Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) member Ambassador Victor Ashe, Radio Free Asia President Libby Liu, and Voice of America Director David Ensor had an hour-long meeting with President Thein Sein in Naypyidaw, the capital city of Burma, also known as Myanmar. According to a BBG press release, topics of discussion included Burma’s progress in establishing rule of law and democratic reforms, among other issues.
Earlier during their visit to Burma, BBG members Susan McCue, Michael Meehan and Victor Ashe met with Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Also present during the meeting was Radio Free Asia President Libby Liu. According to reports, Aung San Suu Kyi was very enthusiastic about RFA being able to work more freely in Burma.
Also Voice of America (VOA) television programs will be more easily received in Burma following the signing of a breakthrough agreement between the BBG and Sky Net, a regional direct-to-home satellite provider.
Michael Meehan and Victor Ashe Meehan met with U.S. Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell in Rangoon prior to signing of the Sky Net agreement with VOA. VOA Director David Ensor said he was “excited about the potential for expanding VOA’s audience,” and hoped viewers and listeners would communicate to VOA reporters, anchors and producers what they would like to see and hear. Ambassador Mitchell called the Sky Net agreement “a point of progress in the development of a rich media culture.”