Dhaka, June 13 -- Leading editors, media owners, academics and journalists on Saturday called for the establishment of an independent Media Commission to address what they described as a deepening crisis in Bangladesh's media industry, marked by shrinking revenues, declining public trust, weak professional standards and a lack of accountability.

The demand came at a discussion titled "Media Commission: Expectations from the Government", organised by the Media Reform and Development Initiative (MRDI) at The Daily Star Centre in Dhaka.

Speakers said a commission could play an important role in reforming the sector, provided it enjoys legal independence and the government demonstrates the political will to implement its recommendations.

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