All state-run companies have ended their sponsorship with privately-run television station RaajjeTV, as part of the government’s efforts to hinder the station’s operations.
Several state-owned companies had sponsored RaajjeTV to promote their products on a commercial basis, in the past.
Some of the companies that pulled out of their sponsorship with RaajjeTV include Regional Airports Company Limited, Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC), Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Housing Development Corporation (HDC), State Electric Company (STELCO), State Trading Organization (STO) and Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).
Out of these companies, MTCC and the Regional Airports Company pulled out of their sponsorship with RaajjeTV before the agreement period expired.
Other companies have decided against renewing their contracts with the station.
According to sources, the government has been obstructing several media outlets that do not publicized pro-government news articles and reports, and has been instructing state-run companies to cut off their sponsorship with the media houses.
Credible sources have informed RaajjeMV that government-owned companies have been barred from sponsoring any media house other than the ones instructed by the President’s Office.
This comes at a time the incumbent administration has claimed that with the new People’s Majlis tenure, the government is committed to fund media houses for their progress.
According to the government, land has been allocated from Hulhumalé for media outlets as well.
Some media outlets believe that the government’s attempts to fund specific media houses by cutting off commercial sponsorships with other media outlets, are being done to enslave media and turn them into the government’s “mouthpieces”.
Over the past couple of months, journalists have been facing multiple challenges, with Maldives dropping six spots in terms of press freedom.
Recently, a case of the government blocking two newspapers for criticizing the government and barring people from expressing their views freely, came into the spotlight.
Further, the rules of the President’s Office were abruptly changed to prevent journalists from entering pressers at office with their phones, in a bid to disrupt the work of media. The government, through official authorities have planned and organized to twist the facts in connection with this case.
In addition to this, in the past couple of weeks, there has been an increase in threats aimed at media houses, TV stations as well as journalists.
