days, Min Aung Hlaing failed to boost morale in battered army, while the junta tried...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Most Burmese Refugees in Thailand Don’t Want Return: Survey

Most Burmese Refugees in Thailand Don’t Want Return: Survey

‘I Feel We Are Still Attached to Strings’

‘I Feel We Are Still Attached to Strings’

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Three Japanese Firms Ditch Myanmar Port Project

Three Japanese Firms Ditch Myanmar Port Project

1 week ago
4.4k
Kokang’s New Power Play: Economic Integration With China

Kokang’s New Power Play: Economic Integration With China

2 days ago
1.2k

Most Read

  • Adidas Shoe Factory Agrees to Striking Workers’ Demands

    Adidas Shoe Factory Agrees to Striking Workers’ Demands

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ‘Indian Troops Killed Myanmar Resistance Fighters to Send a Message’

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • India Asked to Probe Myanmar Rebel Deaths

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Two Myanmar Junta Choppers Down in Battle for Kachin’s Bhamo

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drone Strike Destroys Myanmar Junta’s Crash-Landed Aircraft

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.