More private television channels to go on air

The information ministry may allow a few more private satellite television channels to go on air in a bid to increase competition and professionalism in the electronic media.

Although the move is underway, officials keep mum about the selection of the lucky few from the 30 applicants. Sources allege only relatives of ruling BNP bigwigs will figure on the shortlist. Information Secretary Nazmul Alam Siddique declined to comment on the issue but said: "You will get to know when the channels are given permits."

But sources close to the electronic media named a series of organisations that applied for permission: Media One, Liberty Television, Dhaka TeleFilm, Telebangla, Bishal Multimedia, KTV, Bengal News, Janata Televsion, 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.

An ex-vice-chancellor, a newspaper editor, industrialists and expatriates are among the applicants, some of them media analysts say have no strong economic background nor technical know-how.

"Launching a satellite television channel needs about Tk 60 crore," said a marketing manger of a satellite television.

A channel now on air allegedly went lobbying to block the permission for new channels, as it fears it will lose in the competition. "New channels may harm the media market unless it gets bigger," a media person said.

But media market critics say new channels will create more jobs, more competition and more exposure.

The permission for new satellite TV channels ran into red tape snags after the information ministry allowed seven channels such as Channel i, ATN Bangla, International Television (NTV), Inqilab Television (ITV), Universal Television (UTV), Jamuna Television (JTV) and Ekushey Television (ETV) to go on air.

Among them, only Channel i, ATN Bangla and NTV are on air, but ITV, UTV and JTV have failed to broadcast programmes even a year after the permission and a Supreme Court verdict cancelled ETV's contract.

In the wake of the ETV scam, the information ministry worked on a set of regulations that will be signed into a law to control the electronic media.

"A parliamentary standing committee sent the draft bill back to the information ministry for more relaxed regulations compared to other countries," a ministry official said.

According to the bill, a private satellite channel will require licence -- a rule that is not included in the current provision of permission.