Current Broadcasting in

The Republic of The Union of

Myanmar

Prepared By Deputy Director General (MRTV)

Date : 23-4-2012
Country Profile

 Area - 676,577 Square Kilometers

 Population is about 60 millions

 14 States and Regions

 Total of 325 Townships

 Radio and Television Broadcasting

 In Myanmar, media activities are carried out by forming one

Ministry named Ministry of Information.

 Under this ministry, Myanma Radio and Television ( MRTV )

was formed in order to carry out broadcasting activities and business.

 Situation Of Broadcasting
Radio Broadcasting
 Radio Broadcasting started since 1936.

 Short Wave (SW) for Nation Wide.

 Medium Wave (MW) covered populated areas, central and lower

Myanmar over 80% of the population.
 MRTV established 9 FM TXs especially covered for border areas.

 (6) commercial FM Operators joint ventured with MRTV, currently

undertaken 55 FM Transmitters covering 70% of population.

 Yangon City FM station (owned by Yangon City Development
Committee) also established since 2002.
 All radio signals delivered via satellite for retransmission.
 Situation of Broadcasting
 TV Broadcasting

 (MRTV) Myanma Radio and Television; State owned Station , under

the Ministry Of Information as National Broadcaster.

 MITV (Myanma International Television) targeting Oversea Audience,

is JV Operation with MRTV and Shwe Than Lwin Media Co,.Ltd.

 MRTV-4 ; joint ventured with MRTV and Forever Group of Company.

 (MWD) Myawaddy Television; under the Ministry Of Defence.

The Status of Broadcasting In Myanmar
 Analog Terrestrial Broadcasting

(MRTV) ; FTA , Total of 226 re-transmitting stations , coverage

over 80% of the population.

(MRTV-4); FTA, Yangon, Mandalay, Taungyi, coverage over 25% of the

population.

(MWD) Television; FTA, coverage over 50% of the population.

The Status of Broadcasting In Myanmar
 DVB- T & DTH Broadcasting
DVB-T (FTA - MRTV, MITV , MRTV- 4 ) and other pay TV channels
being Transmitted by 29 stations, its coverage is 50% of population.
DVB-T programs distribution to the remote sites delivered via Thaicom-5
satellite.
DTH – Skynet also include freeview (MRTV, MITV , MRTV-4) and
along with (46) pay TV channels are Direct To Home Broadcast by
Satellite using DVB-S2, MPEG-4.
 The Other Usage of Satellite
File delivery services is provided for 9 regional remote newspaper
printing centers.

IP streaming for University of Distance Education (UDE) launched since

2001, reached over 600 education learning centers.
 The Status of Satellite Usage
 DVB-S
• Distribution for FTA Terrestrial Broadcasting TV Channels
 MRTV , MITV , MRTV- 4 via Thaicom-5 satellite.
 Myawaddy (MWD) Television - Palapa D

• Distribution for FTA Global Broadcasting TV Channel

 Myanmar International Channel is broadcasting via Satellite

DTH turn-around service which can reach Europe, North

America, Asia , Australia & Newzeland about (166) countries
all over the world.
 MI ( Myanmar International ) via Thaicom-5 , Hotbird-6,

Galaxy19, Apstar-5 (Telstar-18), Optus D2 satellites for global

service.
 DVB-S2
 For DTH (Skynet) pay TV programs distribution via satellite .
 Digital Video Broadcasting
 Broadcast infrastructure is still keeping control and run by States
Institutions and Ministries. But commercially joint ventured with
private sectors by considering to open the broadcasting industry for
private investment.

 MRTV joint ventured with private company (Forever Group Co.,

Ltd) to establish pay platform by terrestrial DVB-T.

 MRTV also joint ventured with private company (Shwe Than Lwin
Media Co., Ltd) to establish Satellite Skynet DTH Service mainly
based on pay platform.
Digital Switch-Over Policies & Study Activities
 Myanmar National Digital Broadcasting Committee (MNDBC) was

formed on 11th June 2005 to supervise in setting up framework for

nation-wide digital broadcasting services and to lay out some of the
details of the legislative provisions applying to the transition of digital
broadcasting in Myanmar.

 MNDBC has a number of working groups to oversee the technical

planning process, including legalization, transmission standards and

compatibility requirements in the transition to Digital Broadcasting for
the whole country.
Digital Switch-Over Policies & Study Activities
 By the outcome of several working group meetings, the committee

(MNDBC) finalized to recommend DVB-T as the National Digital

Terrestrial Broadcasting Standard to be adopted legally.

 DVB-T transmission was trial run in Yangon since 2005, for the

purpose of building multi-channel digital terrestrial broadcasting

infrastructure .

 DVB-T was approved as the National Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting

Standard by the Government on 2nd October, 2008.

Building a Multi-Channel Digital Terrestrial
Broadcasting infrastructure
 With the advantages of digital terrestrial broadcasting technology by

DVB-T, MRTV-4 digital transmission service was extended with

additional Pay-TV channels. Provided total of 51 SD and 6 HD Digital

TV channels in Yangon and 10 SD Channels retransmitted in the Other

Cities.

 Up to now 29 DVB-T re-transmitting stations which covered about 50%

of the population.
Analogue Switch Off Policy
All existing terrestrial TV channels will be accommodated

during dual illumination period.

By the advancement of technological changes and affordability

of Set-top Box and new TV Set which can receive DVB-T2

signal, MRTV FTA Network shall undertake DVB-T2
standard.
FTA Set-top Box specification as a National Standard by

MPEG-4 , DVB-T2 required to announce for Public Awareness

being discussed.
 Analogue Switch Off (ASO)
Main Issues

 Required to have more attractive Free To Air digital television

channels.

 Analogue switch off shall undertake after digital take-up

percentage of 70% of TV household based on area by area .

 ASO schedule as tentatively by 2020.

Challenges
 Switchover date vs investments required

 Social need for free to air channels

 Consumer awareness - cost effective to consumers

 STB (Set -top Box) availability and affordability

 New content : where will this come from

 Any financial support required

 Due to technological changes happening many standards being

confused, STB and TV receiver specifications as National Standard

required to be adopted urgently.

Opportunities

 Due to the age of current Analogue TV Transmitter Network and its

shortage of spare parts availability unable to maintain any longer,
required to undertake Digital Network urgently.
 More and more information, news and entertainment demanded by
consumer required to provide multi channel network, multi platform
services.
 Technological advancement of Consumer products price affordability,
technological convergence among broadcast, telecom & internet provide
multiple services by one device for accessing, realizing to develop new
networks & new platforms.
Tentative ASO Plan in Myanmar (FTA)
2012~ 2013 2013 ~ 2014 2015
DTV Transition
Phase I 3 KW, 2KW, 1KW, Simulcast Analogue Switch
(23 Nos.) Off

2014 ~ 2016 2016 ~ 2018 2018

DTV Transition
Phase II 1KW, 600W Simulcast Analogue Switch
(16 Nos.) Off

2016 ~ 2018 2018 ~ 2020 2020

DTV Transition
Phase III 300 W, 150 W, 80 W, Simulcast Analogue Switch
10 W, (211 Nos.) Off
 Future Plan
Free To Air ( FTA ) Nationwide Television Broadcasting Network
 Free To Air broadcasting network will extend nationwide coverage.

DVB-T Pay-TV Broadcasting Network

 Going to be installed at economically viable area (big cities) all over the
country.

DVB-T2 FTA -TV Broadcasting Network

 Going to be installed near future.

Mobile TV Broadcasting Network

 Technology for mobile TV broadcasting not yet approved.
Thank You All For
Your Attention