Myawady Group (MWD)

The Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, maintains its own extensive portfolio of media outlets. These include Myawady Daily, a newspaper launched in April 2011 following the seating of the country’s first civilian-elected government after decades of direct military rule, and Myawady TV, a state-run broadcaster established in 1995. Today, Myawady TV has grown into a significant media presence, operating seven television channels under the MWD (Myawady) brand and three radio stations under the Thazin brand.

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Media assets

Television: MWD, MWD Variety, TVM, MWD Education Knowledge and Sports, Channel Light, Golden Land, WAF

Publishing: Myawady Daily, Yanadabon, Ngwetayi, Thutha Alin, Agaza Myingwin

Radio: Thazin FM, Star FM

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State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

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Ownership and governance

All military-affiliated media outlets are fully owned and operated by the Tatmadaw. According to interviews conducted with local journalists in May 2024, the military retains absolute control over managerial appointments within these organizations. Decisions regarding leadership, staffing, and editorial direction are made internally by the military hierarchy, without any input from independent bodies or public stakeholders.

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Source of funding and budget

There is no publicly disclosed information regarding the annual budget or financial reporting of the MWD network. However, journalists and media experts interviewed for this report in May 2024 confirmed that more than 80% of MWD’s expenditures are covered directly by the Tatmadaw. The remaining funds are believed to come from advertising revenue and commercial services, though such figures are neither verified nor published.

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Editorial independence

Editorial autonomy is virtually non-existent across the MWD media network. Outlets consistently follow a top-down editorial line dictated by the military command. Journalists with direct knowledge of internal operations told the Media and Journalism Research Center in May 2024 that editorial content is routinely curated to reflect and reinforce the Tatmadaw’s official narratives and priorities.

There is no statutory framework guaranteeing editorial independence for military-run media. Nor does any form of external regulatory oversight or independent evaluation exist. As such, MWD operates entirely outside the norms of transparency, accountability, or pluralism that are expected of public interest media.

As of mid-2025, Myawady outlets continue to play a pivotal role in disseminating state propaganda amid Myanmar’s ongoing political crisis. Following the widespread arrest and detention of independent journalists since the 2021 coup, the military’s media arms—including MWD TV and Myawady Daily—have filled the information vacuum with messaging that tightly aligns with the junta’s political and military agenda.

Despite international sanctions and increased scrutiny, MWD’s operations remain largely unaffected in terms of broadcast reach, though audience trust has reportedly declined, particularly among urban and digitally connected demographics. Nevertheless, with the internet regularly throttled or shut down in conflict-prone areas, MWD remains a key instrument of information control in Myanmar’s hybrid battlefield of propaganda and perception.

July 2025