The Government has introduced the first formal policy in the Maldives to provide financial assistance to registered private media outlets.

The Media Grant Policy, published in the Government Gazette on Tuesday, was developed as part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s pledge to allocate a share of the State budget towards strengthening journalism and empowering the media sector.

Under the policy, 0.1 per cent of the annually approved State budget revenue will be set aside to support private media organisations. This allocation, which excludes grants, revenue from new initiatives during the year, and funds earmarked for specific purposes, will be distributed according to principles and criteria outlined in the policy.

For the first time, private media outlets will be able to apply for State-funded financial assistance through a transparent and accountable process.

The President first announced the initiative during the transition period following his election victory, when he convened Media Gunzaru, the country’s first national media roundtable. At the forum, he invited input from media representatives on sector challenges and pledged to develop sustainable solutions, including a clear and transparent mechanism for financial assistance.

The Administration has also rolled out a number of other initiatives to empower the media. These include the creation of a secure press hub, Media Fenda, which provides registered journalists with 24/7 access to official information, as well as platforms such as the Raees ge Javaabu podcast and quarterly Ahaa forums to facilitate dialogue with the media.