MYANMAR RADIO and Television, MRTV, a department of the Ministry of Information, along with Japan’s International Cooperation Agency, JICA, held a workshop on promoting broadcast technology in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

The workshop, held under the technical cooperation programme between Myanmar and Japan at the Ministry of Information, was attended by Union Minister for Information Dr Pe Myint, Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun, Permanent Secretary U Myo Myint Maung, Directors-General, and officials of MRTV and JICA.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister Dr Pe Myint at called for the participants of the workshop to discuss the need for promoting the quality of the broadcast media of the MRTV.

The participants from the two sides also discussed guideMRTV, JICA discuss development of broadcast sector lines for broadcasting, media ethics and reporters’ manuals.

Broadcasting in Myanmar began in 1980 with the assistance of the Japanese Sasakawa Foundation, which built a broadcasting studio and provided equipment to Myanmar. “Japan’s assistance can be said to have played an important role in launching the broadcast media in Myanmar,” said Union Minister Dr Pe Myint.

Following his speech, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar Office, Mr Masayuki Karasawa, explained the purpose of the workshop. Afterwards, the two sides reviewed the undergoing cooperation in developing broadcast media of MRTV, a draft for media ethics written by Myanmar and Japanese experts, reporter manuals, guidelines for broadcasting and a draft for extension of public interest programmes.

The workshop mainly focused assistance from JICA to promoting of MRTV’s broadcast quality and plan for producing public interest programmes and results of the implementation of the cooperation.

MRTV broadcast the colour TV Programmes in 1980s with the assistance of Japanese Sasakawa Foundation and JICA.

With the cultural assistance fund of Japan, Japan’s NHK broadcast 383 programmes in MRTV channels. As a third cooperation between Japan and Myanmar, the two countries adopted a four-year project on promoting the quality of MRTC, and trained the MRTV staff and helped in producing public interests programmes. The 2019-2020 FY is the last year of the project.

Meanwhile, the equipment of the MRTV was upgraded with the JICA ODA Grant assistance.

A ceremony to launch the use of equipment was held at the MRTV (Yangon) on 7th September. —MNA (Translated by Kyaw Zin Lin)