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Centre for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS) on September 14, 2009 signed a contract with Katalyst, a multi-donor funding initiative run by Swisscontact and GTZ-IS, on conducting a study to assess the impacts of several media projects at national and local levels.

Under the deal, CMCS is to prepare a case study on the foundry/agro tools industry in Bogra against the backdrop of increased media attention to this sector generated by two Katalyst media interventions. The interventions were aimed at increasing coverage of local businesses in both national and local media.

CMCS will also assess the impact of increased involvement and improvement in business reporting of journalists working for The Daily Star newspaper, assess the impact of introducing business journalism course at public and private universities and assess the impact of business news and programs on radio.

Under the media interventions in Bogra, a network of business reporters was formed in the country’s northern business hub to facilitate interactions between journalists and local businesses, besides building capacities of two local newspapers – Korotoa and Aaj O Agamikal – to increase business coverage.

Katalyst also supported two public and private universities – the University of Dhaka (DU) and the Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB) – to develop and introduce business journalism course in their existing journalism curriculum.

It also partnered with the Daily Star newspaper and the Radio Today to facilitate increased business coverage by the two media houses through expansion of business section and introduction of separate business news segment in the primetime news bulletins.

The focus of Katalyst on mass media is based on recognition of its importance not only as a growing industry itself, but also as a catalyst for private sector development, as media provides important business information and intelligence, a voice for the private sector to share views and opinions and serves as a watchdog on behalf of the private sector.

Katalyst, which is mandated to enhance the private sector in Bangladesh by improving its capacity to facilitate growth and competitiveness, is funded by DFID, SDC, CIDA and the government of Netherlands.