Independent editors key to ethical journalism, says Mahfuz Anam 

The presence of an independent editor is crucial for ensuring ethical journalism and effective self-regulation in Bangladesh's media landscape, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam said today (28 January).

Speaking at a policy dialogue, Mahfuz Anam said a media organisation's character changes immediately when an editor can stand firm against both government pressure and owners' interests. 

The dialogue titled 'Media self regulation in Bangladesh' was organised by the Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) at Dhaka. 

"If an editor can say to the government, 'I will not allow you to harm my staff,' and tell the owner, 'I will not follow your direction,' then many things will change," he said, adding that editors should be ready to be fired or jailed to protect journalistic integrity.

Referring to The Daily Star's 35-year run, he said the organisation may have made mistakes but never practised 'bad journalism' intentionally. 

"We never wrote against anyone deliberately, and we never published anything without proof," he said.

He cited the paper's long-standing policy of not giving business awards to its own owners due to conflict of interest as an example of editorial independence, even though the owners are among the country's top companies.

On media ownership, he warned that issuing licences to financially unviable newspapers and television channels sows the seeds of corruption. He said many newspapers in Dhaka lack offices or sustainable business models and survive mainly on government patronage.

He also pointed to inflated circulation figures as another major source of corruption in the media industry.

Addressing politicisation, Mahfuz Anam said journalists' unions in Bangladesh are openly divided along political lines, which undermines public trust. 

"If you publicly declare allegiance to a political party, how do you expect readers to believe your reporting is neutral?" he asked.

He proposed three key steps for self-regulation: journalists keeping political views personal, owners committing not to use media outlets for political purposes, and guaranteeing editors full operational independence.

Mahfuz Anam said the Editors' Council and the Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) are jointly working on separate codes of conduct for editors and owners, calling it a 'vital step' towards meaningful self-regulation.