Bangladesh Media Landscape by Robert

1 Bangladesh Media and Telecoms Landscape Guide May 2012 If you wish to c tout ensemble blast each modifys or awork forcedments to this document, please contact Robert Po closely on Robert. emailprotected org Type text 2 Introduction Bangladesh is a level(p) and low-lying terra firma that occasion iiy suffers from devastating tidal surges and floods. It is too atomic number 53 of the intimately densely populated countries in the ball. The scale of human woeful slipd by a combination of high winds, tidal surges and grueling rainstorms is sometimes immense.In 2009, Cycl one(a) Ailia caused a tidal surge that flooded low-lying coastal argonas and leave ab start 500,000 themeless. 80% of Bangladesh consists of flood plain. 75% of the estates territory atomic number 18a is less than 10 metres above ocean level. This makes Bangladesh vulner able-bodied to w time hike sea levels as a result of climate change. Flooding caused by rivers bursting their banks is a big prob lem in m whatever argonas. About 20 gazillion puffy number living in low-lying coastal argonas ar at risk of being flooded out of their homes by emanation water levels and tidal surges.The capital, capital of Bangladesh, has state of a snipe 16 one thousand thousand and is one of the largest cities in the world. But 73% of Bangladeshs 164 one million million population nonetheless lives in country argonas. Most of the population relies on subsistence farming. Rice is the raw material crop and the countrys important p atomic number 18ntage of nutrient. Bangladesh crystallise-conscious 146 out of 187 states listed in the 2011 UN Human info index. gibe to the World Bank, 81% of the population lives in poerty Type text 3 Administrative divisions of Bangladesh solution http//www. intelligencepecialpictures. om/category/map-2/bangladesh-map/ Type text 4 The adult literacy rate was 56% in 2009, according to UNESCO. It estimated that 61% of men could read and write, still unaccompanied 51% of women. Bangla or Bengali is intercommunicate as a early circumstanceinology by 98% of the population. It is the prescribed verbiage of brass activity Bangla is in like manner communicate in the neighbouring West Bengal convey of India, with which Bangladesh has close cultural and historical ties. Bengalis in twain countries love their dustup and rich culture. Poets atomic number 18 field of conduct heroes, cognize to ein truthone.Most educated easterly Pakistanis still take in the city of Kolkata (formerly k straightawayn as Calcutta), crossways the border in India, as the cultural capital of Bengal a region that historically includes West Bengal and Bangladesh. numerous East Pakistani families still project strong link up to West Bengal, having left hand part of their family in that location when they fled clashes between Hindus and Muslims during the partition of India in 1947. However, at a political scienceal level many Bangladeshis feel ambivalent about India. The intentions of this bigger and much(prenominal) and much forceful neighbour argon widely distrusted.Several glide byical anesthetic oral communications ar mouth in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in South-eastern Bangladesh and in the utter close to(prenominal) north of the country, where the influence of Indias neighbouring Assam region is pronounced. About 300,000 slew in the troubled Chittagong Hill Tracts speak Chakma. The principal(prenominal) inter discipline language spoken is position. This is a legacy of n premature two centuries of British colonial rule. Type text 5 Bangladesh achieved indep suppressence from British colonial rule as part of the Moslem state of Pakistan in 1947.The territory was then kn make as east close Pakistan, nevertheless it was physically separated from the rest of Pakistan by India. The teaching of position dec cable lengthd following independence from Pakistan in 1971 as Bangla was pro moted for nationalist rea male childs. However, English continues to be widely used in organization, avocation and the media. It is besides widely spoken among the educated elite. English is now making a pursueback. many a(prenominal) Bangladeshis project fluency in the language as vital for getting well-paid jobs both at home and overseas. About 90% of Bangladeshis are Sunni Muslim. A come along 9% are Hindu.There are small minorities of Christians and Buddhists. Traditionally most Bangladeshis hire got defined themselves as Bengalis first and Muslims stand by. However, Islamic fundamentalism has been on the organise since the ahead of time 1990s. Bangladesh split away from Pakistan afterward a successful fortify uprising in 1971, which was backed by the Indian Air Force. This is known in Bangladesh as the War of Liberation. lyric poem and culture was a chance upon factor in the liberation struggle. Bangladeshi nationalists advocated the use of Bangla as an officia l language instead of Urdu, the official language of Pakistan. depicted objectism, democracy, secularism and genialism were the four pillars of Bangladeshs 1972 Constitution. However, in 1988 Islam was made the state religion. Type text 6 Post-independence regime gull been deflower by a bitter feud between the two principal(prenominal) political dynasties in Bangladesh. fashion plate Mujibur Rahman, the prepareing father of Bangladesh, served as the countrys first president until his assassination by military officers in1975. He was the leader of Awami unify, founded in 1949. His daughter, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, took over the party leadership after his death.She has been flowering curate and leader of the regimen since 2009. A rival political dynasty was founded by General Ziaur Rahman, a military hero of the 1971 revolt against Pakistan. Ziaur Rahman, who is widely known as General Zia, became the de facto military ruler of Bangladesh in 1975. He took the helm after severa l months of instability triggered by the cleansing of Mujibur Rahman. Ziaur Rahman appoint some of Mujibur Rahmans assassins to senior government positions. This gesture created a suspension between the families of the two men and has poisoned relations between them ever since.Ziaur Rahman untrue the title of president in 1977 and ruled Bangladesh until his own assassination in 1981. He founded the Bangladesh studyist Party (BNP), the countrys an other(a)(prenominal) main political trend in 1978. The party is now led by Ziaur Rahmans widow, Khaleda Zia. She served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. In early 2012, with the Awami League back in power, she was leader of the opposition. The personal rivalry and fretfulness between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia is earnest and has coloured overmuch of Bangladeshi governing over the erstwhile(prenominal) 20 old age.both women are in their late 60s. Type text 7 Since independence, Bangladesh has either been ruled by the Awami League, the BNP or a military-led administration. The armys most recent intervention in politics took place in 2007. It formed a caretaker administration after the previous BNP-led government failed to deport fresh elections by the end of its parliamentary mandate. A military-led interim government organised fresh elections in 2008. The Awami League scored a landslide victory, fetching 49% of the familiar vote and 263 of the 300 seats in parliament.It re false to power in early 2009 with Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister. This was her second term as head of government. She had earlier ruled Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001. The ideological differences between the Awami League and the BNP are insignifi finisht, but the animosity between their respective leaders is intense and extremely personal. Sheikh Hasina blames General Zia and the BNP for being close to her fathers murderers, for removing secularism from the constitution, and for rehabilitating collabo rationist forces much(prenominal) as Jamaat-e-Islami, which formerly opposed independence from Pakistan.The BNP and Khaleda Zia suggest in turn that Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League are insufficiently Muslim, and that they are in league with Hindu-dominated India. Khaleda Zia filed corruption cases against Sheikh Hasina and her associates while she was in power. Sheikh Hasina has since retaliated in kind. The next parliamentary elections are due in 2013. turpitude is widespread at all levels of government in Bangladesh, specificly in the practice of law. Type text 8 The country was rated 120 out of 183 countries listed in Transparency foreigns 2011Corruption Perception Index with a rating of 2. out of 10. Bangladesh in one case occupied the bottom remaing of the index, but its performance has improved in recent years. Every few years, Bangladesh suffers from devastating floods, most of which are triggered by cyclonic storms coming ashore from the Bay of Bengal. Only 5% of t he worlds cyclonic storms form in the Bay of Bengal, but these cause 85% of the loss of life and property inflicted by all cyclones on the planet. In 1991, a severe cyclone killed approachly 140,000 Bangladeshis and made up to 10 million homeless. It sent a six-metre high storm surge of sea water rushing inland.Following that disaster, international donors helped Bangladesh to build a net income of cyclone shelters along the coast and set up an early admonition system for residents in vulnerable areas. Regular TV and receiving set bulletins are issued as cyclones break key stages of development in the Bay of Bengal. The government also passes warning messages pass to local government officials. At moments of extreme in protective covering, sirens mounted on the cyclone shelters are sounded. In 2009 the government used the liquid call back net to create an additional avenue for distributing cyclone warning messages.It began to course of study SMS cyclone warning messages to all ready call in owners living in danger zones as danger approached, urging them to urgently seek safety. Casualties hold been greatly reduced as a result of these precautions, but powerful storms continue to inflict heavy damage Type text 9 Earthquakes are rare, but when they do occur they suffer be extremely powerful. Only 7 earthquakes of over 8. 5 order draw ever been recorded in the world, but two of those touch on Bangladeshin 1887 and again in 1950. The country sits astride triad study fault lines. In September 2011 a 6. magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in Sikkim to the north rocked buildings in the capital capital of Bangladesh and elsewhere for up to two minutes. According to Professor Humayun Akhter, Head of the Earth Observatory at capital of Bangladesh University, a 7. 5 magnitude quake with an epicentre 50km from capital of Bangladesh would wreak havoc in the capital. He estimated in September 2011 that such a quake would destroy 30% of all bui ldings in the city, killing 200,000 people and trapping a further 300,000 in the debris of collapsed buildings. shortage has been a recurring phenomenon in Bangladesh for centuries.However, there has not been a hard hunger crisis in the country since 1974, when over one million people died. New varieties of rice, better farming techniques and improved early warning systems sop up boosted agricultural output. In most years Bangladesh manages to achieve self-sufficiency in food. Although most of Bangladesh is peaceful, a regional conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) near the Burmese border in the Southeast has been simmering for the past 40 years. This pits indigenous people from the region against settlers from other parts of Bangladesh and the army.The government sign-language(a) a peace agreement with the hill tribes in 1997, granting limited impropriety to the CHT. Type text 10 However, the promise of self-rule for the CHT was never fulfilled and sporadic violence c ontinues to plague the region. Reports of human rights violations in the CHT are commonplace. In late 2011, there were 28,000 registered refugees from Myanmar (Burma) living in two government-run camps in the South eastern regulate of Coxs bazar. Nearly all of the refugees were Muslims from the Rohingya ethnic convocation. They represented the remnants of an influx of 250,000 refugees from Myanmar in 1991.The Bangladeshi government estimates that a further 200,000 to 300,000 Burmese live in Bangladesh without bollock refugee status. In October 2011 the Burmese government announced that it would take the Rohingya refugees back. The Bangladeshi governance were keen for them to leave, but by early 2012 there had been no reports of any forced repatriations. The army has not attempted to intervene in politics since it returned Bangladesh to elected civilian government in 2008. However, in 2010 more than 70 people, including civilians and army officers, were killed during a mutiny by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) border force.More than 2,100 BDR personnel were afterward detained. According to media reports, more than 60 of these detainees died in custody. The army and the police chip in a poor human rights record. The quick Action Battalion, an elite anti- annoyance and anti-terrorism loving unit set up in 2004, has a particularly bad reputation. It is able to act in secrecy and with impunity. Type text 11 According to Amnesty International, the speedy Action Batallion has been implicated in the killing of at least 700 people since its formation. It has also been accused of torturing detainees.In 2010, according to human rights organisations, law enforcement officials were prudent for 127 deaths, 101 of which were attributed to crossfire. The Rapid Action Battalion accounted for 65 of the crossfire killings, while unceasing police were responsible for a further 21. Combined security units of Rapid Action Battalion and police agents were responsible for a further 12 deaths. Type text 12 Bangladesh at a glance Population Main Language Other languages widely used in broadcasting Gross field of study Income per capita Adult Literacy (15+) $624 (World Bank 2012) 56% (UNESCO 2009) 164 million (World Bank 2010) BanglaEnglish nomadic phones Mobile phone shrewdness (lines per 100 inhabitants) Mobile network coverage (population) network users 87. 9 million (BTRC February 2012) 94% (urban) and 83% ( homespun) (NMS 2011) 98% (BTRC 2011) 5. 5 million (Internetworldstats. com December 2011) Internet subscribers Ranking in UN Human Development Index 2011 Ranking in Reporters Without Borders World coerce Freedom Index 2011/12 3. 1 million (BRTC February 2012) 146 (out of 179) 129 (out of 179) Type text 13 Media overview idiot box is the most fashionable source of brand- word of honor program and enjoyment in urban areas of Bangladesh.It is also rapidly gaining grounds in the countryside. However, intercommunicate still commands large audiences in the unsophisticated areas, where 73% of Bangladeshis live. many rural families have no entree to electrical energy and are too poor to afford a TV set. piano channelrcommunication self-possession has fallen steady in recent years and so have wirelesscommunication noticer set audiences. The 2011 Nielsen Media and demographic discipline, conducted by the global media marketing convocation AC Nielsen, found that tuner receivercommunication trying had declined to 15% of the population in 2011 from 36% in 1999. It also found that over the equivalent 12-year period approach path to video recording in urban areas increased from 69% to 91%.In rural areas, the residuum of the population watching television increased even more dramatically from 24% to 67%. The 2011 Nielsen Survey indicated that Bangladeshis who still listen to radio receiver are increasingly tuning in on their unsettled phones sooner than a traditional radio set. It showed that 73% of radio listeners tuned into move on their mobile phones, but exclusively 34% still listened to syllabuss on a radio set. This change in listening habitsreflects the fact that young urban Bangladeshis frequently listen to harmony broadcast by FM displace done earphones attached to their mobile handset. Type text 14 However, one in five Bangladeshis do not watch TV or listen to radio at all. The Nielsen subject indicated that 20% of the population has no access to any media whatsoever. It found that 27% of females were unable to watch TV, listen to radio or reach any other media on a rule-governed basis. 13% of males were in the same situation. The government began to liberalise broadcasting in the late 1990s. Unusually, it digested offstage TV situations to operate before licencing mystical radio send. Bangladeshs first close broadcast channel, ATN Bangla, began broadcasting on major planet in 1997.But the first commercial radio ship, communicate Foorti, only went on stan dard atmosphere in 2006. The government-run radio network Bangladesh Betar and state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) have both lost audiences to clubby area competitors in the towns and cities. However, state radio and TV still dominate the publicise waves at a national level. They are still the only spreaders that fire be received well in large swathes of the countryside, where the majority of Bangladeshis live. Bangladesh Betar and BTV both strongly reflect the views of the government of the sidereal twenty-four hour period.Their computer programing is widely regarded as dull and uninspired compared with that of their clubby sector competitors. Mass circulation themes remain important, especially in the main towns. The 2011 National Media Survey found that 40% of Bangladeshi men read newspapers at least once a week. The figure for women was much lower at 14%. Type text 15 This reflects lower literacy rates amongst women. It also reflects the fact that men escape to con trol household incomes and that men get out and about much more than the women of the household.They therefore have more opportunity to buy newspapers. to begin with the government allowed the first orphic television displace to go on air in 1997, newspapers were the only source of autonomous information in Bangladesh. However, the liberalisation of the air waves, the proliferation of mobile phones and the spread of net access, have dramatically opened up the media landscape since then. Mobile telephone ownership has kick the bucket widespread in both urban and rural areas following a rapid expansion of the mobile telecoms network in the early years of this century.The 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographic Survey found that two thirds of all Bangladeshis over the age 15 own a mobile handset with an active SIM card. The Bangladesh Telecommunications regulative Commission (BTRC) said there were 87. 9 million mobile phone subscribers in the country by the end of February 2012. Thi s figure implies that one in two Bangladeshis has a mobile phone. However many handset owners have SIM cards for more than one network, so the actual mobile penetration rate is undoubtedly lower. Mobile phones are mainly used for vocalisation conversations.Very few handsets support the alphabet of the Bangla language, so the volume of text pass along is quite low. According to the BTRC, the average volume of SMS messages sent in 2011was 30 million per month. Type text 16 This is the alike of one message for every cardinal phones in use. Nevertheless, mobile phones are already being used as a channel to broadcast information. Since 2009 the government has issued cyclone warnings by SMS. Members of the macrocosm arse also dial a short code on any of Bangladeshs three mobile phone networks to hear a enter of the latest BBC Bangla news headlines. These are updated every hour.Internet use is growing fast from a low base, but access to the mesh is still qualified well-off people l iving in the main towns. According to the website www. internetworldstats. com there were 5. 5 million internet users in Bangladesh at the end of 2011 equivalent to 3. 5% of the countrys population. The BTRC reported in February 2012 that Bangladesh had 3. 1 million internet subscribers, of whom nearly 3. 0 million went online via the mobile telecoms network. The website www. socialbakers. com which measures global internet usage, said more than 2. 5 million Bangladeshis had signed up to Facebook by February 2012.The most normal Bangladeshi news website is that of Prothom Alo (First Light), the countrys top-sellling newspaper www. prothom-alo. com The independent and widely consider news website www. bdnews24. com follows close behind it. password about Bangladesh is often faster to break online than on local TV or radio. However, TV and radio are still widely regarded as the most authoritative sources of news and information. Type text 17 A 2008 study by the Institute of Governa nces Studies at BRAC University, entitled The State of Governance in Bangladesh, found that state and private broadcasters both scored highly on credibility.News on private TV was rated as authentic by 82% of respondents to the survey, while state-run BTV scored 78%. Public confidence in the state media was noticeably lower in urban areas, where there is loosely a greater choice of media. The BRAC University study found that only 68% of urban residents considered government owned TV and radio to be authentic sources of information. However, the credibility rating of state media in the countryside was much higher at 87%. For many Bangladeshis in rural areas, the state radio network Bangladesh Betar is still the main source of news and information.Bangladesh Betar runs 12 regional radio send as well as a national radio assistant. It also runs a special concern thoroughfare for capital of Bangladesh. Its broadcasts on FM and Medium Wave cover the integral country. Bangladeshs has only five private commercial radio move. totally of them are ground in Dhaka. Their broadcasts on FM are in the first place aimed at urban audiences. Only two private radio place have broad national coverage radio set Foorti and tuner at present. Both have put across guideters in several eclogue cities. wireless directly also has a network of regional studios which produce some local programming. Type text 18 piano tuner Aamar has one relay put up in Chittagong, but Metrowave and rudiment Radio only broadcast to Dhaka and the contact area. The government has so far licensed 14 club radio send. The first two went on air in 2011. There are plans to establish more than 100 community postal services across the country in due course. Private TV institutionalises only go around their programmes by satellite and cable. Nevertheless, they have come to dominate broadcasting in the towns and cities. Channel-i and ATN Bangla are the most customary private TV bring.Gov ernment-run BTV is the only home that broadcasts free-to-air from telluric transmitters. As such it is the only TV station that butt end been seen by most people with access to television in rural areas. However, BTVs hold on rural TV viewers is outset to loosen as more and more people in the countryside are switching to satellite television, which allows them to watch private and foreign convey. The largest and most influential Bangla language daily newspaper is Prothom Alo. It sold 437,000 copies per twenty-four hours in early 2011, according to government statistics.The newspapers online version www. prothom-alo. comhasmore than 800,000 readers, according to its editor. Many of these aremembers of the Bangladeshi diaspora living overseas. Prothom Alos stable mate, The Daily wind, is the largest circulation English language daily in Bangladesh. It sells over 40,000 copies per day and is influential in the notion elite. all of Bangladeshs national newspapers are published in Dhaka. However, oodles of provincial dailies are published in several other cities, including Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Bogra and Rangpur. Type text 9 Most private media outlets are broadly aligned with one of Bangladeshs two main parties the Awami League, which is originally in power, or the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP). The private media in Bangladesh is mostly owned by large business conglomerates, such as Transcom, full-strength radical and the Beximco. These groups have spacious interests in manufacturing effort, trading and financial services as well as the media. There are comparatively few genuinely independent media outlets. Many also allow the business interests of their owners to colour their news coverage. editor in chiefs and journalists can nervus twinge or intimidation for opposing government policies, and reporting on sensitive issues such as corruption, crime, human rights abuses and illegal business practices. Salaries a re low, so many journalists are also open to financial inducements to tippytoe their stories in party favor of their paymasters or suppress embarrassing information. Threats from political parties, police and military, extremist sacred groups, and other powerful individuals, are relatively common. Bangladesh was ranked 129th out of 179 countries listed in the Reporters Sans Frontieres 2011-12 Press Freedom Index http//en. sf. org/press-freedom-index-20112012,1043. html According to The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) www. cpj. org , 12 journalists were murdered in Bangladesh between 1992 and inch 2012. Most of their killers escaped prosecution. Type text 20 Three quarters of those who died were covering crime and/or corruption stories at the time. Generally speaking, journalists and editors tread carefully, self-censoring themselves to avoid trouble. The 2009 decent to Information (RTI) Act allows for freedom of access to information held by public organisations.This has improved the potential for investigative journalism, although so far few journalists have taken advantage of it. Libel, sedition and reporting on national security issues all carry the risk of criminal prosecution. Like other Bangladeshi citizens, journalists can be held for up to 90 eld without trial nether the 1974 Special Powers Act. A code of conduct for newspapers, news agencies and journalists was issued by the Bangladesh Press Council, a statutory body controlled by the government, in 1993. It was amended in 2002. Restrictions on media freedom have often increased during periods of political turmoil.The politics have occasionally tried to block access to some websites, citing unearthly and moral concerns. According to Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) www. rsf. org the government blocked access to the popular social networking site Facebook for nine days in 2010 until it agreed to withdraw cartoons of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed and cartoons of certain Bangladeshi politicia ns The pro-opposition newspaper Amar Desh was closed for three months in June 2010 after a publishing a report that accused the son of the prime minister of involvement in a corruption scandal. Its editor and main shareholder Mahmudur Rahman was arrested. Type text 21 Rahman, a former animation adviser of the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), was released nine months later. Two private TV stations, Channel 1 and Jamuna TV, have also been bar down by the current Awami League government since it came to power in 2008. Jamuna TV, owned by the Jamuna business conglomerate, was banned in November 2009, after 35 days of test transmissions for operating(a) without a licence. Channel 1, whose owner has close links with the BNP, was forced to suspend broadcasting in April 2010after the government accused it of violating unspecified rules.The station is owned by businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun, who has close ties to the firstborn son of opposition leader and former prime minister M inister Khaleda Zia. Wherever television is available, Bangladeshis have come torely on TV preferably than radio as their main source of news, information and entertainment. By the end of 2011, there were 19 local TV channels available in Bangladesh, only three of which were controlled by the government. Many Bangladeshis with a satellite serve also watch Indian channels broadcasting in Bangla and Hindi.The Indian soap operas on Star TV are particularly popular. all over the years, a succession of governments has pledged to turn state TV and radio into independent public service broadcasters, but no convincing move has so far been made in this direction. However, the government has agreed to allow the establishment of a handful of community radio stations. Type text 22 The first two community radio stations opened in 2011 and the government has awarded licences to 12 others. All will be operated by local NGOs. pedantic facilities for journalism training in Bangladesh are quite g ood.The state universities of Dhaka, Jahangirnagar, Jagannath, Chittagong and Rajshahi all offer graduate and post-graduate courses on mass communication and journalism. Some respected private universities, such as BRAC, the Independent University of Bangladesh, Stamford University, and Daffodils also offer courses in journalism and media studies. In 2007 USAID set up the Journalism Training and explore Initiative (JATRI), a professional training centre for investigative journalism. It now forms part of BRAC Universitys Institute of Governance Studies. Type text 3 Media sort outs Many newspapers and radio and TV stations in Bangladesh are owned by business conglomerates with extensive interests in manufacturing industry, trading and financial services as well as the media. The shares of some of these companies are traded on the Dhaka Stock Exchange, but most of them are controlled by rich and politically influential families. The largest and most influential business groups with m edia interests are Transcom Groupwww. transcombd. com Transcom owns Prothom Alo, the largest circulation Bangla language newspaper in Bangladesh.It also owns The Daily Star, the largest and most respected English language daily in the country. Transcoms broadcasting interests are represented by ABC Radio, a Dhaka- found news and current affairs FM station. Transcoms media outlets are generally perceived as being politically neutral. The conglomerate was founded as a family-run tea plantation business in 1885. Its non-media business interests include electronics, mobile phones, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages. It owns the Bangladeshi franchises for Pepsi Cola, 7-Up, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut. Type text 24 Bashundhara Groupwww. bg. com. d Bashundara Group owns two influential Bangla language daily newspapers Kaler Kantho and Bangladesh Protidin, and an English language newspaper, The Daily Sun. It also owns the bi-lingual news portal www. BanglaNews24. com not to be c omposite with the more popular www. Bdnews24. com The conglomerates media outlets are held through a publishing subsidiary called the East West Media Group. Bashundhara Group began life in 1987 as a real estate company. It has since alter into shopping malls, manufacturing industry and the media. It is a major producer of cement and paper products and bottles and distributes Liquid oil color Gas (LPG).The Bashundhara Group website says the conglomerate intends to set up its own TV channel and radio station in due course. The editorial line of the groups newspapers generally favours the ruling Awami League. Many of their news reports are seen as serving the groups own business interests. Jamuna Groupwww. jamunagroup-bd. com The Jamuna Group publishes the popular Bangla daily Jugantor and is trying to set up a TV station Jamuna TV. The TV station started broadcasting in 2009, but was shut down by the government after 35 days for operating without a licence. Type ext 25 The Jamuna G roup was founded as an industrial manufacturing ship by businessman Nurul Islam in 1974. right away it has interests in electronics, shoe and textile manufacturing, tress and chemicals. The conglomerate also owns Jamuna Future Park, one of Bangladeshs largest shopping malls. Jamuna diversified into media with the establishment of Jugantor in 2002. Impress Group www. impressgroup. com. bd Impress Group is a textiles, garment manufacturing and pharmaceuticals conglomerate which owns Channel i, one of Bangladeshs most popular private TV channels.Its Impress Telefilm subsidiary also produces TV programmes for other Bangladeshi TV channels, such as BTV, ATN and Ekushey TV. Beximco Group www. beximco. net Beximco is one of the largest diversified industrial groups in Bangladesh Its relatively modest media interests include the English language daily The Independent and the Independent TV channel. Beximcos main business activities include pharmaceuticals, ceramics, textiles, garment man ufacturing, real estate, and banking. Type text 26 Beximco was founded in the 7ties by two brothers, Ahmed Sohail Fasiur Rahman and Ahmed Salman Fazlur Rahman.The latter is a close advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed on private sector investment matters. Multi Media drudgery Company This media group, founded by entrepreneur Mahfuzur Rahman owns two of Bangaldeshs most popular private TV channels ATN Bangla and ATN News. ATN Bangla became Bangladeshs first private TV channel when it started broadcasting by satellite in 1997. Rahman made his initial fortune in the garment manufacturing industry. Diganta Group Diganta Group owns Naya Diganta, a Bangla language daily newspaper, and Diganta TV, a private television channel launched in 2008.Politically this media group is a strong supporter of the Jamaat-e-Islami Islamic fundamentalist party. Square Group The Square Group is a large industrial conglomerate which launched Bangladeshs ne western TV channel, Maasranga TV, in 2011 . It has invested heavily in hiring leading media personalities to run the new station and has spent lavishly on equipping its studios. Type text 27 The Square Group, founded by business magnate Samson Chowdhury, also has interests in pharmaceuticals, textiles, food processing and healthcare. Type text 28 Radio overviewRadio audiences in Bangladesh have fallen steadily in recent years as people have turned to television instead. The 2011 Nielsen Mediaand Demographics Survey showed that only 15% of the population still listened to the radio once every seven to 10 days, down from 36% in 1995. The same survey indicated that 91% of people in urban areas and 67% of people in rural areas now had access to television. Radio stations in Bangladesh are still largely still owned and controlled by the government. The first private radio station, Radio Foorti, only began broadcasting in 2006.By early 2012, there were just five privately owned commercial FM stations on air and the community radi o movement was in its infancy. The five private commercial radio stations are all based in Dhaka. They are Radio Foorti Radio directly ABC Radio Radio Aamar Metrowave State-owned Bangladesh Betar is the countrys only countrywide radio network. Type text 29 It operates a chain of 12 regional radio stations which link up with Dhaka for national news bulletins and other networked programmes, plus a merchandise Channel for commuters in the capital. Bangladesh Betars broadcasts on Medium Wave and FM reach all parts of the country.However, Bangladesh Betars news and current affairs coverage is tightly controlled by the government and its programmes are often dull and uninspired compared with those of other broadcasters. Repeated pledges by government leaders to transform Bangladesh Betar from a government mouthpiece into an independent public service broadcaster have so far come to nothing. Reach of radio (% Population) 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1995 1998 2000 2002 National 2005 stratum Urban 2006 2008 Rural 2009 2011 (Source NMDS 2011) Type text 30 Most of the private FM stations transmit unison and entertainment programmes aimed at an urban youth audience.The notability exception is ABC Radio, a talk station which targets a just about older audience with a strong diet of news and current affairs. ABC Radio is owned by Transcom, the same business group that owns Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, Bangladeshs leading newspapers in Bangla and English respectively. Radio Foort iand Radio Todaybothhave a network of FM relay transmitters in several provincial cities. This gives them broader national coverage. Radio Today also has studios in eigh provincial cites which produce some local programming. Radio Aamar broadasts in Dhaka and Chittangong. ABC Radio and MetroWave only transmit from Dhaka.According to the 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographics Survey, Radio Foorti is the most popular FM radio station in Bangladesh, with 47% of the national FM radio audienc e. It was followed by Radio Today with 28%. The survey found that where listeners have a choice, they regard the private FM stations as being more informative and entertaining than Bangladesh Betar. The government has so far licensed 14 community radio stations. The first two went on air in 2011. Type text 31 Although radio ownership has declined in recent years, more and more Bangladeshi radio listeners are tuning into programmes on their mobile phones.In fact, mobile phones have become the preferred method of accessing radio in Bangladesh, especially for young people on the move in search of music and entertainment. The 2011 Nielsen Survey found that 73% of radio listeners used their mobile phones to tune in to programmes, whereas only 34% listened on a conventional radio set. How Radio Is Accessed (%of listeners) 73 Mobile 34 Radio Others 1 Source Nielsen Media and Demographics Survey 2011 Several international broadcasters target Bangladesh with broadcasts in Bangla and English. They attract listeners because Bangladesh Betar is viewed by most people as little more than a fossil oil mouthpiece of the incumbent government. Type text 32 BBC Bangla, Voice of the States (VOA), Radio Deutsche Welle and All India Radio are all respectedas sources of independent news, but they command relatively small audiences. BBC programmes in Bangla and English are relayed on FM by Bangladesh Betars FM 100 station in Dhaka. BBC Bangla programmes are also relayed twice a day by six of the state broadcasters regional stations. Some VOA Bangla programmes are relayed by Radio Today and Radio Aamar.According to the 2011 Nielsen survey, 5% of radio listeners tune in to the BBC, and only 4% to VOA. Radio Deutsche Welle and All India Radio can only be hear on Short Wave. Their audience figures are even lower. Several internet radio stations have been launched in Bangladesh since 2010. These include www. lemon24. com, www. oniyom. com, www. radio2fun. com, www. radiodhaka. net www. ra diogoongoon. com. They broadcast popular Bangla songs, and fix news bulletins. However, they only reach relatively large members of the educated elite who have access to the internet and Bangladeshis in the diaspora. Type text 3 company radio is only just coming into existence. The first community radio station, RadioLokobetar, began test transmissions in the town of Barguna in Barisal division in June 2011. It is run by the NGO, Mass Line Media Center. In October 2011, a second community station, Radio Padma, started broadcasting in Rajshahi. It is run by another(prenominal)(prenominal) NGO, the meaning for Communication and Development By the end of 2011, the government had issued a total of 14 licences tocommunity radio stations. Two were on air and another four had begun test broadcasts. Each one is being set up and managed by a antithetical civil society organisation.The Community Radio advocacy movement was started in 1998 by a network of NGOs and like civil society organizations called the Bangladesh NGO Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). This pressure group argued that community radio would help to reduce poverty, eliminate social exclusion, empower marginalized rural groups and encourage the active participation of disadvantaged sections of the population in development. The government approved the Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and mathematical process Policy 2008 (Bangladesh Gazette, 12 March 2008).The National Regulatory Commission on send subsequently proposed that a total of 116 community radio stations be established across the country. Type text 34 Community radio stations approved by the government in 2011 Sl. No. Name of radio and absolute frequency (where available) Krishi Radio, 98. 80MHz Radio Chilmari, 99. 20MHz Lokobetar, 99. 20MHz Name and address of organisation which will run the radio 01 Agriculture Information service (Ministry of Agriculture), Amtoli, Barguna RDRS Bangladesh, Chilmari, Kurigram 02 03Mass-line Media Center, Amtoli Hospital Road, (Kathpatti), Barguna Nalta Hospital Community Health Foundation, Kaliganj, Sathkhira Landless Distressed Rehabilitation Organization, Sherpur Road, Bogra BRAC Mathar Kapon, Chandnighat, Moulvibazar Sadar Naogaon Human Rights Development Association, Ukilpara, Naogaon adolescent Power in Social Action (YPSA), Sitakunda, Chittagong Proyas Manobik Unnayan society, Belepukur, Chapainawabgonj Center for Communication and Development (CCD), Monafer More, Rajshahi Srizony Bangladesh, Pabahati, Jhenidha 04 Radio Nalta, 99. 20MHz Radio Mukti, 99. 0MHz Radio Pollikontho, 99. 20MHz Barendro Radio, 99. 20MHz Radio Sagor Giri, 99. 20 MHz Radio Mahananda, 98. 80MHz Radio Padma, 99. 20MHz Radio Jhinuk, 99. 20MHz Radio Bikrampur 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 environment Council Bangladesh (EC Bangladesh), Dewvogh, Munshiganj Broadcasting Asia of Bangladesh, Koyra, Khulna 13 Radio Sundarban, 98. 80MHz Radio Naf 14 Alliance for Co-operation and efficaciou s Aid Bangladesh (ACLAB), Teknaf, Coxs fair Type text 35 Location of classic community radio stations Source BNNRC 2011 Type text 36 Radio stations Bangladesh Betar www. betar. rg. bd Bangladesh Betar is the state-run radio network. It is the only radio service that reaches the whole of the country. The flagship Home Service is broadcast from the main studios in Dhaka. Bangladesh Betar also operates 12 regional stations in the following cities Bandarban Barisal Chittagong Comilla Coxs Bazar Dhaka Khulna Rajshahi Rangamati Rangpur Sylhet Thakurgaon These stations transmit on both FM and Medium Wave In addition, Bangladesh Betar runs the Traffic Channelin Dhaka. This broadcasts traffic updates to commuters in the capital on 88. 8 and 103. 2 FM.Most Bangladesh Betar programmes are in Bangla, but some, including several daily news bulletins, are in English. Type text 37 National news bulletins and other networked programmes are transmitted from Dhaka and relayed by the other centres. S ome local language news bulletins and programmes are produced in Chakma, Marma and Tipra for the tribes living in the Chittangong Hill Tracts. These are broadcast by the Bangladesh Betar local stations in Bandarban, Rangamati and Coxs Bazar. News bulletins are broadcast every hour. Special programmes for farmers are broadcast daily at 06. 5 in the morning and between 18. 05 and 20. 00 at night. Bangladesh Betar also produces an outdoor(a) service. This broadcasts on Short Wave in Bangla, English, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic and Nepali to Europe, the bosom East and Asia. Bangladesh Betar started life in 1939 as a regional station of All India Radio, broadcasting from Dhaka. After the partition of India in 1947, it became Radio Pakistan Dhaka. At independence from Pakistan in 1971 Bangladesh Betar assumed its present identity. Bangladesh Betar relays the BBC World Service in English and BBC Bangla for 12 hours per day on its FM 100 station in Dhaka.BBC Banglas morning and afternoon programm es are also relayed by the Bangladesh Betar local stations in six other cities. Center Dhaka-Ka Dhaka-kha Dhaka-Ga Chittagong Type text Frequency (kHz) 693 630 1170 873 one thousand 432. 90 476. 19 256. 41 343. 64 Power (kW) thousand 100 20 100 Broadcast Time(Local) 0630-1210 and 14302330 0000-0300, 0630-0745 and 0900-2310 cl0-1700 0630-1000 and 12002310 38 1080 Rajshahi 846 Khulna Rangpur Sylhet Barisal Thakurgaon Rangamati Coxs Bazar Bandarban Comilla 558 1053 963 1287 999 1161 1314 1431 1413 354. 60 537. 63 284. 90 311. 52 233. 10 300. 30 258. 9 228. 31 209. 64 212. 31 100 100 20 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 277. 77 10 0630-1000 and 12002310 0630-1000 and 12002310 0630-1000 and 12002310 0630-1000 and 14002310 0630-1000 and 14002310 1045-1715 1550-2310 1130-1630 1145-1645 1130-1630 1600-2310 Bangladesh Betar Medium Wave transmitters Source Bangladesh Betar website Center FM100, Dhaka FM, Dhaka FM 88. 8, Traffic Channel FM 90. 0, Traffic Channel FM (Home Service), Dhaka FM, Chittagong FM , Khulna FM, Sylhet FM, Rajshahi FM, Rangpur Type text Frequency (MHz) 100. 0 97. 6 88. 8 90. 0 103. 2 105. 5 102. 0 105. 0 104. 0 105. 0 105. Meter 3. 00 3. 07 3. 38 3. 33 2. 9 2. 85 2. 94 2. 86 2. 88 2. 86 2. 86 Power (KW) 3 5 10 10 5 2 1 1 5 1 1 Broadcast Time 1300-1600 0630-1200 1415-2315 0800-2000 0800-2000 1730-2200 0630-1000 1900-2310 0630-1000 1900-2310 0630-1000 1900-2310 0630-1000 1900-2310 0630-1000 1900-2310 0630-1000 1900-2310 39 FM, Comilla FM, Thakurgoan 101. 2 92. 0 2. 96 3. 26 2 5 0630-1000 1700-2310 1600-2310 Bangladesh Betar FM broadcasts Source Bangladesh Betar website Director General (news)- Narayan Chandra Sen Tel +880 2 8115072 +880 2 8113356 +880 2 8115079 +880 2 8115036 electronic mailemailprotected et credit Bangladesh Betar, Agargaon, Dhaka-1207 Radio Foorti www. radiofoorti. fm Radio Foorti is the largest private radio station in Bangladesh. It broadcasts on 88. 0 FM in Dhaka and reaches a large audience in the interior through relay stations in the fo llowing seven provincial cities Barisal Chittagong (98. 4 FM) Type text 40 Coxs Bazar Khulna Mymensingh Rajshahi Sylhet(89. 8 FM) According to the 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographics Survey, Radio Foorti commands a 47% share of the total FM radio audience in Bangladesh. Most of its programming consists of music and entertainment.The station plays a wide variety of music, ranging from Bengali classics to the latest songs released by top Bangladeshi artists, along with some international tracks. Many programmes are inter-active, relaying phone calls and text messages from listeners. The station first went on in Dhaka in 2006. Since then its FM coverage has progressively been extended to other major cities. Radio Foorti is owned by the MGH Group. This is also has interests in transport, logistics, aviation services, banking and information technology. main(prenominal) Executive -Daniel Afzalur Rahman Tel +880 2 8835747 +880 2 8835748 electronic mail Daniel. emailprotected m spoken c ommunication Radio Foorti, Landmark (8 floor), 12-14 Gulshan North C/A, Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212 th Radio Today 89. 6 FM www. radiotodaybd. fm Type text 41 Radio Today is a music and entertainment station that broadcasts on FM from Dhaka and seven other cities across Bangladesh. It claims to reach a potential audience of more than 120 million people across the country. Radio Today plays popular Bangladeshi music. It has subsidiary stations which produce several hours of local programming each day in the following provincial cities Bogra Chittagong Khulna Sylhet Barisal Coxs Bazar Mymensingh All broadcast on the same frequency 89. 6 FM.Radio Today is owned by Radio Broadcasting FM (Bangladesh) Co. Ltd. , a company controlled by a businessman with strong connections with the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP). It first went on air in 2006. Type text 42 The station also rebroadcasts two news bulletins per day from Voice of the States (VOA) Bangla. Chief News Editor Rashidul Isla m Tel + 880 2 8829293 telecommunicate emailprotected com Address Radio Today, Awal Centre (13th and 19th Floors), 34 Kamal Ataturk Avenue, Banani, Dhaka-121 3 Radio Aamarwww. radioaamar. com Radio Aamar is a private radio station that broadcasts round the clock on 88. 4 FM in Dakhaand 101. FM in Chittagong. It carries news, traffic and weather updates, business news, Bangla and English music and phone-in programmes. It also relays 30 minutes of programming from Voice of America (VOA) Banglaevery level. Radio Aamar began broadcasting in 2007. The station is owned by the Uniwave Broadcasting Co. Ltd Type text 43 Chief Executive Zulfiquer Ahmed Tel + 880 2 9886800 +880 2 9861133 +880 2 8832989 Address Uniwave Broadcasting Company Ltd. , Silver Tower (12th Floor), 52 GulshanAvenue, Dhaka ABC Radio FM 89. 2 http//abcradiobd. fm ABC Radio is Bangladeshs only privately operated news and current affairs radio station.It is based in Dhaka and covers a potential audience of 40 million pe ople living within 80 km of the capital. ABC Radio is owned by Transcom, the industrial conglomerate which also publishes two of Bangladeshs leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. This linkage gives ABC Radio access to the newspapers network of more than 240 reporters and correspondents countrywide. ABC radio was launched in 2009 and is on air 24 hours a day. There are news bulletins every hour. According to the 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographic Survey, ABC Radio reaches 13% of all FM radio listeners. Type text 44It can be heard clearly as far south as Comilla and Chandpur, as far north as Tangail and as far west as Faridpur. Head of News M. Sanaullah Tel +880 2 8142038 +880 2 8189307-10 Email emailprotected fm emailprotected fm Address ABC Radio, 99 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka Trade Center, Kawran Bazar, Dhaka MetroWave www. metrowave-bd. com MetroWave is a private music and entertainment radio station based in Dhaka. Under the terms of its broadcasting license, the station is required to relay some government news programmes and speeches by the Prime Minister and President. MetroWave is on air on 1170 Khz Medium Wave from 07. 0 until 10. 30 and again from 12. 00 to 15. 00. Its does not appear to broadcast on FM. Managing Director Emran Mahmud Tel + 880 2 9881131 Email emailprotected com Type text 45 Address MetroWave, Electros house (9th floor), 18 Kamal Araturk avenue, Banani, Dhaka BBC Bangla www. bbc. co. uk/Bengali BBC Bangla is the Bengali language service of the BBC. It is aimed at Bengali speakers in both Bangladesh and India. BBC Bangla broadcasts to Bangladesh on Short Wave and FM for two hours per day and online through its website. Programming consists of news, current affairs, sports, entertainment and discussion programmes.From 2005 to 2010, BBC Bangla broadcast a periodic TV and radio discussion programme called Sanglap (Dialogue)in association with Bangladeshs Channel i satellite TV station. This popular programme aimed to initiate formative public debate and encourage greater accountability from government and ascendency figures. It brought ordinary people face-to-face with influential politicians and business leaders and gives them an opportunity to ask questions about issues that matterto them. Sanglap was broadcast from different locations around Bangladesh and claimed a regular audience of 21 million. Type text 46 Itsinspired several other private TV stations in Bangladesh to launch similar discussion programmes BBC Bangla is relayed on FM by Bangledesh Betar in Dhaka on its FM 100station. This also relays BBC World Service in English for 10 hours per day. In addition, BBC Bangla is relayed by the Bangladesh Betar local FM stations in Chittagong(105. 0 FM) Khulna(105. 4 FM) Rajshahi(105. 4 FM) Sylhet(105. 0 FM) Rangpur(105. 4 FM) Comilla(101. 2 FM) Since 2010 BBC Bangla has also offered a dial-in news update service to mobile phone users on Bangladeshs three largest mobile phone networks.By dialing the short code 16262 members of the public can listen to a recording of the latest BBC headlines in Bangla at any time of day and leave their own comments if they wish. The news headlines are updated every hour. BBC Bangla has journalists based in Dhaka, Kolkata and Delhi. BBC Dhaka Office Tel +88 2 9130996 +88 2 9130997 +88 2 9130672 Type text 47 Address, BBC, Dhanshiri Apartments, Flat No. D 602, 35 Indira Road, Tejgaon, Dhaka1215 BBC Bangla Editor Sabir Mustafa Telephone +44 20 7557 1840 Email emailprotected co. k Address BBC Bangla Service, scouring House, PO Box 76, Strand, LondonWC2B 4PH, UK Voice of America (VOA) www. voanews. com/bangla/news VOA Bangla is the Bengali language service of the US international radio station Voice of America (VOA). It transmits to Bangladesh and India on Short Wave for seven hours per week. In 2009 VOA Bangla said its radio broadcasts to Bangladesh reached 2. 6 million people and that its overall audience, including TV and the internet , was 10 million. VOA Bangla produces a 10-12 minute TV programme every week which is aired by the Bangladeshi private satellite broadcaster NTV.Two of VOA Banglas daily radio news bulletins are relayed on FM in Bangladesh by Radio Today from transmitters in the following cities Barisal Type text 48 Bogra Chittagong Coxs Bazar Dhaka Khulna Mymensingh Sylhet Radio Aamar also broadcasts a 30-minute segment of VOA Bangla programming at 22. 00 every evening from its transmitters in Dhaka and Chittagong. In addition, Radio Aamar broadcasts VOA Banglas one-hour call-in show Hello Washington every Wednesday. VOA Bangla Managing Editor Roquia Haider Email emailprotected om Address VOA Bangla Service, 330 Independence Avenue, Washington, DC 20457 Type text 49 Television overview Over the past decade television has emerged as the most powerful channel of news and entertainment in Bangladesh. It has displaced radio and newspapers to become the countrys main source of reliable information. The 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographic Survey found that 84% of urban households and 43% of rural households in Bangladesh owned a television set. The same survey showed that 74% of Bangladeshis aged 15 and over watch television at least once every seven to 10 days.The nurture of television has been stimulated by a boom in private TV channels, since ATN Bangla became the first private commercial TV station to receive a license in 1997. Seventeen private TV channels have begun broadcasting to Bangladesh by satellite and cable since then. They generally nominate more attractive and entertaining programmes than the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) network. Type text 50 However, BTV has maintained a strong hold on viewers in rural areas since it is the only TV network that broadcasts free-to-air from terrestrial transmitters.The 2011 Nielsen survey showed that 83% of TV owners in urban areas have access to private TV channels via satellite or cable, but whereas only 39% of TV owners in the countryside do so. However, more and more rural households with access to some form of electricity supply are acquiring satellite dishes. As a result, BTVs former monopoly of rural television audiences is being gradually eroded. Satellite TV channels broadcasting from India in Hindi and Bengali are popular for their soap operas, films and sports coverage. ETV Bangla, an Indian satellite channel based in Kolkata,ZTV, Star Plus, Sony TV, and Zee Cinema are among the most popular Indian entertainment channels. Doordarshan, BBC, CNN, and ETV Bangla, are popular satellite channels for news. TV channels trip out the highest rates for advertising between 19. 00 and 23. 00, suggesting that this is also the peak viewing period. twenty-four hour period TV audiences mainly consist of housewives watching soap operas. When their menfolk come home from work in the evening, the TV set is often switched over to news and sports channels. There are no dedicated sports channels in Bangladesh, but televised football and cricket matches carried by foreign channels are very popular. Type text 51 Talk shows have become popular in the past three years, in response to the popularity of the BBC Bangla TV discussion programme BBC Sanglap. This ran from 2005 to 2010 on Channel i. Every TV channel now broadcasts at least one talk show per week and these programmes cause huge debate nationally. Some TV discussion programmes have been criticised for promoting the views of a particular political party or the channels owner, but others are very professionally produced and presented. There are two private TV channels devoted solely to news ATN News and Shomoy.Most of the other TV channels broadcast a mix of news, talk shows, reality shows, music shows, dramas, movies and other forms of entertainment. The majority broadcast hourly news bulletins throughout the day and a flagship news show in the evening. Most also air programmes about development issues such as health, agriculture, a nd education. Islamic TV, however, carries only religious news and discussions. Viewers in the main cities can access more than 70 TV channels by cable. There are hundreds of different cable networks in Bangladesh. Monthly cable subscriptions monetary value between 150 and 500 Taka, ($2. to $6. 50). They can easily be afforded by a middle-income family. Type text 52 The extension of mains power supplies, solar power and the availability of low cost TV sets have substantially increased access to television over the past decade. Rising incomes and the emergence of a large middle class have meanwhile made commercial television, based on the sale of advertising, extremely profitable. Many of Bangladeshs private TV channels have been set up by the countrys largest industrial conglomerates such as Beximco, Square Group and Impress Group.Many of these business groups also own newspapers. In early 2012, there were three state-run TV channels and 16 private channels on air in Bangladesh. Go vernment licenses had been given(p) for a further six private channels. According to the 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographic Survey, ATN-Bangla and Channel-iare the most popular TV channels overall. However, individual programmes on other channels may have higher ratings at certain times of day. The Nielsen survey identified ATN Banglas evening news as the most watched TV programme in the country.It rated NTV as the third most popular station. It has three channels which broadcast a mixture of news, entertainment, reality shows and discussion programmes. population in rural areas without access to satellite connections have no plectrum other than state-run terrestrial channel BTV. Type text 53 BTV is Bangladeshs largest TV station in terms of its studios, staff, equipment and countrywide coverage. It claims that its terrestrial broadcasts cover 95% of the population. BTVs flagship national channel is broadcast from studios in Dhaka.It is normally on air for 18 hours a day. BTVs re gional studios in Chittagong produce a small amount of regional news and programming for Southeastern Bangladesh. This replaces national network programming in Chittagong for up to two hours every night. In January 2011 BTV launched a third parliamentary channel, BTV Sangsad. This broadcasts proceedings from parliament and discussion programmes about important national topics. The channel is on air for three hours per day whenever parliament is in session. BTV also runs an international channel, BTV World.This broadcasts by satellite 24 hours a day to Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. Terrestrial TV channels can easily be taken off air by the governing as Ekushey TV discovered to its cost in 2002. Ekushey was shut down for four years by an incoming Bangladesh National Party (BNP) government which perceived the station as being overtly in favour of the opposition Awami League. It only resumed broadcasting on satellite in 2006 Ekusheys experience has made other TV channels wary of terrestrial broadcasting. Type text 54Unlike radio stations, which are licensed by the Ministry of Information, TV channels in Bangladesh are regulated by the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC). They require a permission to broadcast letter from the Ministry of Information, but BTRC issues their license. Television stations Bangladesh Television (BTV) www. btv. gov. bd Bangladesh TV (BTV) is the national state TV network. Its main channel is the most watched TV channel in Bangladesh, largely because it is the only TV channel that can be received without a satellite dish in rural areas.BTV claims that its transmitter network covers 95% of the population. Its main channel is on air for 18 hours per day from 07. 00 to 01. 00. BTV also operates a small regional television station in the South-eastern port city of Chittagong. This broadcasts up to two hours of local programmes in the evening. In 2004, BTV launched an international satellite channel BTV World. This broadcasts round the clock and can be seen throughout Asia and the Middle East. Its latest venture is a parliamentary channel, BTV Sangsad. Type text 55Launched in January 2011, BTV Sangsad broadcasts for three hours per day whenever parliament is in session. It carries parliamentary debates and discussion programmes on topics of national importance. Most BTV programmes are in Bangla, but some are in English. According to the 2011 Nielsen Media and Demographic Survey, the proportion of TV viewers who tune in to BTV is higher in rural areas (92%) than in urban areas (80%). However, the same survey indicated that BTVs audience has declined across the board in recent years in the face of competitor from private TV channels.The Nielsen survey ranked Ittyadi, a magazine entertainment programme as BTVs most popular programme. BTVs flagship evening news programme in Bangla scores high ratings and its Friday night movies are also very popular. State television started broadcasting in East Pakistan in 1964. BTV was created after Bangladesh declared independence from Pakistan in 1971. BTV has transmitters in Dhaka and Chittagong and relay stations in the following locations Natore Sylhet Khulna Rangpur Mymenshingh Rangamati Noakhali Type text 56Shatkhira Jhenidah Thakurgaon Brahmanbaria Patuakhali Rajshahi Ukhia Type text 57 BTV transmitters and relay stations Source BTV website Type text 58 Director General Kazi Abu Zafar Muhammad Hasan Siddiqi Tel +880 2 9330131-9 +880 2 9330036-39 Email emailprotected gov. bd emailprotected net. bd Address Bangladesh Television, Television Bhaban, Rampura, Dhaka-1219 BTV Chittagong www. btv. gov. bd, BTVs Chittagong sub-station airs its own, locally produced programmes from 17. 30 to 19. 10 pm every day. This segment of local programming includes a 10-minute regional news bulletin.The Chittagong studios also produce short dramas and cultural programmes. Their quality is said to have improved since 2010. General Manager BTV C hittagong Tel +880 31 611751 Email emailprotected gov. bd Address BTV, 27, Nasirabad Housing Society, Road No. 3, Chittagong BTV Worldwww. btv. gov. bd, BTV World is the international satellite channel of BTV. It began broadcasting in 2004 and is on air 24 hours a day. Type text 59 Most of it the programmes are identical to those of BTVs domestic service broadcast by terrestrial transmitters. BTV World is broadcast on AsiaSat 3S.Its footprint extends from the Sea of Japan in the east to Cyprus in the West, and from New Zealand-Australia in the South to Siberia in the North. Director General Kazi Abu Zafar Mohammad Hassan Siddiqui Tel +880 2 933 0131-6 +880 2 933 0036-8 Email emailprotected gov. bd Address BTV World, TV Bhaban, Rampura, Dhaka-1219 , Sangsad TVwww. btv.