[đŸ‡§đŸ‡©] Media and Advertising Industry in Bangladesh

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The Advertising Industry in Bangladesh: A Market Poised for Growth​


Mohammad Nuhal Rahman Chowdhury​

Published Nov 29, 2023

The advertising industry in Bangladesh is a thriving sector with an estimated market size of around $1.8 billion in 2023. This dynamic market is projected to experience a CAGR of approximately 10% over the next five years, fueled by a combination of factors, including:
  • Rising disposable incomes among the Bangladeshi population
  • Increasing internet penetration across the country
  • Growing popularity of digital media, particularly among younger demographics
A Breakdown of Advertising Spending by Medium

Television remains the dominant advertising medium in Bangladesh, capturing around 50% of total advertising expenditure. Print media, such as newspapers and magazines, account for roughly 30%, while radio holds a 10% share. Digital advertising, encompassing search, social media, and display, is the fastest-growing segment, anticipated to reach 15% of total advertising spending by 2023.

A Fragmented Landscape with Emerging Giants

The Bangladesh advertising industry is characterised by a fragmented landscape, with a multitude of small and medium-sized agencies operating alongside a few large multinational agencies, such as GroupM, WPP etc.

A Promising Future Driven by Digitalization

The future of advertising in Bangladesh holds immense promise. The market is poised for continued growth, driven by the aforementioned factors. Digital advertising is expected to play an increasingly prominent role as more consumers embrace online platforms.

Key Trends Shaping the Advertising Landscape

Several key trends are shaping the advertising industry in Bangladesh:
  • The Digital Media Revolution: Digital media is rapidly transforming the way consumers consume information and entertainment, compelling advertisers to shift their spending towards digital channels.
  • The Data-Driven Paradigm: Data is becoming an indispensable tool for advertisers, enabling them to target their ads with greater precision and measure campaign effectiveness.
  • The Social Media Boom: Social media offers a powerful platform for advertisers to connect directly with consumers, fostering relationships and brand loyalty.
  • The Mobile-First Era: Mobile devices have become the primary internet access point for many consumers, leading to a surge in advertising spending on mobile channels.

Opportunities and Challenges Amidst Transformation

These trends present both opportunities and challenges for advertisers in Bangladesh. Advertisers must adapt their strategies to stay ahead of the curve and leverage these trends to achieve their marketing goals.

Embrace the Digital Revolution and Stay Ahead of the Curve

The advertising industry in Bangladesh is undergoing a dynamic transformation driven by digitalization, data-driven strategies, and the rise of social media and mobile devices. Advertisers who embrace these trends and adapt their approaches will be well-positioned to capitalize on the market's growth potential and establish themselves as leaders in this exciting and evolving landscape.
 
How social media has transformed Eid celebrations in Bangladesh
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Eid has been transformed into a lively, virtual celebration of community thanks to Facebook and Instagram. Image: for illustrative purpose

What comes to mind as soon as you see the crescent moon gracing the night sky and announcing the arrival of Eid? Surely, sending Eid texts to your family and friends.

Bangladesh transforms into a vivid representation of joy, celebration, and community spirit. Embedded in religious tradition, this festival resonates far beyond mosques and family gatherings, spilling out onto social media platforms. Bangladesh boasts a dynamic online presence that comes alive during Eid, specifically on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, becoming digital bridges that link families and friends across the globe. For many, these platforms are the modern-day equivalent of the village square, where heartfelt messages and greetings are exchanged, ideas of celebrations are shared and many initiatives are taken to meet social demands.

Personalised Eid Mubarak messages

The majority of Eid wishes in the past have been sent by kids and teens to their friends via cards or in-person visits on Eid days. With time, Bangladeshis now mostly use Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Instagram to exchange Eid greetings and wishes with their loved ones, irrespective of the distance. These greetings are sent in the form of direct messages, tales, and status updates. These messages become more lively, vibrant and captivating when they incorporate celebratory photos, GIFs, and video clips, which give them a visual appeal with an emotional touch.

A GIF of a glittering crescent moon and stars, a photo of a beautifully decorated mosque with text messages like "Eid Mubarak! May this Eid bring joy, happiness and peace to your heart and home" or "On this blessed day of Eid, I pray for your happiness and prosperity. Eid Mubarak!" are few instances.

Festive filters

In the vibrant world of social media, Snapchat and Instagram have become an important part of sharing fun-filled Eid moments, especially for Gen Z and Alpha kids. These platforms offer Eid-themed backgrounds or frames as filters to capture the essence of the celebration. Recently, Instagram introduced features like 'This or That' and 'Add Yours' to boost connectivity, allowing users to share and explore Eid festivities nationwide.

During the Covid lockdown in 2020, such trends rose even more. Nanziba Ahammed, a university student, says, "I love these filters; they enrich photos and make them engaging." During a conversation with Raima Tasnim Rifa, another university student, she recalls, "During lockdown, when celebrations were limited, these social media engagements brought joy by enriching our photos and making our celebration feel worth doing." These digital traditions continue to bring the Eid spirit to life, bringing togetherness in an increasingly digital age.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.
 

Govt mulls formation of mass media commission
Says info adviser

1724023624217.png


Information Adviser Nahid Islam yesterday said the government is contemplating forming an independent mass media commission to ensure freedom of the press.

"We will take steps on preparing a framework in consultation with the journalist community," Nahid told reporters at his secretariat office.

Certain laws will be amended, if needed, after discussing the matter with journalists, he added.

Expressing his frustration over Bangladesh's position in the World Press Freedom Index, he said, "Freedom of the press is one of the pillars of democracy. If we want democracy, we have to ensure freedom of the press and freedom of speech."

Asked about enacting the mass media employees act, he said the government would look into it.

The information adviser said they would overhaul the Bangladesh Film Censor Board and take logical steps in response to demands for its abolition.

He said the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi was painful and that submission of the probe report had been delayed repeatedly.

He said his ministry would do whatever it can to ensure justice for Sagar, Runi, and other journalists who had been killed.

"We want justice as soon as possible. We do not want to see any farce or dilly-dallying," he added.

Asked about people filing cases just because they have personal enmity with someone, Nahid said those not involved in crimes would not be punished.

"Even if cases are filed, action will be taken based on the probe. The law ministry has issued specific instructions in this regard."

Asked about corruption in the Department of Films and Publication (DFP) and Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB), the adviser said, "We have said that we do not want to see any place for corruption and nepotism. Institutions should be completely neutral."

He asked journalists to work neutrally, instead of being divided along party lines.

Nahid said, "You don't have to call me sir. I come to you as your child, as a representative of the people, with their demands and a vision for a new Bangladesh."​
 

Upholding professionalism in media
Asjadul Kibria
Published :
Oct 12, 2024 22:04
Updated :
Oct 12, 2024 22:04

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After the fall of the Hasina-led autocratic regime in Bangladesh, a testament to the inspiring courage and unwavering determination of the students and youths, one of the critical areas that comes under focus is the current status of the press and its future. It is disheartening to note that the mainstream media, both print and electronic, has largely failed to play due role during the movement that reached its peak in July. Except for a few of the media outlets, most of the houses were timid about covering and presenting the real picture of the movement that ultimately turned into a mass upspring. Instead, some of the media outlets, especially some television channels, shamelessly backed the autocratic ruler to suppress the movement brutally. As a result,, the print and the electronic media lost people's trust. And it is the social media and some digital outlets that came to fill the vacuum where a kind of netizen journalism proliferated extending a strong support to the vital movement.

Thus, the need for a thorough soul-searching of the country's media is now more pressing than ever if it truly wants to play its due role in the coming days and flourish professionally. A discussion meeting held last week in Dhaka may be considered as such an initiative where a number of journalists and media people tried to do some brainstorming in this connection. A critical question raised at the discussion is whether journalism is a profession in the country. Titled as 'Reform in Media: Why and How,' the concept note of the meeting outlined a brief sketch to find out an answer that included various shortcomings of the media in the country. Sad to say, most of the discussants agreed that the current situation of media and journalism is disgraceful. So, the relevant question as to what makes the journalism disgraceful in the country was raised. The quick answer was that it is the lack, if not absence, of professionalism. The answer requires some explanation, however.

Journalistic professionalism may be defined as 'a profound commitment to a set of ethical principles and standards that govern the actions and responsibilities of journalists.' At the core of the professionalism lies truth and accuracy. Journalists are assigned to and responsible for delivering accurate and precise information to people objectively. They are also required to do rigorous fact-checking and careful verification of sources before producing the news or disseminating the information. They are also subject to being dispassionate and avoiding loyalty to any regime, political party, or group, although they may have some ideological biases. Media houses or outlets are thus entrusted to provide the required support to the journalists, media persons, or pressmen to do their job. In other words, what applies to a journalist to become a professional also applies to a media outlet. When someone chooses journalism as a profession or sets up a media outlet, be it a newspaper or electronic platform, they commit to follow the ethics, principles, standards and norms of professionalism.

There is no denying that journalistic professionalism was severely compromised during the last one decade and a half as many media outlets became loyal to the autocratic government. A good number of journalists proudly identified themselves as soldiers or cadres of Hasina and her party, and some of them even started to worship her. These media outlets and journalists also forced others to either follow them or remain silent by not raising any questions about any misdeed of the Hasina regime. In exchange, these Hasina-loyal media owners and journalists were rewarded with undue cash and kind. In this process, the media turned into a hub of misinformation and disinformation instead of reliable information.

To ensure the control of the press, the autocratic regime also introduced a series of oppressive acts. The few media outlets and journalists struggling to maintain professionalism came under stringent surveillance and intervention from different government agencies. So, these media outlets were also forced to subdue their stance as it became harder to fight against the autocratic regime, especially when a large number of newspapers, television channels and digital platforms became highly pro-regime. The Hasina government also permitted many media outlets to operate only to create unhealthy competition. The core idea behind the move was to weaken the media from witin. That's why more than 50 television channels and 300 national dailies can't pay their staffers regularly. Job cuts and poor salaries are two common things in the media industry in the country now.

Nobody compels anyone to publish a newspaper, launch a television channel or set up a digital media outlet. But, when someone comes to do it, they have to do it professionally. Otherwise, there is no need to do so. It can't be an excuse that poor financial conditions or lack of adequate investment forces some media houses to compromise journalistic professionalism. It is essential to think twice before initiating any media outlet and face various roadblocks to moving ahead once in the field. It is also inappropriate to expect financial support from the government for survival.

A democratic government is indeed responsible for ensuring a conducive environment for professional journalism by providing a necessary legal framework, reducing undue obstacles and interventions. As the ousted Hasina regime was not a democratic one, there was no reason for it to ensure a conducive environment for a free press. Instead, it deployed various tools to curb professionalism among the journalists, divide the media to weaken its strength, and instil corruption in media. So, a course correction in media is necessary, which is not easy. Nevertheless, the move to reform the media for its betterment is an imperative, and journalists must be active in this regard.​
 

Govt mulls formation of mass media commission
Says info adviser

View attachment 7565

Information Adviser Nahid Islam yesterday said the government is contemplating forming an independent mass media commission to ensure freedom of the press.

"We will take steps on preparing a framework in consultation with the journalist community," Nahid told reporters at his secretariat office.

Certain laws will be amended, if needed, after discussing the matter with journalists, he added.

Expressing his frustration over Bangladesh's position in the World Press Freedom Index, he said, "Freedom of the press is one of the pillars of democracy. If we want democracy, we have to ensure freedom of the press and freedom of speech."

Asked about enacting the mass media employees act, he said the government would look into it.

The information adviser said they would overhaul the Bangladesh Film Censor Board and take logical steps in response to demands for its abolition.

He said the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi was painful and that submission of the probe report had been delayed repeatedly.

He said his ministry would do whatever it can to ensure justice for Sagar, Runi, and other journalists who had been killed.

"We want justice as soon as possible. We do not want to see any farce or dilly-dallying," he added.

Asked about people filing cases just because they have personal enmity with someone, Nahid said those not involved in crimes would not be punished.

"Even if cases are filed, action will be taken based on the probe. The law ministry has issued specific instructions in this regard."

Asked about corruption in the Department of Films and Publication (DFP) and Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB), the adviser said, "We have said that we do not want to see any place for corruption and nepotism. Institutions should be completely neutral."

He asked journalists to work neutrally, instead of being divided along party lines.

Nahid said, "You don't have to call me sir. I come to you as your child, as a representative of the people, with their demands and a vision for a new Bangladesh."​

I hope he ousts the Chetona byabshai influence from this sector. And who gets to broadcast what, the utmost help provided to advance our media, keeping FOREMOST in mind, the employment of Bangladeshi artistes and their interests.
 
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