The government is contemplating to formulate separate guidelines for journalists in the print and electronic media, information minister Abul Kalam Azad told parliament on Sunday.
Responding to a question from Awami League lawmaker Israfil Alam, he said that the information ministry had discussions with the representatives of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and other professional bodies of journalists for framing a code of conduct for the media.
‘They also spoke in favour of a guideline,’ he said.
‘We hope we will be able to formulate a broadcast policy soon,’ the information minister said.
Describing the issue as ‘very sensitive’ he said, ‘We have to deal with it very carefully,’
Alam had urged the government to formulate a code of conduct for journalists without curbing press freedom.
The information minister said it was better to have a broadcast policy.
He also said that he had asked private TV channels, during formal discussions, to broadcast the 8 PM prime time news bulletin of BTV.
The information ministry issued a circular last month asking private TV channels to broadcast, without fail, the 2 PM and 8 PM news bulletins of BTV.
The private television channels, he said, started broadcasting the 2 PM news bulletin of BTV according to their convenience.
However, initially, the private channel strongly resisted the order saying that they would incur financial loss if they had to broadcast BTV news bulletins, which, in public perception, only dishes out propaganda of the government and the ruling party.
Replying to a question from Sadhana Haldar, Azad said that the Printing and Publication Act 1973 does not specify educational qualification and experience for appointment of a newspaper editor.
He said, ‘There is no policy guideline on the issue.’
He, however, said that if anyone suggests, the government would consider setting the criteria for the appointment of editor.
Replying another question, Azad said that since the Awami League-led alliance government took office in January 2008, the information ministry gave clearance to 226 newspapers.
He said that clearance was given to applicants who came up with newspaper names in which in no one took declarations earlier.
Replying to a question from Moshtaq Ahmed Ruhi, he said that amend to the Censorship of Films Act 1963 was under the government’s consideration to bring films made in the digital format under the process of censorship.
