The [him] moderator has long been interested in the relationship of the mass media and the response to HIV. Journalists both reflect local values and have an opportunity to lead in changing them. Do any readers have an example of a mass media programme that has been well evaluated?

Burma media workshop looks at geopolitical issues

Hkawng Ja
Mizzima News
10 February 2006

Burmese media workers and trainers discussed the effects of Burma's position in the Asian geopolitical region on the country at a seminar on the Thai-Burma border today.

International trainers discussed a variety of issues with Burmese journalists to help participants understand and report on geopolitical issues that effect Burma.

Moe Yu May, an organiser of the Geopolitics workshop, said participants discussed the effects Burma's ASEAN neighbours had on the country's political, health and economic sectors.  

In particular, she said they discussed the planned construction of dams on the May Hka and May Lihka rivers in Kachin state.

"The workshop especially also discussed on the signing of the MOU [Memorandum of Understand] of [Burma] and China for building Dam on the Salween River," she said.

Phil Thornton, a freelance journalist who also attended the workshop said, "We discussed the exploration of natural recourses, national historic buildings being sold off, drug, health, bird flu, Malaria, HIV/AIDS . . . and exotic tropical disease in [Burma]".  

Dr Lun Swe, vice president of the Myanmar Medical Association in Mae Sot told Mizzima, "I could get idea of when I write a story of Myanmar affairs linked with ASEAN and others countries and how to approach the story systematically".