SINGAPORE ― Myanmar’s largest private publisher Eleven Media Group has joined the Asia News Network (ANN), bringing the total membership to 22 newspapers in 20 countries.

Than Htut Aung, Chairman and CEO of Eleven Media Group, signed the agreement with ANN’s founding member and Executive Board member, Felix Soh; Paul Linnarz, advisor to the ANN Executive Board and Director, Media Program Asia of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, a German political foundation; and Ravi Velloor, Straits Times Foreign Editor, at the Singapore Press Holdings’ Multimedia Centre on Oct. 23.

Founded in 2000, Eleven Media publishes four weeklies with a combined weekly circulation of 350,000. It was named “Media of the Year” by France-based media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders in 2011 for its long-standing fight for press freedom.

Eleven Media also operates Myanmar’s biggest English-language mobile SMS news service, and websites in the local and English languages.

“ANN is the gateway for not only Eleven Media, but for all private Myanmar news media to connect with the rest of Asia. This benefits not only the news media, but also our people. I look forward to amazing changes,” Than said.

“Being part of ANN allows us to gather a lot of experience from our partners such as the Straits Times. We get to learn about their online media, which is very important to us,” he added.

Also present at the signing ceremony were Straits Times Online Editor Eugene Leow, AsiaOne Editor Adrian Tay, STOMP Editor Azhar Kasman and Straits Times RazorTV Deputy Editor Geraldine Teo.

“We are very happy to welcome Eleven Media as our latest associate member within the ANN community! The media situation in Myanmar is changing. I am sure that ANN, with its strong member newspapers from all over the region, can provide a lot of support and expertise, especially now, during the transition period,” Linnarz said.

“Because of the recent changes, credible information from and about Myanmar find a lot of attention among readers and audiences all over Asia and beyond. I am sure that the news exchange among the member newspapers about developments in Myanmar is going to improve a lot with Eleven Media Group being or new local partner.”

Established in 1999, ANN is a network of national daily newspapers published in Asian cities. It provides avenues for cooperation to optimize coverage of major news events in the region.

The Asia News Network comprises 22 newspapers from 19 countries in Asia.

These are The Daily Star (Bangladesh), Kuensel (Bhutan), The Brunei Times (Brunei Darussalam), Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), China Daily and The China Post (China/Chinese Taipei), The Statesman (India), The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), The Daily Yomiuri/The Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan), The Vientiane Times (Laos), The Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Sin Chew Daily and The Star (Malaysia), Dawn (Pakistan), Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines), The Straits Times (Singapore), The Island (Sri Lanka), The Korea Herald (South Korea), The Nation (Thailand), Viet Nam News (Vietnam) and Eleven Media (Myanmar).

By Amanda Wong, The Straits Times