Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burma’s Censor Board under the Ministry of Information has imposed a new time limit and altered requirements for weekly journals in presenting their draft copies.

Starting from the first of this month, the Censor Board directed weekly journals to present draft journal copies no later than 12 noon.

“Power in Rangoon is unpredictable and unreliable. If the power is not available when we need it, it will be inconvenient for us. So, we are unlikely to finish before their deadline,” said one Rangoon-based journal editor.

However, an editor of a best selling weekly journal welcomed the new scheme.

“This new system is long overdue. It is very much convenient for all media persons,” he said, indicating that workload would be lightened.

Previously, weekly journals had to present their draft copies in hard copy, printed on A3 and A4 paper. But, starting last month, they could present their draft copies in soft copy form, stored on a CD after being converted to PDF format, along with a paper copy.

Now, only the CD form will be required.

Additionally, journals were also directed to deposit censor fees at the rate of 200 kyat (1 USD = 1,100 kyat) per page, not significantly different from former fee rates.

“Even so, it is still cheap for us in comparison with the previous system of presenting in hard copy printed on paper”, commented one journal editor.

Some journals estimate they can save over 30,000 kyat per issue from this new system, as a blank CD costs only 150 kyat, in contrast to the old system of presenting on A3 and A4 paper.