PEACEWORKS 92 State governments are now responsible for making decisions on registering local media, and the Ministry of Communications, rather than the military, c­ urrently controls frequency allocation. but has more access to the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) than other media, so it is perceived to be pro-KIO. In a separate interview, however, a representative from the KIO noted that the KNG was not truly representative of the Kachin people. Nevertheless, the KNG interviewee acknowledged that many people in Kachin have a negative view of the government and an independent journal in the state would go a long way to changing the mindset of the local communities. Some interviewees considered many non-Bamar ethnic states to be simply “media dark,” in that no local media exist to represent their community’s interests. Yet this situation has recently begun to change. A handful of ethnic media are now emerging, including in Mon State, where the Independent Mon News Agency (based on the Thai-Burma border) started printing The Guiding Star in the Mon language in April 2013. Despite its political affiliations, this outlet could be viewed as an example for other ethnic media as they seek to establish their voices. Similarly, Karen News recently received a license to print a local newspaper, and discussions are under way to begin a local radio station. Licenses are also being sought in Chin and Shan states for additional radio stations. According to interviewees, state governments are now responsible for making decisions on registering local media, and the Ministry of Communications, rather than the military, ­currently controls frequency allocation. Both steps offer hope that community media, ultimately including community radio, can be established to inform local people and share credible information with mainstream Yangon-based outlets. Community radio is deemed especially critical by interviewees, and recent signs point to an accelerated timetable for the emergence of these radios. One interviewee suggested another way that community radio could emerge relatively quickly. The KIO, for example, has its own FM station that might, under the right conditions, be transitioned to a community outlet. Such a model could be followed in other ethnic states. Meanwhile, non-Bamar ethnic media are attempting to find their collective voice as well. Burma News International (BNI) is a group of small ethnic media outlets, many of which are based in Thailand. With the support of international donors, BNI brought together one hundred media outlets in April 2013 in Mawlamyaing for one of the first ethnic media conferences in the country. Although symbolic, the event underscored the difficulties such outlets are facing in returning to Myanmar. Even though a handful of outlets, such as Mizzima, have returned, others—such as the Kaladan Press, KNG, and the Shan Herald Agency for News—remain on the outside looking in. The reason is an environment they still deem to be unsupportive of ethnic media, which includes hacking of media websites and charges of false reporting by the military.24 Despite deeply entrenched beliefs regarding ethnicity, many interviewees acknowledged the need to bridge the divide between Burmese and other ethnic communities through media. Such efforts include mainstreaming non-Bamar ethnic voices in the (Yangon-based) Burmese media and strengthening non-Bamar ethnic media as credible voices of their communities. Both could be accomplished by creating a forum for joint reporting projects between ethnic and Burmese journalists, offering ethnic journalists internships at Yangon-based outlets, and producing broadcast content that raises awareness about both Bamar and non-Bamar communities. 22  USIP.ORG