One more new FM radio station will be set up soon in Shan State East’s Tachilek, opposite Thailand’s Maesai, according sources on the Thai-Burma border.
It is due to start broadcasting from the beginning of 2010. T here are no further details of how it will be programmed, but it is expected to be similar to the existing Cherry FM programme, the source said.
Cherry FM based in Shan State capital, Taunggyi, started broadcasting in August, targeting to air over a 50 mile radius in every part of Shan State, southern, northern and eastern. It is owned by a private company, Zaygaba. Nevertheless it is jointly operated by the junta.
The programme focuses on entertainment and the junta’s own news features, according to a resident from Taunggyi.
The news section is read in Burmese language and the entertainment focuses on ethnic music especially Shan and Pa-O songs. With such entertainment, the programme is gaining popularity among the people, especially youths. “My sister and brother listen to it every day. We like to listen to the songs rather than the news sections,” he said.
A Pa-O youth shared the view. “I just listen to the music, not the news because it is so boring,” he said.
A source who regularly listens to exiled radio programmes said, “The junta is trying to counter the influence of the exiled media.”
Observers have also said the junta is looking for a new campaign strategy for the elections as the number of local FM radio stations is increasing.
The existing FM radio stations in Burma are: Rangoon City FM, Mandalay City FM, Pyinsawaddy FM in Arakan State (Rakhine), Padamya FM in Kachin State, Shwe FM in Pegu (Bago) division and Cherry FM in Shan State.
Shwe FM covers Pegu and Tenasserim divisions, and Karen and Mon state. Cherry FM covers Shan state and Karenni state; Padamya FM caters to Magwe and Sagaing divisions, and Kachin state and Chin state. Pyinsawaddy FM covers Rakhine and Irrawaddy Division. However, these are all under the the Ministry of Information.
Radio stations operating outside Burma include the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), Radio Free Asia (RFA), BBC and Voice of America (VOA). All the stations also run weekly ethnic programmes in their own mother tongues as well.
