BTV Polls Coverage: Quader edges past Hasina in airtime
![Bangladesh asked China’s help Bangladesh asked China’s help](https://tds-images.thedailystar.net/sites/default/files/styles/big_202/public/media/api_images/2023/12/03/Quader.jpg)
The election-coverage of the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) was mostly a three-person show featuring none other than the Awami League trio -- party President Sheikh Hasina, General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud.
During BTV's 8:00pm news every day, considered the prime slot, Quader had 115.51 minutes of airtime in the run up to the election while the prime minister was allotted 107.20 minutes, according to a report of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
Hasan Mahmud was not far behind, being allotted 107.10 minutes in the news.
From December 5 to January 5, a one month period prior to the end of electioneering, the state media broadcast a total of 493.27 minutes of election-related news, with the three receiving a combined airtime of 329.81 minutes.
Breaking down the figures, TIB mentioned that 23.6 percent of the airtime was assigned to Quader, while the prime minister and the information minister each received 21.8 percent -- meaning the three received a total 67.2 percent of total election coverage of the channel's prime time news.
Taking BTV's advertisement rate into account, Quader's allocated time held a value of Tk 1.04 crore whereas the PM and Hasan's time each amounted to Tk 96 lakh, reports TIB.
In this timeframe, nine percent of the allocated time was dedicated to Election Commission related news, while election campaigns received a coverage of 20 percent, with a significant portion dedicated towards AL candidates or AL independents.
TIB unveiled the information at a press conference today, at a study report titled "The Tracking of the 12th National Election Process."
Meanwhile, the data changed slightly after analysing the BTV news between December 18 and January 5 -- the official campaigning window.
During this timeframe, campaign related news got the highest coverage -- 95 out of 371 minutes. But the campaigns of candidates outside the ruling party was only allocated 16.22 minutes of screen time.
Besides, the prime minister was seen for 89.25 minutes, Quader 65.35 minutes and Hassan Mahmud 63.56 minutes.
The EC related news got coverage for 33.51 minutes.
While presenting the data, researcher Newazul Mowla said, "The ruling party has monopolised the state-owned TV channel. The government's development programmes were aired heavily during campaigning period and beyond."
"Private television channels, in general, also adopted a supportive stance towards the ruling party," he added.
Comments