Speeches and Remarks

Remarks by Ambassador James F. Moriarty at the Harvard Conference on Bangladesh Media as Development: the Role of Television, Newspapers, and Web-based Journalism in the Development of Bangladesh

OCTOBER 10, 2009

Adnan, fellow panelists, ladies and gentlemen: Assalam-u-Alaikum, Namasker and Good Morning.

It is my great pleasure to join you today.  The media plays a critical role in ensuring Bangladesh’s political, economic and social development.  President Obama said, "Press freedom is like tending a garden, it's never done.  It continually has to be nurtured and cultivated and the citizenry has to value it. It's one of those things that can slip away if we don't tend to it."  Panels such as this tend that garden, and indeed we have some “green thumbs” in the room in the person of Mr. Mahfuz Anam, Mr. Shykh Seraj, Professor Asif Nazrul and Mr. Asif Saleh.

The media in Bangladesh – both old and new media – are dynamic and vibrant.  The country is full of courageous reporters seeking to uncover corruption, raise social awareness, and bring transparency and accountability to Bangladesh.  Responsible news media give voice to the public and serve as a watchdog against corruption and abuse of power in all sectors.  For instance, a recent series of reports in The Daily Star about the filling in of rivers prompted the government to act.  This is how responsible journalism helps citizens, policymakers and institutions make responsible and informed decisions. 

Bangladesh has hundreds of newspapers and a dozen television stations, not to mention countless Internet news organizations and blogs such as Drishtipat.  In addition, social networking sites such as Facebook are among the most popular websites in the country.  Indeed, Facebook just overtook Google as Bangladesh’s most visited website.  One blog estimated that there are more 100,000 active Facebook users in Bangladesh alone.  With so many options in both the traditional and new media, millions of Bangladeshis can make their voices heard. 

While there are many excellent reporters and news outlets, there is still work to be done.  Bangladeshi media must do a better job of reporting both sides of a particular issue and not simply rely on a single source, which might seek media coverage to promote an agenda.  For example, on issues involving U.S. policy towards Bangladesh, even the largest media outlets often fail to seek our comments.  Moreover, media organizations should be transparent about their ownership and clearly separate news from editorial and commentary.  

I am pleased that most media professionals understand these issues.  I hope and believe that the next generation of journalists graduating from an expanding array of journalism programs will work to promote ethics and high standards.

Bangladesh is not developing its media alone.  The United States of America, a longstanding friend of Bangladesh and its people, is committed to supporting the Bangladeshi media.  We are committed to helping enhance professional standards.  And we are committed to fostering the media’s contribution to Bangladesh’s development.  The U.S. Government is funding the Journalism Research and Training Initiative – JATRI – as part of an anti-corruption initiative.  Working with our partners at BRAC, JATRI is the first investigative training center in Bangladesh.  In its first few months, JATRI has already provided training on investigative techniques for print and broadcast media, multimedia reporting and storytelling, and journalistic ethics and standards.  I believe that JATRI will help Bangladesh develop a solid pool of investigative reporters with the highest professional standards.  JATRI is a great example of our support for free, unbiased and credible journalism and the tending of the garden of press freedom in Bangladesh. 

I like to describe U.S.-Bangladesh relations in terms of three D's: democracy, development and denial of space to terrorists.  A healthy media, providing informed, balanced and accurate reporting, will help Bangladesh ensure an accountable and transparent democracy.  It will highlight the country’s development needs and serve to recognize its successes.  And it will serve to educate the country’s citizens about the dangers of extremism and terrorism.  In short, the media is a key part of Bangladesh’s future.

Two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson stated, “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”  His firm belief in press freedom ring true today, here in the United States, in Bangladesh, and throughout the world.

Thank you for inviting me here today.  I look forward to our discussions during the session.