Pro-junta media group lays off hundreds of employees amid business decline

Forever Group, a major player in Myanmar’s private broadcasting sector, has reportedly suspended multiple operations, leading to hundreds of employees being laid off in June and July. The company, which operates popular channels such as MRTV-4 and Channel 7, has gained notoriety in recent years for promoting the agenda of the regime that seized power in February 2021. Sources said that the recent cuts were implemented without prior notice. In 2023, the company had more than 1,000 employees, but an estimated 600 to 700 have been let go, including many long-serving employees. “The initial lay-offs have begun, and while severance pay is based on years of service, it is not being disbursed in one lump sum,” said an employee who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity, citing concerns about potential repercussions. The source said that severance packages are being paid in instalments, with some employees receiving compensation over several months. Currently, only around 300 employees are believed to remain with Forever Group. Since the coup, some staff members have been suspended without pay, while those still employed have faced irregular compensation. Another long-serving employee noted that management has attributed the delay in severance payments to ongoing financial difficulties. Myanmar Now has reached out to Forever Group for comment regarding the recent lay-offs and business suspensions but has yet to receive a response. Founded in 1995, Forever Group initially focused on computer graphics and training before partnering with the Ministry of Information in 2004 to operate MRTV-4. The company now manages several television channels, including MRTV-4 and Channel 7, as well as radio stations like Mandalay FM and Teen Radio. Its website lists various ventures in film production, entertainment platforms, and advertising, including Pyone Play and FG Entertainment Co., Ltd. Additionally, the company’s CEO Win Maw has collaborated with Paris-based Canal+ Group to invest over US$34 million in launching Canal+ Myanmar Ltd., which broadcasts premium television channels.Since the 2021 coup, Forever Group has supported the junta’s propaganda efforts through its broadcasting and production services. Earlier this year, the company received a commendation certificate from the military’s Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare for its work on a propaganda film.

Pro-junta media group lays off hundreds of employees amid business decline

Forever Group has been forced to cut more than two-thirds of its staff due to its ongoing financial difficulties, sources said

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