Television in Myanmar

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 Channel, MRTV-4,^[4] Channel 7, 5Plus, MNTV, Channel 9, Mizzima TV, DVB TV, Channel K, YTV, Fortune TV, Mahar HD, Htv Sports Channel, Uni TV, SNDSY(Entertainment), Channel 24 WAF Channel, Channel Light, Golden Land Channel, TVM Channel, and more than 20 TV channels. Pay TV services include SKYNET, Myansat and CANAL+ Myanmar.^[5]

When Myanmar (Burma) establishing their first television service, the choice of the Broadcast television systems 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 odd situation is most of the neighbouring countries are adopting PAL-B/G system. But, Myanmar (Burma) has chosen 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 through 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).^[6] In turn of technologically, DVB-T2 is the most advanced standard and most optimized for Multi-channels purposes. Ministry of Information Myanmar and the 'Big Four' television network's MRTV, MWD, SKY NET and CANAL+ Myanmar All are recommend to the government to adopt DVB-T2 standard, and government is agreed their recommendations. Because of the Digital television transition commitment given to the ITU, all NTSC analogue television services in Myanmar ware switched off on 14 February 2024.

• 625 line PAL-G was never recognised as the official system by the Government of Myanmar and has never been broadcast on terrestrial network. but many cable providers and SMATV installers are using this system. Because, signal distribution equipment for cable television are imported from Thailand.
• Before adopting DVB-T2, 4TV and MWD Digital used DVB-T system for their multi-channel services. 4TV upgrade to DVB-T2 in 2014 and abandoned DVB-T. MWD Digital did the same in 2020.

• Media of Burma