“The percentage of radio audience is decreasing, and [it is difficult to access] since the short-wave is very far and the audience [does not] receive clear transmissions. So, that is the reason that [the DBV] is changing to [a] TV program, since [TV] has [a larger] audience,” said Ma Nan Mya-nadi, director of DVB’s short-wave ethnic groups radio program, in an interview with IMNA.
The DVB planned to set-up an FM radio program in Burma, which would provide news stories to audience members by sending messages to mobile-phone users; however, the DVB has not mentioned how it would provide broadcasting for ethnic programs.
“In our ethnic area, it is still very difficult [for locals] to own a radio, not to mention a TV set. By changing from radio [broadcast] to TV programs, [it] can cause a great deal of difficulties for [the] ethnic audience,” said Saw Friday, director of the DVB’s Karen radio channel.
Saw Friday continued that it could prove very challenging to change from radio to TV broadcasts, since the audience mainly depends on radio broadcasts, as it is the more affordable option.
The DVB short-wave radio program has aired its last broadcast last Sunday, after launching its radio programs twenty-two years and three months ago, on July 19, 1992.
According to a US-based group that conducted research regarding short-wave radio programs in Burma, of the country’s four radio broadcasting programs, the BBC, RFA, VOA, and DVB, the DVB has the smallest audience, garnering only 2 percent of the radio audience.
