At the 8th Ethnic Media Conference, it was agreed upon to establish an independent self-regulatory body to oversee the independent news media in Myanmar. According to Nan Pawt Gay, the spokesperson for the 8th Ethnic Media Conference, a working group has been formed to establish the body.
Nan Pawt Gay said, "Since the military coup, there has been no representation for the independent Myanmar news media, including ethnic media and regional media. We have stood up against each challenge but without the benefit of mutual support and guidance from a media organization.
However our independent Myanmar media groups need proper representation. Neighbouring countries and the international community should know more about Myanmar. For this reason, we have agreed to form a representative group. During the last week of April, the 8th Ethnic Media Conference convened for three days near the border, where an 11-member working group was formed.
The 11-member working group comprises representatives from Burma News International (BNI) as well as representatives from each news media group that participated in the conference.
Regarding the group's activities, Nan Pawt Gay said, "In today's world, fake news can be found in social media and professional media. It is essential that we regulate the news to ensure it aligns with ethical standards. However, when it comes to representing Myanmar at media meetings in neighboring ASEAN countries, the question arises as to who will be the representative of our independent media. Moving forward, we need to work under a unified body to effectively carry out our media campaign activities."
On May 3, Burma News International (BNI) released a statement reporting that during the three-day conference, the emergence of public service media based on federal democracy and ethnic states and regions, was discussed and approved. Additionally, the attendees drafted and approved ethnic media policy proposals to be utilized in the future federal union.
The conference, entitled "Expanding Voices from Myanmar to the ASEAN Region," also reviewed and discussed the current state of campaigning and the regional situation, with the aim of finding ways to inform the governments and people of the region, about the situation in Myanmar, as stated in the report.
Nan Pawt Gay said, "It is important for the people of ASEAN to be aware of the situation in Myanmar. Myanmar's affairs not only concern its citizens, but also have implications for the international community, including our neighboring ASEAN countries. Providing this information is crucial to ensure that ASEAN countries are well-informed about the situation in our country, and can support our development efforts. We have taken steps towards this goal, and it remains a key topic of discussion for us."
Burma News International (BNI), consisting of 15 news media groups, led the 8th Ethnic Media Conference that spanned over three days.
The 8th Ethnic Media Conference was attended by a total of 130 individuals, including representatives from 40 local and foreign media organizations, partner organizations, select partner ambassadors, and donors
