No losses for state-owned newspapers, ministry says

The ministry made the statement at a a press conference in Nay Pyi Taw last week, talking about the contract-modification plan and the finances of the News and Periodical Enterprise (NPE) under it.

It was organised by the information committee formed with directors from the ministry’s enterprises, such as the NPE, the Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD) and Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV).

MRTV director Win Kyi said the ministry is planning to alter the contracts made with private TV broadcasters such as Sky Net, Forever and six private FM channels.

The modification will make financial transactions between them easier and simpler as the private broadcasters are using MRTV-owned buildings, he added.

During the conference, NPE officials said it suffered no losses as state newspapers are on sale for 50 kyat per a paper, and that it earned 14.19 billion kyat and 11.75 billion during fiscal year 2012-13, which saw an income surplus of 2.44 billion kyat. They added that the NPE earned 13.92 billion kyat and spent 10.04 billion kyat till December, during the fiscal year 2013-14, which saw an income surplus of 3.88 billion kyat.

IPRD director Aung Kyaw Oo said at the conference that three new newspapers and 10 more journals had applied for official permission to open and that they are being permitted to publish. The newspapers are Myanmar Eleven, Ludu Mawkwun and Pyithu Khum Arr.