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Survey shows Shan newsletter readers want Thai section
Survey shows Shan newsletter readers want Thai section
According to the replies to the recent Shan Herald Agency for News's questionnaire, most readers consider a news section in Thai language as essential.
An overwhelming 85.36% of the readers who responded to S.H.A.N.'s inquiry sheet say its trilingual (Shan, Burmese and English) monthly news-letter, Independence, should add news reports in Thai because, as one reader puts it, "we live in Thailand."
S.H.A.N.'s publication, that enjoys a modest 2,000 copies circulation per month, drew 123 respondents, mostly from Thailand.
14.64% of them, who are from across the border in Shan State, think differently. "We have so little real news in Shan," complains one, "but so much in Burmese and English. So, I'd say let's just forget the other language sections and take advantage of all the spaces in Shan."
The majority of them (43.42%) also
think S.H.A.N.'s information on state rights has been more useful
for them.
Independence has been in circulation since 1984.
The Information Network Group (ING), of which S.H.A.N. is a member, a coalition of ethnic news groups, has already been publishing reports in Thai since 26 December.
For further information on respondents' replies, see below.
Shan Herald Agency for News [S.H.A.N.] Questionnaire
1. How long have you been receiving Independence / S.H.A.N. news?
| Since first issue | = 15 |
| 1-2 years | = 51 |
| 3-4 years | = 30 |
| 5-6 years | = 27 |
2. How are you or your organization been using Independence?
| Advocacy/ Campaigns | = | 66 |
| Library | = | 18 |
| Research | = | 57 |
| Publications | = | 60 |
| Forums/ Conferences | = | 45 |
| Training/ Education | = | 66 |
| No use | = | 3 |
| Others | = | 6 |
3. Which type of information covered by Independence / S.H.A.N. news has been most useful?
| state rights | = | 99 |
| human rights | = | 33 |
| environment | = | 30 |
| drugs | = | 66 |
4. What topics do you want included
in the future issues of Independence?
(As you wish, education, battle news, youth, health, women,
fictions, Sao Sengsuk's articles, Thai laws)
5. How frequently do you think Independence should be published?
| annual | = | - |
| bi-annual | = | - |
| quarterly | = | 3 |
| monthly | = | 120 |
6. How many of your colleagues may have read your copies of Independence?
| 1-5 | = | 18 |
| 5-10 | = | 24 |
| 10-15 | = | 12 |
| more than 15 | = | 69 |
7. Would you like to (a) have all 4 languages (Shan, English, Burmese and Thai) to be in one booklet or (b) have them separately?
| (a) = | 93 |
| (b) = | 18 |
| (c) other = | 12 |
8. Other comments
Wider distribution, more news and features, color photos "big ones
like Thai Rath (a Thai daily)"
9. Name of Respondent -
10. Organization, if applicable -
11. Your/ Organization's main concern
| Lobby/ Advocacy = | 27 |
| Research = | 57 |
| Education = | 51 |
| Training = | 21 |
| Info Center = | 18 |
| Library = | 33 |
| Documentation = | 18 |
| Solidarity Work = | 9 |
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