Bangladesh
Bangladesh press reflects the dynamics of a changing society as the country moves towards fostering the institutions of democracy and freedom.

Despite the mass appeal of satellite television, newspapers have held their own with their circulation continuing to rise. The tradition of professional journalism is taking root and the newspapers' powerful effect on moulding public opinion is being increasingly recognized.

Since the days of Pakistan when Bangladesh was known as East Pakistan the press, notwithstanding the authority's attempt to gag it, played a defiant role in pleading the cause of the majority Bangalees fighting for autonomy and subsequently for liberation that culminated in the emergence of an independent Bangladesh. Except for some interludes, the post independence period saw a degree of liberalization of the media accompanied by a proliferation of newspapers.

There are about 250 dailies and weeklies being published throughout Bangladesh mostly in Bengali language and the rest in English. Of these Dhaka the capital city alone accounts for about 80 while other cities and almost all the district towns numbering 64 share between them the remaining publications. Individual circulation ranges from over 100,000 in cases of some leading dailies to a few thousand for others not so popular. With the increase in literacy rate to about 40%, the readership is estimated at 20 million. In addition to their own network of correspondents and reporters, most of the newspapers rely to a great extent on two news agencies; one state owned and the other privately owned for ready access to a wide array of news and information.

All newspapers in Bangladesh are in the private domain. However, the government still retains ownership and control over the electronic media though two private T.V. channels have been operating under licenses granted by the government.

While relatively free and with no official censorship in force, the press in Bangladesh is still subject to some limitation imposed by a statute that has been a legacy of its colonial past. Defamation suits involving editors, publishers, and reporters constitute criminal offences with warrants of arrest issued against them to stand trials in courts of law. The government also exerts indirect pressure and leverage on the press through distribution of advertisements that form a major part of newspapers' revenue.

India
The Indian press represents the wide diversity of India itself. There are over 25000 publications-dailies, weeklies, fortnightlies and monthlies-in all the 16 official languages of the country. India's first newspaper began in the late 18th century and even during British colonial rule, the press was feisty and independent, constantly coming into conflict with the administration.

Before independence in 1947, nationalist papers fought the British Raj and were frequently closed down. When India became free, this tradition of being fiercely independent continued and barring a 19-month period in the mid 1970s when newspapers were censored and journalists jailed, the Indian media has enjoyed considerable freedom. Ownership is in private hands and there is considerable competition among rival newspaper groups to hold on to and expand circulation and readership. Newspaper prices are very low and often prices are slashed to very low levels to increase circulation.

There are many newspapers that boast of circulations upwards of one million and news and niche magazines that sell over half a million copies per issue. One in four Indian reads some publication or the other. Most cities have more than one newspaper, and even provincial capitals could have upto 8 morning dailies. The capital new Delhi has nine English dailies and five Hindi morning papers every day.

Satellite television has come into its own in the last decade or so but the press continues to dominate the media landscape and readership and circulation have grown in the past five years, indicating that Indians continue to be among the most voracious newspaper readers in the world.

Though professionalism and independence are not journalistic issues, there has been a trend lately of going in for soft news as well as lifestyle features which attract advertising. This is a trend that has disturbed many journalists and media watchers in the country.

South East Asia
The Commonwealth countries of Southeast Asia - Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore - have opted for what they described as "a socially responsible Press". In this system the rights of the individual and of society are delicately balanced, as in the case of Malaysia and Singapore, by a democratically elected government.

Their leaders reject the uninhibited and robust Press based on the individualistic, democratic, egalitarian and liberal tradition of the West. They also reject the Press that undertake vehement, caustic and unpleasant attacks on government and public officials. They maintain that there is no universal model for the Press and that their roles differ from society to society depending on their environment and experience.

Several laws are in place to ensure that their Press are what they want them to be. And most of them are owned by interests close or even linked to the government or the ruling parties.

Brunei has two English daily newspapers - Borneo Bulletin and News Express, a newcomer, and a Malay daily. There is also a weekly government newspaper/news letter called Pelita Brunei. English and Malay newspapers from Malaysia and Singapore are allowed to circulate in the sultanate.

Two relative newcomers in Malaysia are the daily The Sun and the weekly The Edge. Altogether there are 81 daily and weekly newspapers in Malaysia, and of the dailies 17 are in Malay, 14 in English, 22 in Chinese, three in Tamil and one in Punjabi.

Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh dominate circulation while the most influential are the English dailies New Straits Times and The Star. There are two on-line newspapers and one of which is Malaysiakini. They enjoy a lot of freedom as the government has pledged not to censor the Internet. Newspapers are complaining about the double standards.

Within the last one year three newspapers have appeared in Singapore - Today, Streats and Project Eye-ball. Today is owned by the Media Corporation of Singapore, which owns the domestic TV and most of the radio stations.

At the same time, the Singapore Press Holdings, publishers of The Straits Times and nine other dailies in English, Malay, and Tamil language, will operate up to two free-to-air television channels and run one or two radio stations. In gearing up for the competition, SPH has launched Streats, a tabloid to be distributed free to commuters, and Project Eyeball, a new print cum on-line publication aimed at Net-savvy professionals. The outstanding feature is that readers can interact with journalists in the on-line version of Project Eyeball. Their views and suggestions may be incorporated into the print version the next day.

Singapore journalists have described this latest moves as the "liberalisation of the Singapore Media".