Television in Myanmar


Television broadcasting in Myanmar began in 1979 as a test trial in Yangon. The first television service BBS was launched on 3 June 1980, followed by regular service in 1981. Most television networks in the country are broadcast from Yangon. MRTV and MWD are the two Burmese state-owned television networks, providing Burmese-language programming in news and entertainment. Other channels include MRTV Entertainment, M Entertainment Channel, MRTV-4, Channel 7, 5Plus, MNTV, Channel 9, Mizzima TV, DVB TV, Channel K, YTV, Fortune TV, Mahar HD, Htv Sports Channel, WAF Channel, Channel Light, Golden Land Channel, TVM Channel, and more than 20 TV channels. Pay TV services include SKYNET, Myansat and CANAL+ Myanmar.

Digital Terrestrial Television

Network NameOwner/OperatorMultiplexFrequency Channel Relay Stations OperatiorTotal Relay StationsTotal ChannelsOther InfoNote
4 DigitalCANAL+ Myanmar Group4 Digital MUXE27 522 MHzCANAL+ Myanmar Group35 DTV
3 Radio		––
MRTV Multichannels Playout SystemMinistry of Information (Myanmar)MRTV MUX 1E31 554 MHzMinistry of Information 15819 DTV
6 Radio		––
MRTV Multiplex 2Ministry of Information MRTV MUX 2E35 586 MHzMinistry of Information 39 DTV
0 Radio		––
MWD DigitalMyanmar Armed ForcesMWD Digital MUXE42 642 MHzMyanmar Armed Forces307 DTV
2 Radio		––

Television Platforms & Providers

Provider NameOwnerAvailable AreaService TypePlatformTotal ChannelsLaunch dateDefunct date
MRTV Multichannels Playout SystemMyanmar Radio and TelevisionNationwideFree-to-AirDigital terrestrial television1915 October 2013–
MRTV DTHMyanmar Radio and TelevisionNationwideFree-to-AirDTH 161 February 2022–
MRTV AppMyanmar Radio and TelevisionNationwideFree-to-AirIPTV 8 Channels with VOD Catalogue1 August 2023–
MWD DigitalMyanmar Armed ForceSelected City's and TownshipFree-to-AirDigital terrestrial television71 October 2010–
CANAL+ DTHCANAL+ Myanmar GroupNationwidePay TVDTH 6115 December 2014–
Myansat DTHBorderless Media and Telesky Media GroupNationwidePay TVDTH 13015 January 2025–
SKYNET DTHShwe Than Lwin MediaNationwidePay TVDTH 4715 November 2010–
CANAL+ DTTCANAL+ Myanmar GroupYangon & Mandalay areaPay TVDigital terrestrial television6115 February 2006–
NayPyiTaw Cable TVNaypyitaw City Development CommitteeSelected location's in NaypyitawPay TVCable TV201 September 2013–
My CANALCANAL+ Myanmar GroupNationwidePay TVIPTV59 channels with VOD Catalogue23 January 2019–
SKYNET AppShwe Than Lwin MediaNationwidePay TVIPTV7 Channels with VOD Catalogue15 January 2025–
TV360 by MytelMytel, ViettelNationwidePay TVIPTV6 Channels with VOD Catalogue27 May 2025–
Myanmar Armed Forces Cable TelevisionMyanmar Armed ForcesSelected location's in Naypyitaw and YangonPay TVAnalogue Cable Television2015 May 199631 August 2013
MRTV-4 International / 4TV / 5 NetworkForever Group / Family Entertainment GroupNationwidePay TVDigital terrestrial television2715 February 200627 January 2018
Cookie TVCookie TV GroupNationwidePay TVIPTV57 Channels with VOD Catalogue10 January 201910 May 2021
SKYNET DTTShwe Than Lwin MediaYangon areaPay TVDigital terrestrial television501 August 202231 October 2024

Technical Details

When Myanmar (Burma) establishing their first television service, the choice of the Broadcast television systems is a little bit odds, considering their Mains electricity and Geographic. Myanmar mains electricity is 230 volt at 50 Hz, and NTSC refresh rate is 60 Hz, not synchronized with each others. Another odd situation is that most of the neighboring countries are adopting PAL-B/G system. But, Myanmar has chosen NTSC-M system as their analogue television standard. The reason Myanmar adopted NTSC-M standard is because of the JICA and Matsushita Electric. They are involved during the establishment of Myanmar's first television service and, they are supporting through various methods like Financially, Technologically and Broadcast Expertise. They lobbying to Ministry of Information Burma and Burma Broadcasting Service to adopt NTSC, and the MOI and BBS is agreed. In early 2010s when the Government of Myanmar is working to adopt Digital terrestrial television standard, Myanmar's chose DVB-T2 standard on 8 MHz channel spacing on Western Europe / Asia DTV frequency along with Southeast Asian countries. In turn of technologically, DVB-T2 is the most advanced standard and most optimized for Multi-channels purposes, Exactly all Myanmar's broadcasters wanted. The 'Big Four' television network's MRTV, MWD, SkyNet and CANAL+ Myanmar All are recommend to the government to adopt DVB-T2 standard, and government is agreed their recommendations.
Broadcasting PlatformBroadcasting systemVideo resolutionVideo encodingAudio encodingBroadcast spectrumSystem Inaugural dateFirst domestic broadcastFinal domestic broadcast
Analogue Terrestrial TelevisionCCIR System M525 lines 4:3NTSCFMVHF Band I, Band III,
UHF Band IV, Band V		1 January 19543 June 198014 February 2024
Analogue Cable Television, SMATVCCIR System G625 lines 4:3PALFM,
Zweikanalton		UHF Hyperband, Band IV, Band V25 August 196715 May 1996–
Digital Terrestrial TelevisionDVB-T480i 4:3MPEG-2MPEG Audio Layer IIUHF Band IV, Band V15 November 199815 February 200613 March 2020
Digital Terrestrial TelevisionDVB-T21080i 16:9H.264MPEG Audio Layer II,
HE AAC		UHF Band IV, Band V2 December 200915 October 2013–
Satellite Television, Direct to HomeDVB-S21080i 16:9H.264,
H.265		HE AACKu Band1 September 200615 November 2010–

  • 625 lines PAL-G was never recognised as the official system by the Government of Myanmar and has never been broadcast on terrestrial network. but many cable providers and SMATV installers are using this system. Because, signal distribution equipment for cable television are imported from Thailand.
  • Before adopting DVB-T2, 4TV and MWD Digital used DVB-T system for their multi-channel services. 4TV upgrade to DVB-T2 in 2014 and abandoned DVB-T. MWD Digital did the same in 2020.