Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has announced the thinking of a major shift in the state advertisement distribution system, criticizing the use of fabricated TRP and circulation numbers. He also highlighted the importance of establishing a neutral and effective media oversight body.
The minister made the remarks on Sunday (May 17) during a meeting with leaders of the Television Editors Council at the Secretariat.
According to the minister, the media sector can no longer be managed solely through government control. Instead, a more accountable and institutional framework involving all stakeholders—including media owners, journalists, entrepreneurs, and the government—must be developed through consultation and cooperation.
He observed that for many years the country’s media management suffered from a lack of coordinated vision among stakeholders. As a result, the sector often operated under the influence of political power, investment interests, and individual dominance rather than transparent institutional practices.
The minister emphasized that there is no alternative to forming a quasi-judicial and independent authority to ensure both media freedom and responsibility. However, he warned that such a commission must never become a political tool of any government.
Criticizing the current advertising distribution system, he said the era of allocating advertisements based on “fake TRP ratings and fabricated circulation numbers” must come to an end. He claimed that audience data for millions of viewers are sometimes estimated from the responses of only a few dozen people, while newspaper circulation figures are also frequently exaggerated. In the digital age, he argued, such practices are no longer acceptable.
He further stated that once a reliable digital TRP and print-counting system is introduced, all benefits and opportunities in the media sector will be distributed on the basis of verified data rather than influence or assumptions.
The minister added that digital technology and artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming the nature of journalism and media. In this changing reality, he said, the media sector must adapt to new challenges while maintaining a balance between freedom and responsibility.