[HCDX] Burma: Junta approves FM station for Mandalay

[sakthi vel <ardicdxclub@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Junta approves FM station for Mandalay

Solomon & Than Htike Oo
Mizzima News
March 20, 2008

Burma's ruling junta has granted a rare permission to
operate a Mandalay-based radio program to Forever
Group, a business consortium thought to be closely
aligned with Burma's generals.

Forever Group, one of Burma's few multi-media
companies and widely believed to have close
connections with the junta's Information Minister
Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan, will commence production
on April 3, a staff from the company said.

The source added that Forever Group will head the
business interest, which is a joint venture between
the company and the Mandalay City Development
Committee (MCDC).

In Burma, with the junta keeping tight control over
media operations, only a few companies, who maintain
close relations with the ruling generals, enjoy the
opportunity to operate.

Forever Group, which launched the television channel
MRTV ? 4 in 2005 in collaboration with Myanmar TV, is
widely rumored to be owned by the son of the junta's
Information Minister.

However the company source denied the rumor, saying,
"Most of the company shares are owned by a private
businessman named Win Maw."

Meanwhile, a Rangoon-based journalist said that Dr.
Tin Tun Oo is also one of several other businessmen
holding shares of Forever Group.

Dr. Tin Tun Oo additionally holds a stake in one of
Burma's leading English weeklies, The Myanmar Times,
which is run by Australian businessman Ross Dunkley,
who in turn obtained his publishing license through
former partner Sonny Swe.

Sonny Swe was stripped of his license when he was
arrested in 2004 along with his father, then Burmese
Prime Minister and Intelligence Chief Khin Nyunt.

While it is unclear what, if any, involvement Kyaw
Hsan's son has with Forever Group, Rangoon-based
journalists say it is likely that the Burmese
Information Minister's son maintains a stake in the
group.

"Forever and Kyaw Hsan maintain a very cozy
relationship, so it is possible that the Minister
might have a stake in the company," a Rangoon-based
journalist, who wished to remain anonymous, told
Mizzima.

Mandalay City FM, which follows Yangon City FM as the
country's second FM station, will begin airing a daily
program on April 17 on the frequency 91.9MHz.

Forever Group, established in 1995, is involved in a
number of government multi-media projects, including
the building and maintaining of the MRTV-3 website.

Additionally, Forever Group offers computer training
courses in both Rangoon and Mandalay.

The company source said the new FM station will mainly
broadcast entertainment and music programs, with a
range extending at least 50 miles beyond Mandalay
city.

http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2008/Mar/68-Mar-2008.html


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