Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon has said the government is going to establish an independent commission to strengthen the media by ensuring press freedom.
“In the past, the government’s approach was focused only on control. But the current government is committed to ensuring overall discipline and welfare in the media under an independent legal framework, in cooperation with all stakeholders, instead of imposing control,” he said.
Swapon made the remarks as the chief guest at a views-exchange meeting with leaders of the convening committee of the newly formed Television Editors Council (TEC) at the ministry on Sunday.
“Just as a strong Election Commission ensures transparency in voting and benefits the state, a strong media commission would ultimately benefit the people,” he said.
The government itself is one of the stakeholders in the media sector, like outlets, owners, journalists and workers, he said.
He said the government’s responsibility is to ensure a fair playing field and equal rights for all stakeholders.
“We do not want to turn the commission into a tool of propaganda or control like the fascist government,” he said.
Describing the media as a full-fledged industry, Swapon said many business enterprises own media outlets with the intention of evading taxes or protecting illegal income from other sectors.
He said this culture must be stopped.
He said entrepreneurs who fail to comply with labour law, implement the Wage Board, pay salaries, benefits and retirement benefits regularly, or ensure transparency in tax, VAT and balance sheets, would have no right to obtain media licences or renew existing ones.
To keep pace with the changing media landscape, the state will take initiatives to improve the skills of professionals involved in broadcasting, sound and graphics engineering in the media industry, he said.
He strongly criticised the practice of showing false newspaper circulation figures, saying the ministry would no longer rely on flawed systems to determine actual circulation.
“A digital print-counting system for print media and a digital TRP system for electronic media will be introduced,” he said.
Government advertisement benefits will no longer be provided on the basis of fabricated circulation figures, he added.
Television Editors Council Convener Dr Abdul Hai Siddique, Member Secretary Syed Jobair Ahmed Babu and council members were present.
