Conventional Media Credibility and Current Affairs News: Emergence of Alternative Media in Hasina-Era Bangladesh
Abstract
In Hasina-era Bangladesh, the credibility of traditional media had increasingly come into question, especially when it came to current affairs and political news. This research investigates the reasons for mass distrust and the rise of alternative media. Based on in-depth interviews with media professionals, this study found that state censorship, political interference, and a lack of transparency were some of the key reasons behind the collapse of public confidence in traditional media outlets. This study looks at the origins of mass distrust, and the resulting new media. The study, in a series of in-depth interviews with media practitioners, chose to identify some of the reasons behind general mistrust and the growth of new forms of media. It found control by the government over the press and political interference in editorial policy as major stumbling blocks for credibility among common people. Results have shown a marked drift towards social media and independent news channels, perceived to be more credible. This transition of traditional media to new media depicted an increasing demand of the public for accuracy and impartiality in Bangladesh. The study identifies comprehensive media reform as a key requirement to enhance transparency and independence within the media sector-a need also relevant to post-Hasina Bangladesh. Such changes are very important in building public self-confidence and making sure news organizations are free from unjustified political influence. The results will give valuable recommendations for policymakers and news houses on how to build and sustain reputable media arenas in Bangladesh.
References
Al-Zaman, M. S., & Noman, M. M. S. (2024). Investigating political news coverage patterns in Bangladesh during 2013-2022 using computational methods. Newspaper Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/07395329231221515.
Agence France-Presse. (2019, May 21). Bangladesh government blocks news website in fresh blow to media. Voice of America. https://www.voanews.com/a/bangladesh-government-blocks-news-website-in-fresh-blow-to-media/4926134.html.
Ahmmed, M. (2014). Impact of mass media in creating political concern in Bangladesh. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.29333/ojcmt/2463.
Al-Quran, M. W. M. (2022). Traditional media versus social media: challenges and opportunities. Technium, 4(10), 145–160. https://doi.org/10.47577/technium.v4i10.8012.
Andaleeb, S. S., & Rahman, A. (2014). Television news in Bangladesh: intersection of market-oriented journalism and perceived credibility. Asian Journal of Communication, 25(2), 162–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2014.946064.
Andaleeb, S. S., Rahman, A., Rajeb, M., Akter, N., & Gulshan, S. (2012). Credibility of TV news in a developing country. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 89(1), 73–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699011430060.
Atske, S., & Atske, S. (2024, April 14). 3. Many journalists say social media helps at work, but most decry its impact on journalism. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2022/06/14/many-journalists-say-social-media-helps-at-work-but-most-decry-its-impact-on-journalism/#:~:text=Among%20journalists%20who%20use%20social,stories%20(79%25%20each).
Ahmed, K. A. (2018). In Bangladesh: Direct control of media trumps fake news. The Journal of Asian Studies, 77(4), 909–922. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021911818002516.
Bhadra, A. (2024). From Social Media to Global Misinformation: The Role of Citizen Journalism and Photojournalism in the Spread of False News Amid the Bangladesh Crisis -A Case Analysis. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i04.26309.
Chowdhury, A. (2024, May 9). Which media are trusted, considered free? New Age. https://www.newagebd.net/article/212707/which-media-are-trusted-considered-free.
Chowdhury, S. T. (2014, January 27). Journalists fear crackdown in Bangladesh. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2014/1/27/journalists-fear-crackdown-in-bangladesh.
Elahi, M. (2013). “They are Not Different From Others”: Ethical Practices and Corruption in Bangladeshi Journalism. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 28(3), 189–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/08900523.2013.798137.
Erzikova, E. (2018). Gatekeeping. The International Encyclopedia of Strategic Communication, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119010722.iesc0080.
Freeland, E. P. (2015). Public opinion: social attitudes. In Elsevier eBooks (pp. 562–568). https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-097086-8.32119-5.
Fišer, S. Ž., & Držanič, I. L. (2021). Fake news as a challenge for media credibility. In Routledge eBooks (pp. 156–171). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003203551-9.
Hasan, M., & Wadud, M. (2020). Re-Conceptualizing safety of journalists in Bangladesh. Media and Communication, 8(1), 27–36. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v8i1.2494.
Hasan Ashik, T. (2021). Journalist insecurity & state control over journalism in Bangladesh. ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon.
Hasan, M., & Wadud, M. (2020). Trust in media and its implications for democracy in Bangladesh. Journal of Media Studies, 35(1), 45-60.
Islam, A., & Rahman, M. (2016). A conceptual analysis and understanding of press freedom from Bangladesh perspective. Global Media Journal: Pakistan Edition, 9(1), 1-12.
Islam, Md. A., & Rahman, Md. M. (2021). A conceptual analysis and understanding of press freedom from Bangladesh perspective. Global Media Journal, XI(I):1-12.
Islam, S. M. S. (2016). Coverage Bias of Bangladesh Television Media: A portrayal of power and politics. Jurnal Komunikasi, Malaysian Journal of Communication, 32(2), 240–258. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkmjc-2016-3202-13.
Islam, R. (2023). The impact of financial pressures on journalistic integrity in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Communication Studies, 12(2), 78-92.
Jung, J. (2017). Media dependency Theory. The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects, 1–10.
Khatun, A., Abir, J. I., Rhaman, M., & Rahman, M. G. (2017). Press freedom dynamics in Bangladesh. Nordicom, 93–107. http://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1535787.
Mahmud, F. (2019, May 23). Bangladesh blocks news websites in press freedom gag. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/5/23/bangladesh-blocks-news-websites-in-press-freedom-gag
Muzykant, V. L., Hossain, B., Muqsith, M. A., & Fatima, M. J. (2022). Media Literacy and Fake News: Bangladesh perspective. JURNAL CITA HUKUM, 10(2), 223–238. https://doi.org/10.15408/jch.v10i2.25921.
Nielsen, R. K., Cornia, A., & Kalogeropoulos, A. (2016). Challenges and opportunities for news media and journalism in an increasingly digital, mobile and social media environment. Social Science Research Network. https://apo.org.au/node/71071.
Rahman, S. (2011). Credibility in TV News: A combinatorial study of Bangladesh and Norway. ACM Digital Library. https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.
Report, S. D. (2024, April 30). 255 journalists sued under DSA for their work: CGS. The Daily Star. https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/rights/news/255-journalists-sued-under-dsa-their-work-cgs-3599131.
Reporter, G. S. (2023, February 20). Bangladesh shuts down main opposition newspaper. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/20/bangladesh-shuts-down-main-opposition-newspaper-sheikh-hasina.
Thurairatnam, S. (2021, July 27). How technology influences social media. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/social-media/how-technology-influences-social-media/378476.
Tian, Q. (2022). Impact of social media news Overload on social media news Avoidance and filtering: Moderating Effect of media literacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.862626.
Ullah, M. N., Hossain, S., Tazin, R., & Biswas, B. B. (2023). Credibility perceptions of online political news among Bangladeshi millennials residing in the capital. International Journal of Public Administration in the Digital Age, 10(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijpada.323443.
Wanta, W., & Hu, Y. (1994). The effects of credibility, reliance, and exposure on media Agenda-Setting: A Path Analysis model. Deleted Journal, 71(1), 90–98. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769909407100109.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jahidul Islam, Dr. Hisham Anand Barbhuiya, Yeasmin Akter, Sakib Rayhan, Farhana Akter, S M Asiful Islam Saky

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).