The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The People’s Democratic Party has also pledged to strengthen media after considering media to be an important democratic institution. “We shall come up with favorable policies to enable media houses to effectively fulfill their responsibilities.”
PDP has also pledged to institute a Media Development Fund to facilitate access to financial assistance to ease the sustainability challenges faced by media houses, and provide financial incentives and tax holidays for media houses for the next five years.
“We shall subsidize printing of newspapers and invest in the professional development of journalists and media professionals through short-term and long-term trainings and
internships in international news organizations. For greater and easier access to public information, every government agency shall have a media and information officer who will provide prompt information to the media and facilitate proactive sharing of information,” pledged the party.
If PDP comes into power again, the party will be continuing the monthly Meet-the-Press sessions to facilitate media’s direct access to the Cabinet, and enable the media to hold the government accountable and question the government on pertinent national issues, and support the Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB) through an annual sustainability fund.
Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party has pledged to accord due recognition to media, sports, arts, and films as important constituents for nation building and string unifying factors. Like the PDP, BKP has also pledged to continue with the monthly press session and strengthen and build a responsible media and broadcast service and career development through increased funding and career support. We pledged to inform, uplift and media services that reflect our values of cultural diversity, artistic expressions, independence of thoughts and idea with content produced to meet standards of quality and relevance that meet the needs, interest, and aspirations of the Bhutanese people, pledges BKP.
Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa said that the news media continues to play the traditional, yet vital, role of being the conduit between the people and their elected government, and further relay aspirations of the people to its elected representatives and keep them in check by informing the people about the conducts of elected and public officials.
Therefore, DNT pledges to extend the necessary assistance to institutions and organizations, including CSOs, established to assist and ensure a robust Bhutanese media. Promises have also been made to review standing policies that were initially created to engender a vibrant news media, encourage a free media that is in the interest of the public, especially in view of proliferation of unvaried news on social media, and for the purpose of healthy political discourse.
“We aim to strengthen media authorities, like BICMA, to better carry out their responsibilities. Review the Right to Information Legislation that was drafted since 2007 and consider it for enactment,” pledged DNT.
Druk Phuensum Tshogpa has pledged to nurture the media and deepen democracy. DPT said that a vibrant, responsible and professional media is vital to enhance democracy. According to the party, the media service dedicated to objective search for truth, communication with credibility and sensitive to the long-term goals of the country is not only a need, but a responsibility that must be understood in the right perspective.
Therefore, DPT aims to ensure the freedom and independence of the media, ensure access to all public-interest information, support professional development of journalists and claimed that it would make the appointment of public-owned media houses competitive and transparent. The party also plans to facilitate the revival of the struggling mainstream media houses and promote Bhutan Broadcasting Service as a public service broadcaster (PSB).
