Media in crisis: Big ventures not always big successes

The big business houses though they are investing in our newspaper industry but their stories mostly are of disasters than of successes. In the 90s, the Beximco, the premier business conglomerate, launched six news organisations with a big bang but only two the Independent, an English daily, and an entertainment weekly Ananda Bhuban still survive. The APB, a news agency, Muktakantha, a Bengali daily, Shaily, a literary journal and a weekly Annesha died premature deaths. It was then great ventures at least numerically in Bangladesh newspaper industry. But the project was far from being a success. A section of people opines there was political ambition behind the plan. ‘Samreddha Bangladesh,’ a political party, was launched by the owner of the big business house in 1996. Their desire was to capture at least 36 parliamentary seats which could put them in a bargaining position to be a partner in power.
Another big business house Transcom is assumed to have been behind the well circulated dailies the Star and the Prothom Alo, but the newspapers are often inclined to put the real owners in abstract form as they think the papers will suffer economically if the business house’s name is associated with the papers. The publishers of the two above-mentioned papers are no their owner. Abu Sayed Mahmud, a founder owner of the Daily Star died in London after he failed to establish ETV, a private TV channel after a prolonged legal battle. Later, ETV was back to the mini screen under a different management.
During the tenure of the four-party alliance government, 10 licences for setting up TV channels were given to private parties. They were mostly of ruling party men or their loyal businessmen. Rules and regulations were not properly followed while giving them licences. Some of the TV channels were directly financed by the Bashundhara and Orion, the most favoured industrial groups of those period. The Jai Jai Din, a Bengali daily set up by Shafique Rahman was also reportedly financed by Basundhara Group. Shafique Rahman had to sell the Jai Jai Din despite having all cooperation from the then BNP government. BNP did not fare well in the 2008 parliamentary polls despite having a number of TV channels and newspapers under its disposal.
It was widely believed that the present government is going to allow its party loyalists to open at least 10 private TV channels. Beximco and Basundhara Groups are among the prime bidders who are likely to get permission to open private TV channels under the present Awami League government. Bashundhara group is reported to have appointed staff of the new TV channel. They have also taken control of ‘Bhorer Dak,’ a Bengali daily which also saw change in the management. Bashundhara group also contemplated setting up of Kalerkantha, a vernacular daily. They have become local agents of some foreign TV networks. A section of ruling party men is reported to have given blessings to them. The imported newsprints were subjected to 22 per cent fresh taxation including VAT while the newsprint produced by the Bashundhara mills was made tax-free.
Meanwhile, it has become ritual on the part of every government to appoint their loyal journalists in diplomatic assignments in different countries. This Government is also no exception from its predecessor. It could not be said that merit was considered in every case while giving those appoinements.
There are some international agencies who are keen to organise training workshop for local journalists. A group of NGOs are organising training programmes for journalists in collaboration with international bodies. But their programmes are yet to be evaluated to see how they benefit the local journalists.
Press institute of Bangladesh (PIB) is an autonomous organisation only in name. But its presence is not felt for some years.. It has taken limited initiatives to enrich the talents of journalists those too with the help of UNICEF, an UN body.
Press in Bangladesh was made completely free during the caretaker regime of Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed. Press freedom prevails in Bangladesh. The press owes its glorious existence to Tofazzel Hossain Manik Mia, Maulana Akram Khan and Abdus Salam. It is not reflected in training programmes funded by international organisations.
The press in Bangladesh has taken its present form in last sixty years. There are only 172 registered newspapers in Bangladesh. We can hardly name a dozen to be worthy of a newspaper. There are slides in circulation of party newspapers. Banglar Bani, a daily run by a family member of the Bangabandhu, was closed down by its owners during the previous regime of Sheikh Hasina. The Dinkal of BNP, Sangram of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Janakantha, more than a party loyalist, are on the decline in terms of circulation.

Courtesy of The New Nation