Burma Ethnic Media Coalition Expands Membership to Regional News Orgs
‘We welcome not only ethnic-based media organizations but also regional media organizations if they want to join us,’ a BNI representative said.
By NETWORK MEDIA GROUP (NMG)
Friday, August 31, 2018
Media coalition Burma News International (BNI) announced a change in its membership policy to include regional news organizations across Burma.
“We welcome not only ethnic-based media organizations but also regional media organizations if they want to join us,” BNI policy committee chairperson Nang Paw Gay told NMG. “We believe that if ethnic and regional media organizations work together as a network, we will be stronger.”
The decision came after BNI’s editors held a three-day annual meeting beginning on August 28. Topics of discussion included the drafting of an ethnic media policy, a media training school and an ethnic media conference. BNI’s editors also reportedly also emphasized the importance of reporting more on news related to peace and conflict in the ethnic states, and to expand the production of TV programming.
Describing media as the “fourth pillar” of development for a country, Nan Pawt Gay added that BNI agreed to explore further how to make news organizations financially sustainable.
In the August meeting, BNI—founded in 2003—accepted the Rakhine State-based Development Media Group as a new member. NMG is among BNI’s other members.
