Eleven Media bid for daily licence denied

Myanmar’s press supervisory committee on Sunday allowed eight private companies to begin publishing daily newspapers from April 1, but denied Eleven Media Group’s application because it lacked an official 100-kyat (Bt3.5) revenue stamp.

The Central Supervisory Committee for Printers, Publishers Registration and Press Scrutiny and Distribution advised Eleven Media to file another application.

Among 17 applications to publish dailies, 14 were scrutinised and eight were given permission. Three others remain under screening.

The eight dailies given temporary permission to publish are: Shwe Ngainngan Thit from Shwenainggan Media; Khit Moe; Union Daily from the ruling Union Solidarity Development Party; Empire; The Messenger; Breaking News Daily; Myanmar Newsweek Daily from Ever Win Media, which is owned by Tin Aung Khine, who is accompanying President Thein Sein on his European visit; and Mizzima of the former exile media group.

Thein Myint, managing director of Eleven Media Group, said “it was very peculiar to receive the denial letter”.

“[The committee] held the meeting in Nay Pyi Taw in the morning and delivered the letter to our offices at 2pm. The letter seemed to be prepared in advance as the delivery was very fast. They said that the denial was due to the lack of a 100-kyat revenue stamp,” Thein Myint said.

“The other reason they cited was a lack of information about what language the daily would be published in,” Thein Myint .

“I went to Nay Pyi Taw myself and explained to the director general that the daily would be  published in Burmese,” he said.

“The other reason that he explained [for the denial] was to extend our company licence, as it was overdue a few days ago. We attached complete documents, such as the annual tax certificate and the decision of the board of directors. These were the vital documents. Previously, they asked over the phone for any necessary items. This department usually sought cash donations over the phone,” Thein Myint said.

“Now, a small thing [revenue stamp] is being asked for through a letter. Under these circumstances, we had already attached all the necessary documents and delivered them to the director general today. The extension of the company licence was also submitted to the Ministry of Commerce, and it will be approved on Tuesday. When I phoned director general Ye Tint, he responded that [the application] was complete,” Thein Myint said.

“At this juncture, the case may impact on the dignity of the Ministry for Information and also the dignity of the government. We will wait and see,” he said.

Eleven Media Group applied to the Ministry of Information for official permission to publish a daily called Daily Eleven on February 15.

Eleven Media Group CEO Than Htut Aung said: “We began planning to publish a daily newspaper two or three years ago. We have nearly 200 journalists. We have already purchased two Web Offsets. The investment made is over US$3 million.”

“We cannot accept any pressure put on us in connection with the publishing of a daily newspaper. If the recently published printing bill by the Ministry of Information is enacted, the independent news media will surely face similar difficulties,” Than Htut Aung added.

“Let me repeat,” he said. “We will categorically oppose this media bill. We will not compromise our stance. Recently, the people and the ethnic national races have 

completely lost faith in the reforms and promises of the president. As a result, I am of the view that we in the media are no longer required to focus on [issues related to the government’s credibility] at length.”