Burmese media has been given minimum space for election related news recently, but starting next month the space will likely be further restricted by new censorship rules. Two months ago, the weekly news journals in Rangoon—an estimated seven journals, each with an average circulation of between 50,000 to 100,000—offered full pages or special stories on election coverage, introducing various political parties and their leaders who plan to contest the election this year.
But beginning in July, Burma's notorious Press Scrutiny Board (PSB) will reduce election coverage and a newly formed commission will monitor the news journals to make sure the same rules apply to all—meaning that no journals will be able to circumvent the censorship rules with their connections or under-the-table payments, according to editors in Rangoon who spoke to The Irrawaddy.
Currently, journals are now allowed to submit three or four pages to the PSB for last-minute news. Next month, they will be allowed to submit only two pages, which must not include any political news. -- The Irrawaddy
If a 28- or 30-pages long journal can only print maximum of four pages of political news, how will the public be informed about political news? The junta is suppressing every possible blockage to their 'dictatorship'. Luckily, Burmese people still have radios at home to listen to the authentic news about the election via VOA, BBC, RFA, and DVB. However, people should stand up against PSB for this kind of unjustness to let the world know what is truly happening in Burma.
Reference:
Kaung, Ba. Junta Starts New Censorship News. The Irrawaddy. June 28, 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18823
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