Print and electronic media are currently facing severe crisis due to price hike of newsprint, decrease in income from advertisement, and people's reluctance to buying newspaper following increased cost of livelihood, said the speakers at a seminar yesterday.

They urged the journalists for forging unity saying that unity is the only way to get rid of the crisis in media.

The seminar titled 'Contemporary Media Environment in Bangladesh' was organised by Massline Media Centre to observe the World Press Freedom Day at the IDB Bhabaninthecity.

Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, head of news at ATN Bangla. moderated the seminar.

Dr Shakhawat Ali Khan, former professor of mass communication and journalism department at Dhaka University, said, “Media is facing a famine situation and without unity among the journalists there is no way to get the media out of the

“The present situation in media is very complex. There is more invisible control over the media than the visible control. Without the unity there is no other way for the journalists to bring themselves out of this situation," he added.

National Press Club President Shaukat Mahmood presented the keynote paper at the seminar.

“Advertisements in newspaper have decreased, people are reluctant to buy newspaper as the cost of livelihood increased abnormally, journalists are facing cases, many owners of the media-house are in jail, and newspapers and TV channels are closing down," he said.

"This is the situation of media and unity among the journalists is the only way to get out of it,” he added.

Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of the Manabzamin, said, “Media saved the country from famine, but the media itself is now facing famine following increased rate of newsprint, imprisonment of the owners of media-house, shutting down of media, decrease in advertise-

men t and control over the media.”

“If the present situation continues, another 10 media-houses will be closed down within this year,” he added.

He said, "A month ago a journalist reported on the misdeeds of ComiUa district Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, and for that he lost his job as a special agency phoned his office to terminate him, and within 24 hours he lost his job. This is the situation of journalism in the country."

BSS Chief Editor Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury and Bhorer Kagaj Editor Shyamol Dutta also spoke at the seminar.