The government is working to prepare a national broadcasting policy soon for newspapers and satellite television channels, Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad told the parliament yesterday.
In answer of lawmakers’ queries, the information minister said they have already prepared the draft of the policy, which is now under scrutiny.
He said that they should think before talking about such sensitive issue like formulating a national broadcasting policy,”
“Different quarters including the print and electronic media started criticising the government, when we began talking about the necessity of formulating such policy after assuming office,” Azad said.
The minister also said,” They also accused the government of controlling the media through formulating such policy,” .
He said, “But when the government exchanged views with leaders of Dhaka Sangbadik Union and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, they supported the government’s move to formulate a broadcasting policy”
“Some of the journalist leaders also said they want separate media guidelines for the print and electronic media,” the information minister observed.
A number of lawmakers demanded the minister to formulate a code of conduct for media to get remedy from baseless, politically motivated information published in newspapers or broadcasted by electronic media.
They also demanded the information minister to formulate necessary policy to stop yellow journalism.
