The artwork on the cover of Myanmar Media in Transition (2019, ISEAS) is entitled Twilight - the period between day and night, before sunrise or sunset, towards light or darkness. It evokes the twilight of free expression in Myanmar in 2019, and asks if the country is moving toward light and hope, or darkness and despair. To create the image, a Burmese artist asked journalists, poets, writers, a
ctivists, photographers and filmmakers of different ages, genders, religions and ethnicities to describe the state of free expression and media freedom. The right side of the face is open, offering their answers to this question: “Media freedom and free expression are under attack.” “We’re dodging legal landmines.” “It seems we’re free, but we’re not.” “We’re still struggling.” “We’re walking blindly.” “We’re lost.” “We expected the best, but we’re facing the worst.” “We’re suffocating.” “We’re going backwards.” “This is the new dark age.” “Amid the snakes, scorpions have been added.” The left side of the face is dark, and the eye closed, to evoke what people were unable to say. The answers clearly demonstrate that even two years ago there was a collective fear of losing hard fought gains. Yet no one then imagined the current state of terror and repression. On 10 March, we launched our 2021 Myanmar Media in Transition page. We’re using the site to share reflections and analysis in English through multi-media reports, interviews, panel discussions, poetry, songs and other performances reflecting on the state of free and creative expression and journalism in the post-coup period. We’re drawing content from a wide variety of Burmese and international media outlets, civil society websites, analytical and academic journals, and from writers and artists, including contributors to Myanmar Media in Transition (2019). We applaud and stand in solidarity with the journalists, editors, writers, poets, artists, photographers and videographers demonstrating incredible courage on a daily basis to keep the world updated on the current situation. We also acknowledge with gratitude the courageous work of the many citizen journalists across the country who are contributing to the world’s understanding of the ongoing events by posting images and information on social media, or by sending information, photos and videos directly to journalists to assist with their coverage. The current situation is extremely dangerous, so many journalists are obliged to cover stories from safe locations or from afar. Without citizen journalists, their work would be far more challenging and, in some cases, impossible. The unflagging work of journalists and small media outlets operating in Myanmar’s seven ethnic states and seven regions also deserves our admiration. Because they are well known in their local communities and are in some cases operating in conflict zones, it is also extremely risky. Some of these outlets have made a decision to also publish their ethnic language stories in Burmese and English so they can reach wider audiences. At the start of 2022, we changed the year in our page name. You can assist the dissemination of current information here by sending us links to thoughtful, in-depth and creative articles, essays, interviews and YouTube videos so that we can share them on our page. Background: Myanmar Media in Transition: Legacies, Challenges and Change overviews media in Myanmar during this pre-coup political transition period, examining not just journalism and freedom of expression but a broader range of creative expression. The book establishes the pre-coup context of structural constraints and opportunities facing the media industries, such as the history of media in the country, the political economy of Myanmar media, and the politics of international media development. This is followed by sections on journalism; creative expression such as film and fiction; activist and social media; civil society and activist media; and public and community media. We rebooted this page in 2021 to provide a place to aggregate information about the post-coup media situation. Find more information here: https://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg/publication/2387
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