A customer persuses the wide range of radios at a shop in Yangon.

IN this age of high-tech information exchange, people have a number of options when it comes to finding ways to stay informed. Although most of the media’s attention seems to be focused on developments in internet and satellite television technology, radio has not remained stagnant.

The main advantage of radio is its low cost. While internet access and satellite television require expensive gadgets and sometimes even subscription fees, radio can be enjoyed with the purchase of a single affordable receiver.

Although analog radios have been available in Myanmar for decades, digital units were first introduced to the country about three years ago, and their popularity has been steadily increasing in urban areas ever since.

“Although digital radios have become well known among city dwellers, they are not yet popular in rural areas,” said Daw Swe Swe of the Shwe Lun Pyan electronics store, located on Anawratha Road in the downtown Yangon.

“We introduced digital radios three years ago, and sales have increased to the point where they are now equal to the sales of analog radios,” she said.

Another event that triggered an increase in radio sales was the establishment in 2002 of City FM Radio by the Yangon City Development Committee, which immediately grabbed the attention of the public with its wide array of music, entertainment, education and news programs.

With the introduction of City FM came a huge jump in the sales of compact digital radios that can receive only FM signals, which are available for as little as K1500 in Yangon.

Digital radios that can receive FM, shortwave and medium-wave signals are also available in the local market, manufactured by foreign companies such as Sakura, Sony, Tecsun, Ana and Kachibo.

They sell at prices ranging from K3000 to K150,000, with those selling for K10,000 among the most popular.

For all their growing popularity there are some disadvantages to digital radio: Fine tuning is sometimes more difficult than with analog radios, and they also tend to less durable than the older analog units.