Electronic media and tomorrow's Bangladesh

Operations of electronic media have also made its impact on South Asia region. Take for instances, the one hundred or more satellite TV channels now being operated from our next door neighbour, India. As a result, their economy, culture and society are being strengthened with an across the globe response.

Mass media in almost all the countries of the world have been allowed to operate with a view to supporting national development as a whole, in accordance with the aspirations of the peoples of respective nations. But in Bangladesh, the role of the prime national media i.e. Bangladesh Television has always been questionable.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Electronic media in this country has for long been regulated by State restrictions. In most cases, media was not allowed to operate freely due to political interference. Naturally, it couldn't reach the right information to the people. Well, it's true that mass media in every country is subject to some restrictions, the degree of which varies from one country to another. But in most developed countries, it is observed that government and media maintain a kind of cooperation among themselves placing the national interest above everything. It is seen in many countries that all the stakeholders are untied on question of public interest irrespective of their coterie interests. In those countries, media receives cooperation from and serves both government and opposition parties on national issues.

Sadly though, this culture has not been practiced in Bangladesh. Apart from political reasons, economic underdevelopment has also played a role in this case. The problem has been compounded in the absence of a long-term visionary plan concerning electronic media. Although the state-owned Bangladesh Television has reached the grassroots level of the country, one could question as to what extent it has fulfilled the hopes and aspirations of the people as a national media. Majority of the people would opine that most programmes telecast by BTV have little to do with the long-term development of the country. To me, two things seem responsible for this: first, lack of proper planning behind of the programmes; and, secondly, absence of accountability to the people which means that there is no assessment of whether the very message that this national media intends to disseminate to the people has ever been accepted by the viewers. Since larger section of the people belong to the rural society and are accustomed with traditional culture, TV promotionals and campaigns must be fully compliant with rural tradition, culture and socio-economic structure.

Now that over 80 per cent of the people of this country are living in villages with agriculture as their main source of livelihood, any plan or programme from national media meant for socio-economic development has to be in conformity with agrarian culture, lifestyle, economy, social norms and traditions. From this point of view, the greater commitment of our electronic media should be the development of rural people as a whole and NOT to vie for mere profit-making through propagating silly urban entertainment or protecting vested interests of certain coteries.

Age-old poverty is responsible for low standard of life in rural areas. A peasant, who lives from hand to mouth, has little to bother about his standard of life. The primary concern for millions of such peasants is to sustain their life through income generation from agriculture. Now, if we question, why the traditional agriculture can't rid our peasants (who constitute 80 per cent of our total population) of poverty we find that it is much due to lack of diversification of crops. Since farmers lack proper education, training and technology of growing more crops with less money, they can't use their paddy field say, to cultivate fish during non-harvesting periods. How, is it possible for a farmer who does not have the very information?

This is the very focal point where electronic media has the most important role to play. If our electronic media undertook the responsibility to disseminate correct informative programmes to the vast majority of the people, then life, culture and economy of the masses would have obviously advanced a step ahead. Electronic media could of course broadcast programmes on eradication of poverty towards strengthening rural economy and infrastructure. However, in this area, the government has to come forward with its helping hand. This is an area of ample work and that can not be accomplished with sole effort of the media. While electronic media will disseminate the message of scientific agriculture, the Government will have to ensure supply of better seeds, improved technology other resources. The government also has to adopt a revised agricultural marketing policy so as to ensure due price to the farmers. Only a combined effort of the media and the government can help our peasants produce more crops and reduce rural poverty.

Now if electronic media can not come up to this with full sense, it cannot be termed a pro-people.

From global experience, we observe that television channels in most of the democratic counties are operated with wide-scale background planning and research. India is the biggest example in front of us. Indian TV channels are helping their people progressing in a massive scale. They have made it through pre-operational research on the people counting their opinion. Above all, they give national development top priority. Indian media is fulfilling its obligation by creating a huge, well-organised and strong international market for Indian goods and commodities. For instance, Sachin Tendulkar is a known face to a boy of a remote village in Bangladesh -- much due to the operations of India's TV channels.

But such planned broadcast operation based on people's demand and opinion focusing on national issues has never been evolved or practiced in Bangladesh. This is a major deterrence to our national development. We have no system or initiative of assessing people's demand on programmes in the electronic media. If our TV programmes were based on public demand judiciously placing same on top priority, then these would have obviously been pro-people and effectively helpful to national development. Our agriculture and health sectors are the two most important areas. But most TV programmes are devoid of supportive projection for healthcare or agricultural development. The state owned Bangladesh Television airs a few programmes on these two issues, but they are not well planned and properly designed.

Finally, I would like to add a few words about my personal experience in electronic media. As I had been involved in hosting a programme on agricultural extension for a long time, I known how powerful electronic media is. If directed to positive actions, it can change people's life. Since we all dream of a prosperous Bangladesh, we all should think of an overall reform of our prime state-owned electronic media, Bangladesh Television. We have to do it for protecting people's interest and protect them from being engulfed by the alien media flows. BTV has to evolve as a transparent and accountable mass media.

Last but not the least, one may raise a question as to why the very institution that I work for now (which happens to be as privately owned satellite television channel), cannot fulfil the obligations that I have just mentioned. Why can't we present more programmes based people's demand and aspirations? The answer is simple: ours is a satellite channel and the outreach (number of viewers) is much more limited and urban based compared to that of terrestrial BTV. The hands of the latter are spread across the grassroots level of this country. Almost 80 per cent of the population can watch its programmes. We have to think of making it a truly national mass media, a people's media. Besides, all other electronic media should be allowed the access to operate across the country. This will ultimately help us achieve our national goal of making Bangladesh a poverty free country, a developed society.

Shykh Seraj is the Director and Director News of Impress TeleFilms Ltd, Channel-i. He was the presenter of the popular agricultural programme Mati O Manush of BTV.