Television in Myanmar

Last updated

Television broadcasting in Myanmar began in 1979 as a test trial in Yangon. [1] The first television service BBS was launched on 3 June 1980, [2] followed by regular service in 1981. [3] Most television networks in the country are broadcast from Yangon. MRTV and MWD are the two Burmese state-owned television networks, providing Burmese-language programming in news and entertainment. Other channels include MRTV Entertainment, M Entertainment Channel, MRTV-4, [4] Channel 7, 5Plus, MNTV, Channel 9, Mizzima TV, DVB TV, Channel K, YTV, Fortune TV, Mahar HD, HTV Sports Channel, Htv Channel, WAF Channel, Channel Light Channel, Golden Land Channel, TVM Channel, and more than 20 TV channels. Pay TV services include SKYNET, Myansat and CANAL+ Myanmar. [5]

Contents

Digital Terrestrial Television

Network NameOwner/OperatorMultiplexFrequency Channel (Yangon  Area Only)Relay Stations OperatiorTotal Relay StationsTotal ChannelsOther InfoNote
4 Digital CANAL+ Myanmar Group 4 Digital MUXE27 522 MHzCANAL+ Myanmar Group35 DTV
3 Radio
--
MRTV Ministry of Information (Myanmar) MRTV MUX 1E31 554 MHzMinistry of Information (Myanmar)15819 DTV
6 Radio
--
MRTV Multiplex 2Ministry of Information (Myanmar)MRTV MUX 2E35 586 MHzMinistry of Information (Myanmar)38 DTV
0 Radio
--
MWD Digital Myanmar Armed Forces MWD Digital MUXE42 642 MHzMyanmar Armed Forces307 DTV
2 Radio
--
Channel
(LCN)
Picture format EPG Name ProgrammingNote
4 Digital MUX
61 1080i 16:9 MRTV-4HDMain MRTV-4 Programming
621080i 16:9Channel7 HDMain Channel 7 Programming
64 480i 4:3 MAHABAWDIMahabawdi Channel Programming
65480i 4:3READERS CHANNELReader's Channel Programming
66480i 4:3for EDU4EDU Programming
160Audio onlyMANDALAY FMMain Mandalay FM National Service Programming
161Audio onlyPYINSAWADI FM 1Mandalay FM National Service Programming
162Audio onlyPYINSAWADI FM 2Mandalay FM, Yangon Region Programming
MRTV MUX 1
1 1080i 16:9 MRTV HDMain MRTV Programming
21080i 16:9MRTV NEWS HD MRTV News channel ProgramingNews & Current affairs Programming
3480i 16:9MRTV HLUTTAWMRTV Parliament Channel Programming LIVE Coverage of Assembly of the Union and House of Representatives Proceedings
41080i 16:9MRTV NRC HDMRTV NRC Channel ProgrammingMinorities Service.
5480i 16:9HTV (MRTV Farmer)Htv Channel, MRTV Farmers' Programming
6480i 16:9HTV Sports (MRTV Sports) Htv Sports, MRTV Sports Programming
71080i 16:9MRTV ENTERTAINMENT MRTV Entertainment Channel Programming
8480i 16:9MITV MITV ProgrammingInformation, Cultural and Travel Programing in English.
9480i 16:9EDUMyanmar Education Channel Programming
10480i 16:9M Entertainment Channel M Entertainment Channel ProgrammingCommercial service
11480i 16:9MRTV-4 MRTV-4 ProgrammingCommercial service
12480i 16:9Channel-7 Channel 7 ProgrammingCommercial service
13480i 16:95-Plus 5 Plus Channel ProgrammingCommercial service
14480i 16:9MNTV MNTV ProgrammingCommercial service
15480i 16:9Channel-9 Channel 9 ProgrammingCommercial service
16480i 16:9MWD MWD Programming
17480i 4:3Channel K Channel K ProgrammingCommercial service
18480i 4:3YTV YTV ProgrammingCommercial service
19480i 16:9Fortune TV Fortune TV ProgrammingCommercial service
20Audio onlyMyanma RadioMain Myanmar Radio National Service Programming
21Audio onlyUpper TineyintharMyanmar Radio Minorities Programming
22Audio onlyLower TineyintharMyanmar Radio Minorities Programming
23Audio onlyTest RadioTest
24Audio onlyMRI ChannelMyanmar Radio International Programming
25Audio onlyTha PyayMyanmar Radio 2nd Programming
MRTV MUX 2
11080i 16:9MI HDMain MITV Programing
21080i 16:9MRTV (HTV) Farmer HDHtv Channel, MRTV Farmers' Programming
31080i 16:9MRTV (HTV) Sport HD Htv Sports, MRTV Sports Programming
41080i 16:9M CHANNEL HDMain M Entertainment Channel Programming
51080i 16:9CHANNEL K HDMain Channel K Programming
61080i 16:9FORUNE TV HDMain Fortune TV Programming
71080i 16:9YTV HDMain YTV Programming
81080i 16:95-Plus HDMain 5 Plus Channel Programming
MWD Digital MUX
11080i 16:9MWD Variety HDMWD Variety ProgrammingPresentation and Play Out System are based on Naypyitaw
21080i 16:9TVM HDTVM Programming
31080i 16:9MWD Education Knowledge and Sports HDMWD Educational and Knowledge and Sports Programming
41080i 16:9MWD HDMain MWD ProgrammingPresentation and Play Out System are based on Yangon
51080i 16:9Channel Light HDChannel Light Programming
61080i 16:9Golden Land HDGolden Land channel programming
71080i 16:9WAF HDWAF channel programming
8Audio onlyThazinThazin FM Radio Programming
9Audio onlyStar FMStar FM Radio Programming

Television Platforms & Providers

Provider NameOwnerAvailable AreaService TypePlatformTotal ChannelsLaunch dateDefunct date
MRTV Multichannels Playout System Ministry of Information (Myanmar) NationwideFree-to-AirDigital terrestrial television1915 October 2013-
MRTV DTHMinistry of Information (Myanmar)NationwideFree-to-AirDTH (using Intelsat 39 62°E)151 February 2022-
MRTV AppMinistry of Information (Myanmar)NationwideFree-to-AirIPTV8 Channels with VOD Catalogue1 August 2023-
MWD Digital Myanmar Armed Force Selected City's and TownshipFree-to-AirDigital terrestrial television71 October 2010-
CANAL+ DTH CANAL+ Myanmar GroupNationwidePay TVDTH (using Thaicom 6 78.5°E)6115 December 2014-
Myansat DTHBorderless Media and Telesky Media GroupNationwidePay TVDTH (using Laosat 1 128.5°E)13015 January 2025-
SKYNET DTH Shwe Than Lwin Media NationwidePay TVDTH (using Apstar 7 76.5°E)4715 November 2010-
CANAL+ DTT CANAL+ Myanmar GroupYangon & Mandalay areaPay TVDigital terrestrial television6115 February 2006-
NayPyiTaw Cable TVNaypyitaw City Development CommitteeSelected location's in NaypyitawPay TVCable TV201 September 2013-
My CANALCANAL+ Myanmar GroupNationwidePay TVIPTV59 channels with VOD Catalogue23 January 2019-
TvieMyanmar NetSelected City's and TownshipPay TVIPTV36 Channels with VOD Catalogue2 January 2019-
SKYNET AppShwe Than Lwin MediaNationwidePay TVIPTV16 Channels with VOD Catalogue15 January 2025-
Myanmar Armed Forces Cable TelevisionMyanmar Armed ForcesSelected location's in Naypyitaw and YangonPay TVAnalogue Cable Television2015 May 199631 August 2013
5 NetworkForever Group / Family Entertainment GroupNationwidePay TVDigital terrestrial television2715 February 200627 January 2018
Cookie TVCookie TV GroupNationwidePay TVIPTV57 Channels with VOD Catalogue10 January 201910 May 2021
SKYNET DTTShwe Than Lwin MediaYangon areaPay TVDigital terrestrial television501 August 202231 October 2024

Technical Details

When Myanmar (Burma) establishing their first television service, the choice of the Broadcast System is a little bit odds, considering their Mains electricity and Geographic. Myanmar (Burma) mains electricity is 230 volt at 50 Hz, and NTSC refresh rate is 60 Hz, not synchronized with each others. Another odds situation is most of the neighboring countries are adopting PAL-B/G system. But, Myanmar (Burma) has chose NTSC-M system as their analogue television standard. The reason Myanmar (Burma) adopted NTSC-M standard is because of the JICA and Matsushita Electric. They are involved during the establishment of Myanmar's first television service and, they are supporting trough various methods like Financially, Technologically and Broadcast Expertise. They lobbying to Ministry of Information Burma and Burma Broadcasting Service to adopt NTSC, and the MOI and BBS is agreed. In early 2010s when the Government of Myanmar is working to adopt Digital terrestrial television standard, Myanmar's chose DVB-T2 standard on 8 MHz channel spacing on Western Europe / Asia DTV frequency along with Southeast Asian countries (except Philippines). In turn of technologically, DVB-T2 is the most advanced standard and most optimized for Multi-channels purposes, Exactly all Myanmar's broadcasters wanted. [6]

Broadcasting PlatformBroadcasting systemVideo resolutionVideo encodingAudio encodingBroadcast spectrumSystem Inaugural dateFirst domestic broadcastFinal domestic broadcast
Analogue Terrestrial Television CCIR System M 525 lines 4:3 NTSC FM VHF Band I, Band III,
UHF Band IV, Band V
1 January 19543 June 198014 February 2024
Analogue Cable Television, SMATV CCIR System G 625 lines 4:3 PAL FM,
A2 Stereo
UHF Hyperband, Band IV, Band V25 August 196715 May 1996-
Digital Terrestrial Television DVB-T 480i 4:3 MPEG-2 MPEG Audio Layer II UHF Band IV, Band V15 November 199815 February 200613 March 2020
Digital Terrestrial Television DVB-T2 1080i 16:9 H.264 MPEG Audio Layer II,
HE AAC
UHF Band IV, Band V2 December 200915 October 2013-
Satellite Television, Direct to Home DVB-S2 1080i 16:9H.264,
H.265 [7] [8]
HE AAC Ku Band 1 September 200615 November 2010-

See also

References

  1. Thant Myint-U (2006). The River of Lost Footsteps--Histories of Burma. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 371. ISBN   978-0-374-16342-6.
  2. "Junta Launches New PR Offensive". The Irrawaddy . 1 August 2001. Archived from the original on 12 August 2010.
  3. May Thaw (12–18 March 2007). "Broadcasting options expanding". Myanmar Times . Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  4. Forever Group | MRTV-4
  5. "Canal+ to launch pay TV service in Myanmar". 12 January 2017.
  6. "မင်္ဂလာပါ... - Satellite & Electronics". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
  7. "မေးလေ့မေး‌ထရှိသောမေးခွန်းများ". Canal + Myanmar (in Burmese). Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  8. "Canal+ Myanmar on Thaicom 6 at 78.5°E - LyngSat". www.lyngsat.com. Retrieved 2025-08-03.