information flows INFORMATION FLOW MAPPING DIAGRAM 3 HOW NEWS IS RECEIVED, DISCUSSED, AND SHARED IN MON STATE (URBAN AND RURAL) MYANMAR NATIONAL NEWS SERVICES FOREIGN NEWS SERVICE (BBC, VOA) EXILED MEDIA LOCAL AUTHORITIES @ PRINT MEDIA RADIO FRIENDS AND FAMILY INTERNET LESS AVAILABLE TELEVISION WORLD OF MOUTH INFLUENTIAL URBAN/ AFFLUENTRURAL RESIDENTS MOBILE PHONE INFORMATION THAT FLOWS FROM SOURCE AND THROUGH: YOUNG URBAN RESIDENTS URBAN HOUSEHOLDS DISCUSS WITH FAMILY/ FRIENDS RURAL HOUSEHOLDS URBAN HOUSEHOLDS RURAL HOUSEHOLDS INFLUENTIAL/AFFLUENT YOUNG URBAN AND THEN VERIFIED AND/OR DISCUSSED IN VARIOUS SPACES, BEFORE BEING PASSED ON TO OTHER FRIENDS OR FAMILY DISCUSS WITH TRUSTED NETWORKS IN PUBLIC (TEA SHOPS, MARKETS, SALONS, ETC...) PASS ON INFORMATION DIRECTLY Understanding the mechanics of information flow and the relative importance of different nodes or influencers in these exchanges is a critical aspect of information systems. Once information enters a given community it may then travel through multiple routes to various consumers. The path of information is highly nuanced. For different types of information these routes may look quite different. Identification of critical information disseminators within a system and how these individuals or groups communicate provides excellent intelligence for the design of information content and delivery. The chart below shows the flow of what can be described as current affairs news and information. Issues considered for this mapping included land issues, ethnic conflicts, election news, copper mine conflict, earthquake in Sagaing, and other Myanmar news. The flow of news and information from the urban areas where access to primary sources is much greater, to relatively information poor rural areas, through influential nodes is clear. Be they respected elders, affluent rural or officials, such nodes may vary according to the types of information being conveyed as might the means of this transmission. For example, through officials in more affluent areas, transmission is conducted to rural areas primarily via phone to trusted elders and family members. These disseminators in turn communicate with their networks of trusted family and community members at locations such as tea shops, religious ceremonies and home visits. part one: rese arch findings An important element of the research design was a series of case studies that sought to provide clear examples of the flow and impact of information access and exchange for three different kinds of event. The first case, following a natural disaster, examines the flow of news and information in Mon State after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Sagaing and Mandalay Regions on November 11, 2012. The second case, international affairs, examines the flow of information about the historic visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to Myanmar on November 19, 2012. The third case, regional, examines the flow of news and information after communal violence between Rahkine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims first broke out in Myanmar in June 2012. Of these three events, news of the earthquake disaster and Rakhine conflict traveled much further than word of President Obama’s visit. While 83% of the sample had heard of the earthquake and 82% had heard of the Rakhine conflict, just 60% heard of President Obama’s visit. This indicates that in the future, news of domestic crises may spread more widely within the country than events primarily of foreign or international significance. Indeed, while 95% of respondents were fairly or very interested in disaster news or weather forecasts, even as Myanmar opens, just 40% were interested in international news. Additional mapping based on different types of news (i.e. community, religious, social welfare, weather, health etc.) are presented in Part 2 of this document. 40 INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS in transition: a case study from myanmar INFORMATION FLOWS IN ACTION – CASE STUDIES 41 how to inform, empower, and impact communities INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS in transition: a case study from myanmar how to inform, empower, and impact communities PART ONE: RESEARCH FINDINGS