YGTV Online Video Magazine

How will the Myanmar youth develop the skill-sets needed for the current-day work environment? YGTV provides the solution by creating and streaming quality edutainment videos that inspire and educate the youth, the workforce of the future.

Our solution is to build web and mobile platforms that stream videos on various topics, such as, Art and Entertainment, Professional Development, Entrepreneurship, Tips for start-ups, etc. Each category has a program designed to entertain and educate the audience through series of video essays, documentaries, short films, and tutorials. The subscribers can watch the episodes at the comfort of their home on mobile phone, or computer screens, and they only have to pay less than the cost of a meal for a month's subscription. We are moving towards video, rather than written content to reach more people, and make them easily accessible. 

It works as a guide to answer simple questions about the profession they want to enter into, e.g, filmmaking, but were afraid to ask. The videos are in Burmese, hosted by repatriate or Burmese professionals, removing language barriers, which is actually the greatest barrier in Burma as most high quality professional training videos available on YouTube or other web platforms are conducted in English by foreign content providers. The platform will also become a place of showcase for independent filmmakers who have difficulty showing their films on cinemas due to the long wait caused by the faulty distribution system. 

Our approach is to address the widespread lack of knowledge and capacity found in today’s Burmese youth, by providing quality videos crafted by experts. Professional advice can be accessed easily elsewhere, but it is not the case in Burma. Insufficient trainers, expensive course fees, transportation, language barriers; for many reasons they have been denied access to quality non-formal education. Not only professionalism, but also cultural, psychological and social issues that should be addressed will be addressed. For the first time, such content will be discussed and made available in Burmese; a huge difference to eager learners of today. 

YGTV targets not only the Burmese population in Burma, but also the Diaspora abroad. It will become a platform for all the Burmese speaking communities that share similar interests. The app and website of YGTV will allow user profiles and comments, building learning and sharing communities among the Burmese speaking populations of the world. Users can opt to become content makers from any parts of the world. Although the Burmese abroad usually do not have language barriers, they can still be part of the community by becoming a content maker of their interest. 

downloads in the app store

- 10,000 app downloads in Myanmar (in pilot phase)

downloads in the app store

- 100,000 app downloads (in development phase)

measured on app and website - 1 million subscriptions

Our solution may not require cutting edge technology but it is innovative in making use of the medium for thought-provocation, which is a key process in learning. Using available technology, we make ideas reach many people, who have not been reached before. We are innovative because it is the first of its kind, at least in Burma. YGTV is also unique in the sense of of creative presentation and drawing attention from the mass audience. Best of all, it promotes creativity, which is as important as literacy in today's work environment.  

The idea for YGTV first came into existence due to the shortage of skilled professionals Lucid Tree Motion Pictures faced as a young start-up in Burma. Realizing the issue at large, the founder decided to start a plan for the future workforce, a video magazine for professionals, in the art, media and business fields. Due to the lack of good media and business education, the Burmese struggle to keep up with the world's pace. YGTV thrives to fill the gap between unemployment and shortage of skilled professionals. 

Everyone with a mobile phone or access to internet will have access to YGTV. With cheaper data packages from internet providers, people can watch videos as low as the price of 1 Kyat per megabyte (1GB costs around $1 USD). YGTV's monthly subscription fee is around $1.5 USD; anyone could afford that price, even in Burma. 

Our team's plan is to sustain ourselves through investors during the first one and a half years. A 150,000 USD investment will suffice 1.5 years. We have started with the research phase, being self-funded and the pilot phase will start after securing investors. The capital is drawn in phases as the app and website are being developed. The end of the pilot phase marks another payment for investment to fund the development stage. 

The limiting factor will be financial, mainly. In order to realize the plan, we need strong supporters, and a great team. We are already a team of six people, working from homes or remote locations. An office is needed to house the team. Acquiring equipment, and paying employees are also difficult without funding support. We are a group of Burmese creative professionals and need a team of IT experts to develop the app and the website. 

We become Solvers because we have identified a problem in the community and it can be solved with existing technology, we just need to put them together and make available to the people needing to learn and grow. We believe that real change can occur if YGTV became a success, it will cater to many future leaders and change-makers. We seek Solve's mentorship and technical expertise to implement our creative venture. 

- Lucid Tree Motion Pictures

- K Zeal Productions

- Hamsahub Consulting Firm

- Max Trust Company Limited 

Duwun Media

Myanmar Media 7