ABSTRACT
The emergence of neoliberal and free market economic systems that have led to the deregulation of the media have ensured the proliferation of numerous private and commercial media outlets in Bangladesh. Over the past two decades, the reach of the media in Bangladesh has extended from national to global audiences. At the same time, the ownership patterns of the media in Bangladesh have expanded from state-ownership to commercial and non-governmental actors, and the mode of distribution has shifted from state-controlled monopoly to multi-platform mediation. While most of these transformations are very recent and incomplete, they also exhibit a blend of authoritarian practices from time to time. In this context, this chapter provides a brief historical account of the development of the media in Bangladesh, maps its recent trends and examines the challenges faced by journalists and the resulting impact on public debate. It also underlines the ongoing contestation of media policy making, and situates the growing importance of social media against the backdrop of the subsiding digital divide and ensuing class and cultural politics.
