The landscape of media freedom in Southeast Asia shows a mix of government regimes and media systems. To provide a regional perspective is therefore a complex task.
The Freedom House Index ranks countries according to state of political and civic liberties available to citizens, along with a ranking of press freedom. The classifications are three: Free, Partly Free and Not Free states. Of the ten states in the ASEAN, no country is currently classified as Free. Only three make it as Partly Free: East Timor, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Freedom House continues to classify Burma as Not Free, despite the dramatic changes that have been initiated by government to open up society. As such, it is not doing any worse than other countries, and perhaps trailing behind only three.
One obvious view is to see Myanmar still very much in tune with the rest of the region which has long favored authoritatrian control, the curbing of human rights, and governments for politicians rather than for the people.
One can quarrel with the system of measurements of Freedom House, but that is another discussion.. In fact, Southeast Asia boasts of three de-facto three press systems for some time, but the situation even in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand, joined later by Timor Leste, reflects the global decline of press freedom all around the world. This downward trend in the quality of media freedom are measured by setbacks, such as the political turmoil in Thailand which has enhanced the application of lese majeste laws, and the impact of a younger generation distaste for the mainstream media.
Even in free systems such as India and the Philippines, where the free press tradition has had the longest histories in Asia, there are other pressures restraining media freedom, including religious and social traditions, the interlocking economic and political interests of owners, media corruption, commercialism and outmoded news conventions that focus on personality, color and conflict, which leave many significant stories un-reported and prevents a news agenda more responsive to public needs.
Anything we say about Myanmar from around the three ASEAN countries, cannot be said with condescension that comes from superior ranking of freedom. The Philippines may be proud to claim the most libertarian Constitution with clear provisions for protecting press freedom from government interference. But Filipino journalists continue to be vulnerable to violent attacks, to be subject to imprisonment for defamation under the criminal libel law. Along with Not Free countries in ASEAN, we do not have a Freedom of Information Act. Sadly, the region has not set a very good example for Myanmar to follow.
Initiatives and gains
But the political initiatives taken by Myanmar in 2011 seem to secure certain gains. The national mood has lifted, breaking the long-standing malaise of repression with visible and audible hope in a radically new future.
Personally, I remain optimistic about official intentions. Surely, officials know that once released, the freedom genie cannot be summoned back to the bottle. As an exile journalist returning to his country put it: The process may be slow, it may be even stalled. But it will be very difficult to stop.
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Myanmar media: In sweet spot of transition