International Journal of Communication 10(2016) Burmese Media in Transition 197 Indonesia’s example demonstrates that just because a transition is top-down does not negate the bottom-up pressures for change, and that democratic development can occur, especially if the influence of the military in politics and the economy also decreases over time. This is an obstacle in Myanmar’s case, at least in the immediate future. But there already exists an active and forward-looking crew of reformers—including journalists—who are buoyed and emboldened by recent changes. Those journalists working in the field, especially ethnic minority journalists, need to have a stronger voice in the decisionmaking processes regarding media rather than remaining merely recipients of outside experts’ advice. Incorporating the views of these reformers and committing to a diversified media landscape that promotes the communication rights of marginalized groups will go a long way toward promoting peace and democratic change. References Abdo, G. (2003). Media and information: The case of Iran. Social Research, 70(3), 877–886. Abdulbaki, L. (2008). Democratisation in Indonesia: From transition to consolidation. Asian Journal of Political Science, 16(2), 151–172. Arthur, P. (2010). Democratic consolidation in Ghana: The role and contribution of the media, civil society and state institutions. Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 48(2), 203–226. Article 19. (2014). Background paper on freedom of expression in Myanmar (2nd ed.). Yangon, Myanmar: Author. Retrieved from https://www.article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/37630/backgroundpaper.pdf Brooten, L. (2004). Human rights discourse and the development of democracy in a multi-ethnic state. Asian Journal of Communication, 14(2), 174–191. Brooten, L. (2013a). Beyond state-centric frameworks: Transversal media and the stateless in the Burmese borderlands. In K. Wilkins, J. Straubhaar, & S. Kumar (Eds.), Global communication: New agendas in communication (pp. 142–162). New York, NY: Routledge. Brooten, L. (2013b). The problem with human rights discourse and freedom indices: The case of Burma/Myanmar media. International Journal of Communication, 7, 681–700. Carothers, T. (2002). The end of the transition paradigm. Journal of Democracy, 13(1), 5–21. Chalaby, J. K. (1998). The media and the formation of the public sphere in the new independent states. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Sciences, 11(1), 73–85. Fang, L. (2014, September 12). Who’s paying the pro-war pundits? The Nation. Retrieved from http://m.thenation.com/article/181601-whos-paying-pro-war-pundits