Myanmar Radio and Television

Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV)

Type	Broadcast radio network and television network
Country	Myanmar
Owner	Ministry of Information
Launch date	15 February 1946[1] (radio) June 1979 (television)[2]
Former names	Burma Broadcasting Service
Official website	http://www.mrtv3.net.mm http://www.mrtv4.net.mm

Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) (formerly, Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS)) is the parent of state-run Myanmar Radio National Service, and a television channel. The television channels are broadcast from its broadcast center in Kamayut, Yangon. The radio service is now broadcast primarily from Naypyidaw.

History

Radio service in Myanmar first came on air in 1936 during the British colonial era.^[3] Regular programming by Bama Athan (Burmese: ဗမာ့အသံ; "Voice of Burma") began in February 1946 when the British established Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS), carrying Burmese language national and foreign news and musical entertainment, knowledge reply and school lessons and English language news and music programming.^[1] After independence in 1948, it was named Myanma Athan (Burmese: မြန်မာ့အသံ; also meaning Voice of Burma, but with the more formal term "Myanmar"). The service was renamed Myanmar Radio by the military government which came to power in 1988. The junta has also renamed the radio service's parent, BBS as Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) in 1997.^[3]

Until the launch of Yangon City FM in 2001, BBS/Myanmar Radio was the only radio station in the country. For years, its main broadcast center is at 426 Pyay Road in Kamayut in Yangon. Since late 2007, the main broadcast station has moved to Naypyidaw. Yangon Station now mostly relays Naypyidaw Station's programming.

Television service in Myanmar was first introduced in 1979 as a test trial in Yangon.^[2] MRTV was first launched on 3 June 1980,^[4] and regular television service was first formally launched in 1981.^[5] In 2005, MRTV had 195 television relay stations throughout the country.^[6]

See also

• Myanmar International
• MRTV-4
• Television in Burma
• Media of Burma
• Communications in Burma

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Kyaw Kyaw Htun and Win Lwin. Myanmar Country Report. ASEAN Mass Communication Studies and Research Center. http://utcc2.utcc.ac.th/localuser/amsar/PDF/Document50/Myanmar%20country%20report.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Thant Myint-U (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps--Histories of Burma. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 371. ISBN 978-0-374-16342-6, 0-374-16342-1. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Aung Zaw (2004). Marie Korpe. ed. Shoot the Singer!. Zed Books. p. 41. ISBN 1842775057, 9781842775059. 
4. ^ "Junta Launches New PR Offensive". The Irrawaddy. 2001-08-01. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=3645. 
5. ^ May Thaw (12–18 March 2007). "Broadcasting options expanding". Myanmar Times. http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/electronic/e09.htm. 
6. ^ "Myanmar to Launch Second FM Radio Station". Xinhua (Red Orbit). 2005-10-05. http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/261229/myanmar_to_launch_second_fm_radio_station/. 

External links

• Official site of MRTV-3 (English)
• Official site of MRTV-4 (English/Burmese)