media and conflict in myanmar: opportunities for media to advance peace Myanmar faces significant challenges in responding to intercommunal violence. Unlike governance reform and the peace processes, no large-scale mechanism or widespread popular or political support addresses the root causes of this conflict. Politicians, clergy, opinion leaders, and international actors alike risk losing credibility and support by going against the tide of public opinion, creating an environment in which radical rather than moderate voices can flourish. The media initiatives recommended by this study thus urgently seek to raise awareness and shift attitudes while guarding against the potential for media to fan violence in the short to medium term. Such initiatives aim to generate better interreligious understanding in Myanmar, promote tolerant and nondiscriminatory interreligious attitudes and practices, counter misinformed or anti-Islamic messaging, enable hate speech to be monitored and shut down, promote media literacy, and support the vision of Myanmar as a diverse, multifaith country. International support should be low key because overtly international efforts are likely to lack credibility and risk tarnishing the reputation (and effectiveness) of local actors. In the short term, initiatives should support the creation of an environment in which more moderate voices have the confidence (and cover) to speak out. Outcomes are detailed further in the media initiatives section. Media Landscape How can media be harnessed to bring about desired outcomes related to the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of citizens in Myanmar? Proposed media initiatives are intended to be both purposeful and possible. ‘Purposeful’ means that the initiatives address specific problems that people in Myanmar have prioritized and seek to change. ‘Possible’ indicates that interviewees believe that media can be an effective tool for resolving problems and achieving societal change. Recognizing that media initiatives alone cannot address all of the broad outcomes outlined in the previous section on conflict, only transformations specifically related to media activities are examined here. Understanding the current media landscape in Myanmar is critical in determining how realistic a media intervention might be. We therefore first describe, by no means completely, the capacity and potential of the media sector in Myanmar. Although the media landscape continues to shift according to the pace of transition, this information is intended to provide a contextual lens through which the proposed media interventions are viewed. The recommended media initiatives, initially developed at the end of the interview process with a panel of local advisers, are divided into two types. In some, media are the tools of the intervention, whereas in others they are the target. More specifically, when outcomes are achieved using existing media capacity, media is the tool, and when outcomes require transforming the media or media environment, media is the target. Additional factors about the proposed media initiatives need to be considered: ■■ Initiatives are designed to be carried out by local stakeholders, often but not always in collaboration with international actors. ■■ Initiatives are national in scope but can be customized for local needs with input from local communities and implemented by local media. ■■ Depending on the capacity of the media, proposed initiatives will be conducted according to varying time frames, and the effects of social change may also be apparent on different timelines. USIP.ORG  15