BANGKOK: Myanmar's media in exile, long a thorn in the side of the ruling generals, are being squeeze by funding cuts that some blame on a change in policy by Western donors in a shifting political landscape.

Overseas-based media such as the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) are seen as an important source of news in the impoverished nation, where an authoritarian government keeps a stranglehold on domestic reporting.

As a new political system emerges in Myanmar also known as Burma with a new parliament, some believe donors have been tempted to divert funding into the country, despite evidence it is still dominated by the military hierarchy.

Within weeks of the first elections in 20 years, DVB an Oslo-based television, radio and online news provider that is banned in Myanmar cancelled several programmes after suffering big losses in subsidies.

DVB deputy manager Khin Maung Win said the cuts amounted to about $1 million in 2011, party because the group had received roughly $500,000 in extra funding last year to cover the November election.