Khan Sar Kyi ('Feel It')

With a unified brand, a single presenter, and links between the issues raised in the project's documentaries, discussions, and digital content, BBC Media Action sought to engage both audiences who would normally tune out from politics and political actors who were driving the formal peace process in Myanmar. In this way, the programme aimed to tackle complex issues of identity and peace in a way that audiences could understand and engage with.

Specifically, the project used three formats:

1. Khan Sar Kyi Journeys: TV documentaries, alternating between Bamar and ethnic areas in the country's 15 states and regions, which were designed to foster increased understanding and empathy - In each 30-minute episode, a person in power in Myanmar (a minister, politician, or community leader) spend time visiting an area of the country they do not know well. Viewers follow this traveller as he or she meets local people and has full, frank, and informal discussions with them about their lives and the daily struggles they face with regard to issues such as healthcare, education, climate events, food production, and stable employment. The traveller and community members discuss their experiences of conflict and their views on peace and ethnic and religious differences. The documentaries were broadcast in Burmese language fortnightly on national broadcaster MRTV, as well as on private channels Mizzima and DVB.
2. Khan Sar Kyi Discussions: live events where expert guests joined for challenging conversations and questions from audiences from different regions - The sessions were broadcast shortly after the documentaries and provided live audiences with a forum to discuss some of the issues raised in more depth, and in the context of national points of discussion. Panellists and audience members were pre-selected to ensure inclusiveness and balance.
3. Khan Sar Kyi Digital: online content, meant to be informative and entertaining, on peace, conflict, and diversity - Khan Sar Kyi's online platform was hosted on Facebook and featured expanded content from the documentaries and live events. Facebook Live also brought audiences directly in contact with the Khan Sar Kyi presenter and other guest speakers to discuss issues related to the peace process or raised in the broadcast content. Also, click here to access the project's YouTube channel; one example is below.

Some strategic elements of the programme, informed by formative research (see Key Points, below):

• The TV programmes focus on human experiences and struggles, rather than political complexities. They explore peace and conflict in terms of the issues people worry about most to improve understanding of the implications of peace. They highlight shared struggles and experiences between communities to promote social cohesion.
• The programmes provide a variety of perspectives to explore how conflict affects the lives of different people, as well as what peace could bring for them. They aim to give voice to people with different, often opposing, viewpoints. They feature known power holders interacting directly with marginalised people who are affected by conflict.
• Noting that direct and accessible language ensures the programmes' content is inclusive and engaging, producers encouraged contributors to speak plainly and clearly. Using local terms means that the content reflects local understanding of peace or conflict. The documentaries use visual storytelling to help all viewers follow the narrative, even if they don't speak Burmese, and certain episodes are subtitled. Non-Burmese speakers speak in their own language to convey Myanmar's ethnic and linguistic diversity.
• The programmes and related live and online discussions explore how women in particular are affected by topics related to peace and conflict. They portray women as having an equally important role to play in discussing issues, resolving conflict, and setting an agenda for peace. They feature women who are leaders in ethnic armed groups, civil society activists, and political party leaders.

Conflict, Social Cohesion

Formative research conducted by BBC Media Acton in 2018 found that Myanmar's people can have limited understanding of the issues facing conflict-affected communities, exacerbated by multiple languages, ethnicities, religions, and cultures. The peace process in Myanmar is seen as complicated, and people struggle to see the relevance of it to their day-to-day lives. The research revealed that many people were unsure about why conflict is happening and how it affects the process of democratic reform. Based on this initial research, it was important that the media output (Khan Sar Kyi) engaged people and helped to make these topics feel relevant to them.

Furthermore, the research found that people with greater access to multiple media platforms, particularly in urban areas, were less likely to immediately trust the information they heard on the news about peace and conflict, often because they found inconsistencies between different sources. Indeed, a separate BBC Media Action study found that 54% of social media users in Myanmar do not trust what they see or hear on online platforms. Men tended to access a greater range of media sources and were more engaged in issues around conflict and the peace process. They explained the expectation for men to be informed and discuss these issues with others. Women had less understanding of these issues and were more likely to feel that these topics were irrelevant to their lives.

Editor's note: BBC Media Action and Reporters Without Borders sources indicate that Khan Sar Kyi was put on hold due to a military coup on February 1 2021, and that the presenter with the programme was arrested on August 15 2021.