RSF - Reporters sans frontières

08/09/2026 | Press release | Archived content

Myanmar: RSF and Mizzima to reopen a vital information lifeline on shortwave radio

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the independent Myanmar media outlet Mizzima have joined forces to launch the "Voice of Independent Myanmar," a shortwave radio broadcast aimed at providing vital information to the Myanmar public as it confronts the civil war and censorship from the military junta.

On 9 August 2026, a 60-minute broadcast will be aired weekly on shortwave radio (17665 kHz) from 7 am to 8 am every Sunday in Myanmar, aiming to reach between 500,000 and 2 million Myanmar listeners weekly, and up to 4 million during major crises. The broadcast will combine local and international news bulletins and analysis, practical information and segments dedicated to human rights and disinformation. To maximise its impact, the audio content will also be broadcast across Mizzima's accounts on digital platforms, which count over 21 million followers on Facebook and 3 million subscribers on YouTube.

"This radio broadcast, which is freely accessible to anyone equipped with a shortwave receiver and can't be blocked or jammed on a wide scale, will allow the Myanmar public to once again access independent news despite the junta's censorship, internet blackouts and digital surveillance, and the growing influence of propaganda narratives from other countries in the region - particularly from China.

Cédric Alviani
Director, RSF Asia-Pacific Bureau

Shortwave radio, a means of bypassing censorship

Unlike cellular networks and the internet, shortwave radio can cross borders without relying on local telecommunications facilities, which the junta can shut down. Cost-effective and extremely difficult to jam on a large scale, it can be accessed through a simple battery-powered receiver. It is the most direct and secure way to reach isolated populations in conflict zones and rural areas, as well as refugees and diaspora communities across the region.

"For decades, shortwave radio has been a vital lifeline for the people of Myanmar, providing access to trusted information even in the country's most remote and conflict-affected areas. Through this partnership with Reporters Without Borders (RSF), we are strengthening that lifeline and helping ensure that people across Myanmar continue to receive reliable, independent news. We are sincerely grateful to RSF for its invaluable support and unwavering solidarity with the people of Myanmar in defending the fundamental right to access independent media. Launching this initiative as Mizzima marks its 28th anniversary makes this moment particularly significant, reaffirming our long-standing commitment to independent journalism and to serving the people of Myanmar.

Soe Myint
Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief, Mizzima

This initiative is part of RSF's goal to defend the right to information worldwide via resilient anti-censorship tools, building directly on a similar project in Iran launched in April 2026. In addition to financial aid, RSF will contribute content focused on press freedom and Chinese regional influence. The new broadcast enables Mizzima to bypass military censorship and restore a vital news lifeline to its audience on the ground.

Since the military coup of February 2021, Myanmar has plunged into a severe crackdown against journalism. More than 200 reporters have been detained, at least 39 of whom remain behind bars today, while the licences of at least 15 media outlets have been arbitrarily revoked. The junta also regularly resorts to internet shutdowns to prevent journalists from working, communicating or disseminating information, creating news "black holes" in certain regions.

Myanmar ranks 166th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index. The country is the world's third-largest jailer of journalists, just behind China and Russia.

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166/ 180
Score : 26.38
Published on 09.08.2026
RSF - Reporters sans frontières published this content on August 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 11, 2026 at 16:01 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]