Media in Bhutan based on the Western model only began to develop with the reforms since the 1960s and were initially operated by the government. The guiding principle of independent media as contributors to the construction of a modern society became more and more popular from the mid-1980s. Since then, an increasingly rich media landscape has developed. The first television station only went into operation in 1999, making Bhutan the last country in the world to which this medium has found its way. Mobile phones have been allowed since 2004. On February 21, 2010, the decree of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck made the Bhutan Media Foundation, BMF,founded with the aim of promoting the growth of strong and responsible media. The BMF is to support the healthy development of the mass media so that, in the interest of further democratization of the country, they are able to fulfill their important role in social, economic and political development.