Government Interference and the Freedom of Press Media. Sociological Analysis on the Newspapers in Bangladesh (PDF)

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Communications - Print Media, Press, grade: 3.02, University of Dhaka, language: English, abstract: The paper examines how the government's different activities obstruct the freedom of media, especially the press media in Bangladesh. To fulfill the requirements of the paper both the secondary literature on the mass media and primary data are accumulated by interviews with government officials, journalists, lawyers, teachers, and students, and by reviewing a large stake of newspapers, books, and journals.

We are living in an information age and information is the oxygen of the modern era, as stated by Ronald Reagan in his speech to the English-Speaking Union in 1989. Keeping pace with global change, Bangladesh is also in the process of turning into an information society. The mass media is still in the claw of the government.

A free and vibrant mass media is one of the prime components of democracy, and good governance. Almost all developed countries allow and ensure an independent media, as it is the 4th pillar of a country. In a democratic society, the media are supposed to play certain functions. These functions include the coverage of significant events/opinions/views taking place or taking shape in society. The present era of globalization requires a free media as the prime component of development. But, some undemocratic and undeveloped countries always try to put a bar to free media.

In Bangladesh, an immature democratic and developing country, requires strong and unfettered media to enhance its development and for ensuring accountability from government high-ups. Like the unstable government and administration from the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, the mass media also faced various tough situations. However, after the inception of democratic form of government in 1990, the country saw a tremendous growth in the number and range of both media outlets. Especially, the press media has established a strong position in the society. After 1990, a rapid growth was happened for the press media.