The Board of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), meeting on 2 June 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand, during the 65th World Newspaper Congress and 20th World Editors Forum, calls on the government of Myanmar to recognise the importance of independent media in the transition to democracy and to allow a free press to flourish unhindered.

The Board welcomes reforms that have ended pre-publication censorship and given editors and publishers unprecedented levels of freedom, and is encouraged by the openness, political pluralism and opportunity for media freedom that now exists in Myanmar.

However, the Board urges more to be done to level the playing field between state and private media including legal reform that will strengthen pluralism and set the future tone for the country’s professional media environment. 

The Board further recommends the removal of any legislation that would license the written press and that government, civil society, the media profession and international organisations work together to ensure the establishment of an efficient, vibrant and sustainable media economy through training and investment.

The Board reiterates its commitment to support local media professionals in building conditions that strengthen media freedoms in Myanmar such as ensuring an independent and functioning Press Council, calling for a transparent business environment to help media enterprises grown unhindered and reaffirming support for the Myanmar Media Professionals Programme.