[HCDX] No more pvt TV, radio channels before passage of new law in Bangladesh

["Swopan Chakroborty" <sncydx@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

No more pvt TV, radio channels before passage of new
law in Bangladesh.

More private television and radio channels are
unlikely to get permission to go on air until the
Private Broadcast Media (Radio and Television) Bill
2004 is passed in parliament aiming to control the
electronic media, official sources said. 
"Preparation of uniform guidelines has become urgent
as the information ministry continues to receive
applications for permission to run private radio and
satellite television channels," said AMM Nasiruddin,
information secretary.

Sources in the ministry said they have so far received
around 30 applications for private satellite
television channels and 15 for radio.

The permission for satellite TV channels has been
snagged in red tape for a long time after the
government granted permission to seven channels ---
Channel i, ATN Bangla, International Television (ntv),
Inquilab Television (ITV), Universal Television (UTV),
Jamuna Television (JTV), and Ekushey Televison (ETV).

At present, ATN Bangla, Channel i and ntv are on air
while ITV, UTV and JTV have failed to start telecast
within 365 days of getting permission as per rule.
ETV's contract was cancelled in line with a Supreme
Court order.

Two separate policy guidelines were prepared in 1998
for private radio and television channels but the
government later decided to formulate a comprehensive
policy to encourage competition and ensure
professionalism in the electronic media.

"We have already collected the policies and
regulations of other Saarc (South Asian Association
for Regional Co-operation) countries and a committee
is working on the proposed regulations," the
information secretary said.

New radio or TV channels may get permission before the
passage of the Bill if government decides to permit
any on urgent basis, he said.

Currently, Bangladesh has no law for private radio and
television channels. The authorities use some acts
including the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1885, the
Telegraph Act, 1933 and Bangladesh Telecommunications
Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Act, 2001, to allocate
frequency for and oversee technological aspects of the
channels.

After the ETV scandal, the information ministry worked
out a draft regulation aiming to give it a legal form.
The draft was referred to the parliamentary standing
committee on information ministry for further
scrutiny.

According to the draft, all private satellite channels
would require licence, a provision that does not exist
in the existing guidelines. It says the channels
already on air -- ATN Bangla, Channel i and ntv --
would require fresh licences under the new law.

The draft also proposes government permission for
transfer of shares and licences, strict enforcement of
Bangladesh Telecommunications Act 2001, suspension and
cancellation of licences, investigation into violation
of the law and punishment to the offenders under the
criminal laws and fines of up to Tk 20 lakh.

The draft law provides for compulsory licensing, a
system for scrutiny of applications, issuance of first
time licence for five years and renewal of licences.

According to the draft, the government will invite
applications from people interested in setting up
radio and TV channels and a six-member committee
headed by a chairman nominated by the government will
issue the licence.

Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission
and directors general Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh
Television will nominate one each member and the
government will nominate two under technically skilled
person category.

The committee will consider the financial and
technical capability of the applicants, location of
the stations and skills of the manpower. It will also
examine whether the applicants have anti-state or
anti-people roles or attitudes.

Foreign nationals, firms not registered under
Companies Act, registered companies with less than Tk
1 crore paid-up capital and people or companies
defaulting on loans from government or private
financial institutions will not be eligible to apply
for the licence.

According to the draft, broadcast of news, special
programmes and advertisements by private channels will
be controlled by the act. The programmes of national
importance such as speeches, news broadcast by
state-owned BTV and Betar and government handouts,
must be aired or rerun by the channels for free.

Violation of some provisions of the proposed law will
be considered as criminal offence. For the first-time
offence, offenders will be fined Tk 10 lakh and in
default will have to serve a three-month jail term.
Each offence after the first one will carry a fine of
Tk 20 lakh and six months imprisonment, in default.

Failures to pay any outstanding amount for a licence,
transfer of more than 50 percent shares without
permission and violation of any term will result in
cancellation and suspension of licence, says a draft.

The organisations so far applied for permission to run
private satellite channels include Media One, Liberty
Television, Dhaka TeleFilm, Telebangla, Bishal
Multimedia, KTV, Bengal News, Janata Television,
Daffodil Multimedia, Bishal Music, Bijoy Broadcasting
Univision, Bangla Television, Maxel Multimedia,
Development Media TV Channel, SAS World, TV Bangla,
Bangladesh Channel USA, Nationwide Communication,
Bangla TV London, Probashi Television Network,
National Television, Baishakhi Television, Sonali
Television, Gazi Satellite Network, and Movie Tone
Media Communication.

The entrepreneurs are from various professions ---
they include industrialists, former vice chancellor,
newspaper editor and expatriates. Many of them do not
have strong economic background. "To establish a
satellite television channel it needs about Tk 60
crore," said marketing manger of an existing satellite
television channel.

There is an allegation that some are lobbying with the
ministers and influential persons in the government to
get permission on priority basis. But the existing
entrepreneurs think more channels may distort already
crunched market unless the market itself gets bigger.

Media experts are, however, optimistic to see more
channels that would create more job opportunities,
more competition, more exposure, and expand market as
well.

(Via The Daily Star)

73s,
Swopan Chakroborty
Kolkata, India




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