Youth Ministry to release funds to media before months end

The President's Office has told the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information and Art that the funds that are to be given to private media as aid are to be released before the month ends.

As per a senior government official's statement to Mihaaru News, the Youth Ministry was asked to do this last week.

The official stated that even though the Media and Broadcasting Commission oversees the regulation in releasing the funds along with the point allocation procedure, the Youth Ministry will be the ones to release the funds.

As per the official, the previous regulation from the Youth Ministry for the release of funds for media has been changed, with it now to be done by the Media Commission.

"We request this be done in a transparent manner. We asked them to release the funds before the year ends," said the official.

As per the regulation to provide financial aid from the state budget to private media, the Youth Ministry was to release MVR 27.9 million to 18 media organizations. However, as complaints arose regarding this decision, the decision was voided, with the work handed over to the Media Commission in October. This decision came about as some media organizations had brought their complaints to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

The Youth Ministry had publicized the eligible media organizations and the fund figures to be released to the organizations after the ministry opened up the opportunity for applying for financial aid.

As per the list, the media organization to receive the most financial aid is Sangu TV, of which Youth Minister Ibrahim Waheed (Asward) is a stakeholder of. While Sangu TV is set to receive MVR 3.8 million, Sangu Online is set to receive MVR 1.3 million, totaling MVR 5.1 million. The Press is set to receive MVR 1.3 million, a media organization that State Minister Ali Shamaan is a stakeholder of.

Some media organizations and the public criticized the list as it was released. Concerns were voiced, stating that there was no fair regulation observed in the decision to release said funds, along with media being funded while conflicts of interest exist.

Giving financial aid to media organizations from the state budget is a presidential pledge of President Muizzu, with this year's approved state budget making room for the aforementioned, an estimate totaling 0.1 percent of the budget's revenue.

As per the relevant regulation, the funds can only be given to media organizations that fulfil the required criteria and those that get a certain number of points. This is the first time the government has determined a regulation to give financial aid to registered private media organizations from the state budget.