The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘National Broadcast Policy 2014’, prohibiting airing news that might tarnish the image of the armed forces or law-enforcing agencies, or disturb communal harmony or hamper national security.
As per the new policy, the talk shows will be barred from airing comments on those subjects that are ‘confusing and incorrect’. In this regard, the government will also form an independent commission to monitor the media activities.
Cabinet Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan revealed the information in a crowded press conference after the weekly regular cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Elaborating the broadcast policy, the cabinet secretary said, “The policy contains seven sections, including formation of an independent broadcasting commission.”
“Soon after the parliament approves the draft, no media house will be allowed to broadcast any false information in talk shows. The government has prepared the draft law after consultations with the stakeholders of local media,” Mosharraf said.
As per the draft, the commission will also prepare and enforce a guideline for the broadcasters.
Meanwhile, tension grips the entrepreneurs of electronic media, particularly the private television channels, fearing possible government’s intervention in the name of introducing a new broadcasting policy.
The frightened owners and top officials of the country’s private television channels, including journalist union leaders, have expressed their anxiety and annoyance over the government’s latest initiative. They also cautioned that this type of attitude would hamper the country’s flourishing electronic media in all respect.
Information Minister Hasanul Hoque Inu, however, said it is not an effort to keep the media under pressure. “The government wants media to follow the rules and regulations. So far I know, the government has no plan to impose ban on talk shows.”
The gazette will be published within 48 hours,” said the minister.
On the other hand, Manzurul Ahsan Bulbul, CEO of Boishakhi Television and President of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists [BFUJ], said this policy will increase the Information Ministry’s control over the broadcast media.
“When a broadcast commission is formed, then that commission will formulate the policies. The government hasn’t even decided how it will form the commission. What has been stated so far, that will simply increase the Information Ministry’s control,” he said.
Opposition BNP instantly opposed the broadcast policy terming it harnessing of the media. “By implementing such policy the government is trying to cage the media houses,” BNP’s joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said yesterday.
Informed sources said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier had expressed annoyance with private media for deliberately downplaying the achievements of the ruling Awami League government. She was also critical of the talk shows, run by the private television channels in the mid night, added the sources.
At present, 25 private satellite television channels have got license for operating and of them, 18 are telecasting round the clock programmes and if the draft policy gets final approval in parliament they all must take a new license in line with the new policy, sources said.
The broadcasting policy includes ‘private television establishment and operation policy draft-2014’. And it (new policy) is apparently more critical than earlier private television channel regulating policy, they said.
According to information available, as per the draft policy, the new license seeker will have to deposit Tk 1 crore in government’s account, at a time, for getting a private satellite television license. Apart from it, it will need Tk 5 lakh for buying application form while Tk 10 lakh more will be needed in submitting.
Restriction has also been imposed in person’s personal character in getting license in the proposed draft policy. The persons affiliated with political party, associate organization of any political party, trade union, foreign organization, bank loan defaulter, punished in any criminal case and related with crimes against humanity during the liberation war in 1971 will be ineligible for the license.
Besides, no single person could be owner of a television channel alone and more than one television channel would not be allowed to anyone.
