Research Summary. Exploring the Burmese media: Understanding media training and audience needs
BBC Media Action formed a partnership with an international NGO to undertake audience research with young people
Abstract
BBC Media Action formed an innovative partnership with an international NGO to undertake audience research with young people inside Burma.The project enabled young volunteers to engage in peer-to-peer research in urban centres as well as conduct research with rural youth populations, a particularly hard-to-access and under-researched group in Burma. Urban and rural youth had varying access to media platforms and broadcasters. Urban youth had multiple sources for news stories and consumed more news and information, while rural youth had less access to news and fewer sources. Journalists working in Burma have adapted to working in an environment that is subject to high levels of regulation and a lack of freedom of expression by: self-censorship; finding different ways to frame a sensitive story; passing stories to contacts outside Burma and putting safety and protection measures in place in order to operate. Some journalism training was available in Burma, including on-the-job training; NGO and embassy-led training and one academic course. However, it was not comprehensive and did not meet the needs of journalists.
Citation
BBC Media Action. Research Summary. Exploring the Burmese media: Understanding media training and audience needs. BBC Media Action, UK (2012) 2 pp.