SACMID sees it an opportunity to work on bridging the gap between the media audience and media institutions by initiating some interventions in the field of effective media literacy mechanism. At the same time, it would initiate lobby, advocacy and policy dialogue towards establishing more gender-friendly environment within media landscape. At the moment there is no organization to act on these. From the emerging and continually changing perspective at national and international level in media sector (particularly at a new normal stage of Corona Pandemic) few points may be mentioned to justify for a vibrant media development organization like SACMID to work and grow. These are as follows:
- Perspective Plan 2021-2041, the election manifesto 2018 and the 8th Five Year Plan (now under process by assessing the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the poverty reduction programs and GDP growth activities). The 8th Five Year Plan will be helpful for the country to graduate from the LDC list by 2024 and implement the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Since Bangladesh is committed to be the middle-income country, so it is under constant surveillance by UN and other international watchdog bodies, whether and how far it is achieving its “Media indicators” and what the role media is playing to contribute in the process. This is an opportunity for us to facilitate media to contribute in the process. Media Development Indicators (MDIs), Indicators for Media Viability (IMB) -these are the areas of opportunity to work in Bangladesh.
- Media literacy is at a very lower stage in case of media practitioners, policy makers, civil society activists, students, teachers, community leaders and citizens (including social media-bloggers). The text book curriculum needs to be revised and the teachers to be trained in context of 21st Century skill development framework and the new knowledge needs to be imparted to cope up with the knowledge of 4th Industrial Revolution. People, particularly at rural level (who already becomes social media users holding smart phones) are not yet well-informed regarding laws and regulations on safe use of digital media. SACMID has ample opportunity to work with research, motivation and advocacy on those agendas.
- Ministry of Information (MOI) also wants change and, to shift their role by keeping pace with the transition and new-role of changing media landscape at global level, specifically that is getting a different shape after the COVID-19 phenomena.
- An opportunity to work with, and sensitize the media professionals (and professional bodies, academia and institutions) working for and at different electronic, Print and community media nationwide.
- Scopes will be widened to have more engagement and dialogue with SAARC/ BIMSTEC, Ministries and other actors.
- It is also a very good time to influence and convince the International NGOs and other funding agencies to invest and fund for media development.
