The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the People’s Majlis today passed the landmark Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, establishing a unified and modern framework to guide the country’s media sector.
According to the Ministry’s Information Note, the Bill was reviewed by the Independent Institutions Committee before receiving parliamentary approval. It will dissolve the Maldives Media Council and the Broadcasting Commission, replacing them with a new Media and Broadcasting Commission—an independent body comprising seven members, with four elected by registered media entities and three appointed by Parliament through an open application process.
The legislation is designed to safeguard the constitutional right to freedom of expression while elevating professional standards in journalism. It introduces a clear code of conduct for both media organizations and broadcasters, reinforces ethical responsibilities, and streamlines the registration process to make it more transparent and aligned with global best practices.
The Ministry underscored that the Bill also tackles modern challenges of misinformation, disinformation, and content manipulation, thereby strengthening public trust in media as a reliable and responsible pillar of democracy. Importantly, personal social media accounts and private storage devices remain outside the scope of regulation, ensuring the legislation targets institutional responsibility without infringing on private expression.
First introduced on 27 August 2025 by Independent MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru of Thulhaadhoo constituency, the Bill’s swift passage reflects Parliament’s commitment to bolstering both press freedom and accountability.
By modernizing its media governance, the Maldives is positioning itself as a model for safeguarding democratic values while ensuring responsible journalism in an evolving digital era, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.
