Self Censorship in media Role of citizen journalists

State of Emergency since January 2007 Military backed interim government Criticism of Government punishable by law Military intelligence influencing the press Self censorship imposed by the media The Bangladesh Scenario

State of Emergency since January 2007

Military backed interim government

Criticism of Government punishable by law

Military intelligence influencing the press

Self censorship imposed by the media

The threats Press under emergency Rule http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2008/02/23/bangladesh-press-groans-under-emergency-rule/ Tasneem khalil http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2008/02/14/speak-up-against-torture-speak-up-for-democracy/

Press under emergency Rule

http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2008/02/23/bangladesh-press-groans-under-emergency-rule/

Tasneem khalil

http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2008/02/14/speak-up-against-torture-speak-up-for-democracy/

The threats Threat of Internet restrictions in Bangladesh http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2007/10/03/crackdown-on-internet-users-in-bangladesh/ The authorities issued notice to ISPs to: - Provide a list of all their subscribers with name, address and connection details. Share the admin password of internet gateway servers.

Threat of Internet restrictions in Bangladesh

http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2007/10/03/crackdown-on-internet-users-in-bangladesh/

The authorities issued notice to ISPs to:

- Provide a list of all their subscribers with name, address and connection details.

Share the admin password of internet gateway servers.

Why it occurs? Out of fear of repression & sanction To conform to the expectations of the market influence by corporate owners and advertisers in decisions on which stories to cover Not taking any risks, think about livelihood newsworthy stories are avoided because they are too boring or complicated Self Censorship

Why it occurs?

Out of fear of repression & sanction

To conform to the expectations of the market

influence by corporate owners and advertisers in decisions on which stories to cover

Not taking any risks, think about livelihood

newsworthy stories are avoided because they are too boring or complicated

What are the consequences? Failure to report the truth Failure to protect the whistleblowers Helping authoritarians agenda in absence of check and balance Blatant submission to radicals Making press ineffective Self Censorship Image: David Oslar

What are the consequences?

Failure to report the truth

Failure to protect the whistleblowers

Helping authoritarians agenda in absence of check and balance

Blatant submission to radicals

Making press ineffective

The role of citizen media Blogs are growing in Bangladesh rapidly Bloggers defy the threats of emergency act. Bloggers providing information and analysis the mainstream media would normally avoid Blogger-journalists publishing investigative reports in their blogs Most of the bloggers are blogging in Bangla

Blogs are growing in Bangladesh rapidly

Bloggers defy the threats of emergency act.

Bloggers providing information and analysis the mainstream media would normally avoid

Blogger-journalists publishing investigative reports in their blogs

Most of the bloggers are blogging in Bangla

The Guardian, January 12, 2007 http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/01/some_hope_amid.html The role of citizen media

The condemned cartoonist Arifur Rahman, who was charged by the government for hurting religious sentiments because of a harmless cartoon (which quoted prophet Muhammad) published in a a popular Bangla Daily’s supplement. He was also indicted with a sedition charge and was recently freed by court from a six month long detention. The role of citizen media

The condemned cartoonist Arifur Rahman, who was charged by the government for hurting religious sentiments because of a harmless cartoon (which quoted prophet Muhammad) published in a a popular Bangla Daily’s supplement. He was also indicted with a sedition charge and was recently freed by court from a six month long detention.

Very conservative society People have no sympathy for homosexuals After emergency rule gay meets stopped. Internet forums are helping Bangladeshi gay communities to be organized and maintain contacts. Himal South Asian Magazine, March 2008 http://himalmag.com/2008/march/cover_bangladeshi_gay_community.htm Breaking Taboos

Very conservative society

People have no sympathy for homosexuals

After emergency rule gay meets stopped.

Internet forums are helping Bangladeshi gay communities to be organized and maintain contacts.

Helping bloggers To Beat internet tapping To blog Anonymously To avoid local ISP’s email service and use secure mails like Gmail/hotmail Security when using public computers http://www.progressivebangladesh.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=26

Helping bloggers

To Beat internet tapping

To blog Anonymously

To avoid local ISP’s email service and use secure mails like Gmail/hotmail

Security when using public computers

Way ahead More outreach efforts to grow more citizen journalists from grassroots Keep vigil and protest any attempt to clamp down internet Publish guides in Bangla to spread knowledge about security, curbing filters and educate how to blog anonymously

Way ahead

More outreach efforts to grow more citizen journalists from grassroots

Keep vigil and protest any attempt to clamp down internet

Publish guides in Bangla to spread knowledge about security, curbing filters and educate how to blog anonymously

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