Dhaka, Mar 22 (V7N)-  The Media Reform Commission has recommended that no single owner should control multiple media outlets, proposing the implementation of a 'One House, One Media' policy to prevent media concentration.

The commission submitted its report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday (March 22) at the State Guest House Jamuna. The report was presented by Commission Chief Kamal Ahmed and other members.

The commission suggested that medium and large media companies should be required to issue shares to the public and be listed on the stock exchange within a specific timeframe. To prevent monopolization, it proposed limiting the shareholding rights of entrepreneur directors, individuals, institutions, companies, or family members to 25 percent. Additionally, the commission recommended making employee shareholding mandatory, setting a maximum limit of 5 percent for employee-owned shares to prevent management from being completely controlled by owners.

The commission stressed the need to ban cross-ownership, ensuring that no single entity controls both print and broadcast media. It suggested issuing an ordinance to dismantle existing cross-ownership structures within a set timeframe.

To enforce this, media conglomerates that own both TV channels and newspapers would have to either keep one and sell the other or merge their resources to form a single, stronger media entity.

The commission argued that multiple TV channels or newspapers under the same ownership distort competition, centralize media influence, and harm fair journalism. It compared this to monopolistic marketing strategies, where selling multiple brands of the same product under one company eliminates competition. The commission emphasized that Bangladesh must follow international standards to break media monopolies and protect fair journalism.

To maintain media integrity, the commission also recommended that all media organizations publish their financial records annually, discouraging black money infiltration into the industry. Transparent financial reporting would allow the public to make informed choices about the media they consume.

With these proposals, the Media Reform Commission aims to create a more independent, competitive, and transparent media environment in Bangladesh. The commission hopes that the current interim government and future elected administrations will take steps to implement these reforms.

END/MSS/AJ