TBM Report ||
The media industry has been passing hard times as revenue, readership and views have dropped sharply against the soft popularity of the social media.
But social media has become popular globally over the years as the traditional media has limitation to meet the expectation of the new generations, said former President of the Dhaka Reporters Unity Rafiqul Islam Azad.
In some developed countries, print version of a number of newspapers have been stopped as demands and revenues have dropped
The readership and popularity of the traditional printed media—both Bangla and English—have dropped in Bangladesh against the popularity of the social media.
In Bangladesh, the state-owned Bangladesh Television and the state-owned news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha incurred heavy losses But the government subsidized money to help them survive though their readerships and views are very poor, said a media work of a private television channel.
some 40 television channels are being
Though reliable data is available, the sold copies of 50 English dallies (listed in the Department of Film and Publications) in Bangladesh is less than one lakh against the backdrop of 180 million people in Bangladesh.
Though Bangla readership is much higher than English readership, some 1000 Bangla dailies—at regional and national levels—are being published in Bangladesh. However, the sold copies of the Bangla dallies will not cross 3-4 lakh in Bangladesh, said the managing editor of a leading Bangla daily.
In developing countries specially in the third world countries, military dictatorship or democratically elected dictatorship intervene in the media industry that often imposes self-censorship on publishing news depriving the readers, said a news editor of a leading English newspaper.
In Bangladesh, the past Awami League (AL) government had imposed censorship or in some cases newspapers imposed self-censorship during 17 years of the regime.
In neighboring countries, politically elected government put restriction on the media industry using the state power. The political leadership in South Asia also put restriction on the newspaper industry in publishing newspapers, said an editor of Bangla daily.
The uncensored, unregulated, concocted and misleading news of social media leads to social unrest, disorder, chaos, slide in law and order situation and political unrest in the country, said a member of the civil society.
Against this backdrop, the development partners like IMF, World Bank, IFC, UNDP and development partners of the country can mull over setting up a ‘Special Fund’ to help the media industry of the country, said an NGO leader.
The third-world countries like Bangladesh will have to wait years to attain the level of human rights, good governance, and economic development of developed countries. In this background, the media industry in Bangladesh needs national and international support to survive, said a senior journalist.
This correspondent talked to a development partner of Bangladesh who said the development partners can mull over incorporating special ‘Development Fund’ at the request of the government to help the media industry.
According to media reports, Bangladesh Television (BTV) has consistently spent far beyond its earnings in recent years, with expenditure exceeding income by around seven to 12 times, the then Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said on June 22, 2026
Zahir Uddin Swapon (now political adviser to the prime minister) disclosed the figures while responding to a question from MP Fazle Huda during the question-and-answer session at the parliament.
According to the minister’s scripted reply, BTV’s total income, including tax, stood at Tk 8.05 crore up to May of the current fiscal year, while expenditure reached Tk 254.18 crore. Advertising revenue accounted for Tk 5.07 crore of the income.
The minister also presented BTV’s income and expenditure figures from fiscal year 2020-21 to fiscal year 2024-25.
In fiscal year 2020-21, BTV earned Tk 34.05 crore against expenditure of Tk 280.81 crore. In FY2021-22, income stood at Tk 40.26 crore, while expenditure was Tk 285.47 crore.
BTV’s income was Tk 30.87 crore and expenditure was Tk 370.61 crore in FY2022-23.
In FY2023-24, the state-run broadcaster recorded income of Tk 44.21 crore against expenditure of Tk 298.57 crore. In FY2024-25, its income was Tk 27.64 crore while expenditure reached Tk 307.92 crore.
Replying to a question from MP AKM Fazlul Haque Milon, he said the Department of Information continues fact-checking activities to combat rumors and false content on social media. Each morning, misleading content from newspapers, electronic media and social platforms is compiled into structured reports.
Responding to lawmaker Dewan Mohammad Salauddin, he said there are currently 55 private television channels in the country, of which 39 are broadcasting.
He also said 1,436 daily newspapers are published nationwide, including 593 from Dhaka and 843 from other districts. There are 474 registered online news portals, comprising 282 in the general category, 131 linked to daily newspapers and 61 regional portals.
Answering a question from Chattogram-3 MP Sarwar Jamal Nizam, Zahir Uddin Swapon… said 40 private television channels were approved over the past 15 years, while six were shut down during the same period.
In response to a question from Mostafizur Rahman Babul, MP, he said the “BanglaFact” initiative is continuing efforts to counter misinformation, propaganda and disinformation.
So far, BanglaFact has published 783 fact-checks, analyses, investigative reports and videos, including 229 since the current government assumed office. It has identified 16 websites impersonating newspapers and television channels to spread propaganda, more than 300 misleading Facebook accounts, and 199 X accounts
