Govt control a threat to press freedom

Beside the state-run television, the government has started controlling the private television channels which is a threat to press freedom and democratic practices, they observed.

The speakers also criticised the government for its decision of limiting the terrestrial telecast facilities to state-run BTV only.

The discussion titled 'Politics in the television ownership, importance of objective journalism and problem of exercising democracy in media' was organised by Bangladesh Centre for Development Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) in observance of Media Democracy Day at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.

"Citizens' rights and democracy are not flourishing in the country at the expected level due to control on media, especially on TV channels by the alliance of businessmen and politicians," said Dr Asif Nazrul in his keynote speech.

The government followed no clear policy in issuing television licenses, he said, adding that none, except the government's own men, got permission for private television channels, which are also compelled to telecast news bulletins of BTV.

Though these satellite channels telecast the news of the opposition parties, they avoid the events of government corruption and anomalies, he said, adding that these channels hardly do any investigative reports.

Talk shows of those are however laudable, he noted.

There are many allegations against the real estate developers, mobile telephone operators and soft drink companies, but neither the television channels nor the newspapers dare to raise voice against them, as they give a big chunk of advertisements, he lamented.

News Editor of Channel i Shah Alamgir said journalists are the victims of media owners.

"There will be obvious problems if journalists become politicians and businessmen and politicians become the owners of the television channels," he added.

The channels will lose their acceptability if their owners fail to run them professionally, he said, adding that there should be some ethics for advertisements, but the businessmen-owners do not understand these things.

Muhammad Jahangir, a media expert, said the failure of the government in formulating a policy on mass media was intentional as it wanted to issue television licenses to the ministers and lawmakers of its own party.

Most of these channels serve the interest of the businessmen, while some channels telecast very low standard programme, he said, adding that there is no mechanism to create pressures on them.

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, editor of The Bangladesh Observer, demanded declaration of the source of income of the satellite television channels.

"The way the black money is being invested in the media, there is much doubt about the freedom and respect of the media in future," he said demanding terrestrial facilities for private TV channels.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, who moderated the discussion, said the court did not cancel the license of the now defunct ETV (the first private and terrestrial television in Bangladesh), rather it said, "Something, somewhere was wrong in the tender process."

"So, why the ETV license was cancelled?" he posed a question.

The speakers stressed the involvement of professionals with the electronic media to establish freedom and raise professional excellence.

Jatiya Party Presidium Member GM Quader MP said there is neither democracy nor accountability of the government, as parliament and parliamentary standing committees are inactive.

The major political parties are more concerned over their personal and partisan interests than the interests of the country, he said, adding that the parties also nominate the candidates who can afford money and are experts in vote rigging.

Professor Mannan Chowdhury of Dhaka University, former secretary Mohiuddin Ahmed, Jatiya Party leader ABM Golam Mostafa, journalists Gias Kamal Chowdhury, Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Mohsin Abbas, Ruhul Amin Gazi, Harun Habib, Syed Ishtiaq Reza and Sharif Mostafa Helal also spoke on the occasion.