Eleven and the Time: Mindset is the problem

M-Media
23rd June 2013

Burmese self-proclaimed no.1 media, Eleven Group, accuses the world renowned Time magazine of possibility of bribery behind its July 2013 issue today.

During past week, Burmese netizens shocked over Time’s cover of July 2013 issue which portrays a radical monk, U Wirathu being labelled as “The Face of Buddhist Terror”.

Eleven media group reviewed the Time cover story twice in its editorial articles of their daily run newspaper. Furthermore, Eleven group also shared its strong objection of Time’s article on Facebook. In which, U Than Htut Aung, a medical doctor and chief editor of Eleven, accused the Time of betraying media ethics.

As Eleven’s rhetoric articles fuel anger of Burmese netizens and its ultra nationalist offline readers, the mindsets of Buddhist majority which are less discussed are getting worse since those were already well- overwhelmed with hate propagation of Burmese style neo-nazi movements.

The famous rumour filled with gossip and paranoia of Burmese neo-nazi movements led by radical monks is “Western media are being supported by petrol dollars for Rohingya campaign”. Today’s issue of Eleven newspaper, the self assertions of neo-nazi movements in Burma echoed Eleven’s editorial view, with reckless example of Newsweek’s financial problem, described that it is questionable the business background of the Time, especially its market strategy.

Yesterday, Eleven media group published the translation of Time’s article, “When Buddhists Go Bad” with a wrong headline “When Buddhist Gone Bad” by the same author name, Hannah Beech. This has clearly shown their unprofessionalism. Due to the low purchasing power of the magazine like Time in Burma, one can easily convince the views mentioned with the headline “Monks, Journalists decry Time Magazine’s cover portrayal of U Wirathu as Buddhist Terrorist” on Eleven website dated 21st June are in fact lack of full context analysis on Time’s cover story.

Burmese leading media Eleven’s understanding of the phrase, “The Face of Buddhist Terror” was also criticised by Nyein Chan Aye, a famous Facebook user among Burmese youngsters. He correctly paraphrased, “The Face of Buddhist Terror” as “a different or another face which shows intolerance; an opposite phenomenon of Buddhist teaching”.

Nyein Chan Aye also pointed out that the usage of “Media Ethics” in Eleven’s articles against Time by giving example with a rough model of the one without wearing Longyi criticises another for wearing a Longyi imperfectly. Nyein Chan Aye’s detailed analysis on Eleven’s translation of Hannah Beech’s article categorically condemned Eleven group for their lack of professionalism and incitement of hatred.

Eleven’s headline of 21st June included the view of U Kyaw Min Swe, chief editor of the Voice Weekly journal, another influential journal in Burma. His view showed his own vision which involves personal sensation in his definition of journalism as he neglected the hate speeches of U Wirathu, some of which even available on YouTube which incite violence against Muslim minority and he also demanded the proofs of U Wirathu’s involvement in terror activities.

Thus, media which have influence on the mindsets of Buddhist majority need to be changed.

Despite Burma’s incredible challenges ahead of its nascent democratization, the optimism is palpable. Burma must take serious consideration of the mindsets of its people.