He said that the degree of press freedom is greater than before, but that the censorship board will still reject any articles that touch upon selectively sensitive issues—such as corruption, federalism, ethnic issues, military affairs and cronyism.
However, Burma’s press freedom should not be compared to neighboring countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia, he said, as those states have authoritarian governments. “It should instead be measured by universal standards of press freedom,” he said.
But although Rangoon-based journals still have to pass through the process of censorship, the government announced in June 2011 that publications and articles focusing on sports, technology, entertainment, health and children’s issues on longer had to be submitted for censorship.
A new media law titled “Printing Press and Publication Law,” which involves 10 chapters dealing with “rights, duties, and ethical codes for writers and journalists, and penalties” will be submitted to the Attorney General’s Office for comments, before going to the Cabinet and to Parliament for approval.
Many bloggers and citizen journalists prefer to use social networks for updating their readers. Many Rangoon-based websites and independent writers share information through Facebook, Blog, Wordpress, and Googleplus.
Although there are no official statistics concerning Facebook users, the social network is hugely popular with thousands of users and is very often the key source of information-sharing among people in Burma and in spreading news to the international community.
On the radio—for so long the rural person's only conduit with the outside world—Burma’s state-run channels have now agreed to air some of Washington-based VOA’s programs, albeit selectively.
After his trip to Burma in late 2011, Than Lwin Tun, the head of the VOA Burmese Service, said that Information Minister Kyaw Hsan had agreed to selectively broadcast some of his organization's products, such as international news, English education, health, science and technology programs.
Despite the practical concessions, however, several voices in the media remain skeptical.
A freelance journalist who works for foreign media organizations said, “It looks like the whole process is to please the West in order to get sanctions lifted. I really don't know how genuine they [new government] are.”
Maung Wun Tha, the editor of Pyithu Khit, a Rangoon-based journal, said that sensitive issues such as the conflict with ethnic rebels were still taboo.
Reporting on the ongoing armed conflict in Kachin State was also off limits, he said.
Several observers say they see the stumbling block as Information Minister Kyaw Hsan—known to be a hardliner and an advocate of a strict censorship policy—who remains a key figure at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Nonetheless, nine Burmese journalists including Zaw Thet Htwe and blogger Nay Phone Latt were freed in a government amnesty in January.
“I will keep writing even if it means I get arrested again,” said Nay Phone Latt. “Then we will know whether or not we have real [press] freedom.”