The Daily Star built strong readership through ethical journalism: Unesco representative

Unesco Country Representative in Bangladesh Susan Vize has said The Daily Star has built a strong readership through its commitment to ethical journalism, fact-checking, and detailed reporting.

“Not everything is perfect. No one is perfect. But I think the fact that you try to present a balanced approach with different opinions is really important,” she said at the 35th anniversary of The Daily Star today.

She said independent media are vital because open dialogue helps address issues of public concern.

Referring to the attack on The Daily Star building on December 18 last year, she said such incidents could be fuelled by misinformation and disinformation, which is deeply undesirable.

She said the media here has lost a lot of trust of the wider public.

“This is not The Daily Star in particular. The media reform commission had a survey done on trust in the media, and it showed that there is a general lack of trust in the media.

“It is something that has to be built over the long term. The media needs to engage with the public -- not simply sit in an ivory tower and disseminate information, but foster dialogue and ensure its reporting reflects the community,” Susan Vize said.