Regulation on penalties against media outlets takes effect

Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC), the media regulatory authority established under contentious new media laws passed last year, has publicized regulations on investigating complaints and penalizing media outlets over violations.

The new laws, ratified in September 2025, saw the Maldives Broadcasting Commission and Maldives Media Council dissolved and replaced with the MMBC, a single, government-controlled commission tasked with regulating both TV and online media.

The commission publicized and began implementing the regulations on Tuesday. According to the commission, the purpose is to investigate complaints made regarding content spread by the media through a fair and transparent mechanism, and take appropriate action against violations of laws and regulations.

The regulation states that the commission has the authority to investigate cases at its own volition, as well as in response to complaints made by a state institution or any member of the general public.

It states that complaints regarding content must be filed within 45 days it is published or broadcast.

The regulation sets down the code of conduct for journalists, and prescribes penalties, including against individual journalists, over infractions.

The regulation states that cases must be investigated by a temporary investigative committee, and that non-commission members can also be a part of the committee. It states that penalties will be decided by the commission once the committee completes the investigation.

The regulation prescribes fines of MVR 50,000 – MVR 250,000 against broadcasters, and MVR 5,000 – MVR 100,000 against news outlets and magazines.

The commission is also empowered to order medias to rectify mistakes, issue public apologies, and cancel license or registries of media outlets.

The MMBC also publicized regulations on registration of news outlets and magazines.

According to the regulations, news publications and magazines will be registered for a period of five years, and will need to apply for renewal 90 days before it expires.

The commission is also empowered to cancel registry of outlets that fail to publish any contact for a year.

The publication of the regulations comes as the commission maintains its silent on the police raid on the ‘Adhadhu’ news outlet on Monday night.