Feb 26, 2009 (DVB), Burmese government's press censor board is planning to change from the current paper system to digital, according to the Ministry of Information's Press Scrutiny and Registration Division director, Major Tint Swe.

A weekly news journal published in last week quoted a speech by Tint Swe at a journalist training programme on February 20 in which he said a computerised system would be introduced for viewing press materials submitted to the censor board for approval before they are published.

Win Nyein, editor in chief of the well-respected Ray of Light journal said the new system was unlikely to bring about much change.

"There won't be much of a difference, apart from that we will have to use memory sticks or discs to submit articles for the censor board's approval instead of printing them out on paper as we do now," said Win Nyein.

"The major only said it at the training program workshop, there has been no official announcement about it yet."

Another weekly news journal editor in Rangoon speculated that most publishers and printing offices would welcome the new digital system as it would save them from spending money on printing every time the censor board wants them to make changes.

The Press Scrutiny and Registration Division was unavailable for comment.

Reporting by Ahunt Phone Myat