The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts has canceled its decision to allocate MVR 28 million in state funds to 18 private media outlets, following widespread criticism over transparency and fairness.
The funding list, published earlier this week, drew backlash from several media organizations who questioned the selection criteria and raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest. Among the most controversial allocations were MVR 3.8 million to Sangu TV and MVR 1.3 million to Sangu Online, both linked to Youth Minister Ibrahim Waheed (Asward).
Critics, including Starcom Solutions, Orca Media Group, Dominion Network, and Vaguthu, argued that some outlets with minimal output and low readership were awarded large sums, while others with broader reach and more staff were overlooked. They called for an independent audit, public disclosure of evaluation criteria, and a politically neutral review committee.
In response, the Youth Ministry stated that the financial assistance rule was drafted with input from relevant institutions prior to the merger of the Maldives Media Council and Broadcasting Commission. However, the ministry now believes the newly established Media Commission is better positioned to independently manage media funding.
As such, all announcements related to the funding rule have been canceled, and the responsibility for disbursing financial assistance has been formally handed over to the Media Commission.
The ministry noted that it had undertaken extensive preparatory work to secure the funds, including document submissions. The initiative itself was part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s campaign pledge to support independent journalism through state funding.