Protest outside TVM studios

minivan
Protesters gathered outside Television Maldives’ (TVM) studios last night to demand free and fair state media.

A journalist at the demonstration said over 200 people, predominantly from the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), were at the protest, while a further 100 people from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), rallied in favour of the government.

“Protesters called to free state-owned television and radio,” he said, “and asked for equal airtime for the opposition parties.”

Sergeant Ahmed Shiyam said the protest took place from 8 to 9.30pm and two people were detained briefly for disobedience.

During the regime of the former president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the MDP opposition organised demonstrations outside the TVM building, accusing the government of spreading propaganda.
Protesters were calling for the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed and some members of the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC).

The president established the 100 per cent state-owned MNBC and appointed eight members to the board on 22 December 2008. The corporation is set to merge the current two state broadcasters –TVM and Voice of Maldives.

One of the demonstrators, Ahmed Shareef, 35, said over 200 people were protesting “to free” state media.

“In TVM news, over 15 minutes are allocated for the president while the opposition only gets a single minute,” he said. “He [the president] knows he will not be able to stay in power for long if he doesn’t hijack state media.”

42-year old Hawwa Ahmed said she protested as the government had failed to give due weight to the opposition.

“DhiTV and VTV are broadcasting the unbiased programmes,” she said. “The problem is the islanders can only see TVM and what they see is biased news.

“He [president] is the person who fought for press freedom, but today we see another picture. We want to see fair reporting,” she said.
State media had offered equal coverage to opposition parties during the presidential elections, when former information minister Mohamed Nasheed was in office.

Since the current government has come to power, Gayoom has criticised state media coverage on many occasions, claiming state television and radio gave equal airtime to both the ruling and opposition parties during his reign.

Speaking in January, he said: “Today, where are their democratic ways?”

DRP secretary general Dr Abdullah Mausoom has said the incumbent government has been controlling state media since coming to power. He added state media’s impartiality could negatively impact the upcoming parliamentary elections if action was not taken to broaden its coverage.

“State media should give equal opportunities to all parties,” said Mausoom. “At present, people can see only half of the picture, so they will vote blindly.”
TVM deputy director general Mohamed Asif has denied the allegations, maintaining TVM is unbiased.

TVM is planning to give equal airtime to all parties closer to the parliamentary elections, he said.

A press statement issued by the MNBC on Monday, says TVM will not allow six political parties, including the DRP, to broadcast announcements through state media until they pay their outstanding invoices.

“We have informed all the political parties to make the payments before 25 January,” the statement reads. “As they have failed to pay, we informed them on 29 January that we won’t be providing any further business services.”

The list includes the Republican Party, the Social liberal Party (SLP), the Maldives Social Democratic Party (MSDP), the Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) and the Maldives National Congress.

DRP owes just under US$22,000 according to the statement