Media in Nepal: More Plural And Vibrant
By Yuba Nath Lamsal
Media in NepalMore Plural And Vibrant [ 2006-11-6 ]By Yuba Nath LamsalThe recent news that the government has allowed more privatetelevision channels and FM radio stations to operate is, indeed,heartening. The healthy growth that the Nepali media has beenwitnessing is encouraging, which is a testimony of the fact that ourdemocracy is getting stronger and more mature. The media industry isgrowing in terms of both quantity and quality.The history of free and pluralist media in Nepal is short as it beginswith the political change in 1990 that ushered in a new era ofdemocracy, human rights and open society. The successive governmentsformed after the restoration of democracy in 1990 adopted a liberalpolicy on all fronts, including the media and communication.InvestmentThe constitution of 1990 guaranteed the freedom of expression andprotected newspapers and other media outlets against cancellation ofregistration on the basis of the news, views and opinions publishedand aired. This encouraged the private sector to invest in the mediasector, breaking the long monopoly of the state over powerful mediaoutlets. Exercising these rights and taking advantage of the open andliberal policy, Nepal's media industry, indeed, flourished during thelast one decade following the 1990 political change. The privatesector came up vibrantly both in print as well as electronic media.Until 1990, there were two broadsheet dailies, one in English and theother in Nepali, the only radio station, Radio Nepal, Nepal Televisionand Rastriya Smachar Samiti, the National News Agency. They were andstill are state-run. There were some dailies, weeklies, fortnightlies,which had little audience/readers compared to the state-run mediaoutlets. After the 1990 political changes, several broadsheet dailies,both in English and Nepali, have come up with increased readership andreach. Weeklies and fortnightly newsmagazines also changed theirprevious style and began catering their services as per the taste ofthe readers. Now there are five television channels (four privatelyowned) and more than 50 FM radios. Other small newspapers, both in thecapital as well as in the districts, have sprung up providing thereaders with different tastes and flavour.However, the period during the royal rule that scuttled the democraticprocess was a dark period in terms of media freedom. During thisperiod, media outlets that supported democracy and free press wereharassed in various forms. Many journalists were threatened, assaultedand arrested. And it rewarded some journalists who eulogised theking's take over.The 10 years of Maoist insurgency were also bad for Nepali journalismas far as the security of journalists is concerned. The Maoists wereintolerant to journalists and media practitioners who did notsubscribe to their ideology and exercised freedom of expression andupheld professional ethics. As a result, several journalists becamevictims of Maoist intolerance. Dekendra Thapa and Gyanendra Khadka areits example.The new political process that has set in has begun toinstitutionalise democracy and the rights of the people, which wereclearly expressed during the April uprising. The interim constitutionis in the pipelines, which is expected to come into force soon after apolitical settlement between the government of the Seven PartyAlliance and the Maoists is reached. The process for the constituentassembly has also begun. It is, thus, high time the political playerspaid due heed to ensure total protection of press freedom. Thepolitical parties and leaders must have realised that democracy cannotbe strengthened in the absence of a free press. The role of the mediaand the journalists during the pro-democracy movement should also bewell recognised. The guarantee of press freedom must be there in theinterim constitution. The parties must also clearly state theirpolicies and agenda for press freedom in their political manifestobefore the elections to the constituent assembly are held.The other question that needs to be addressed equally is the safety ofjournalists. Press freedom cannot be guaranteed if journalists' safetyis not guaranteed. There must be a strong mechanism to ensure thesafety of journalists so that they can carry out their profession in afree and independent manner. Many journalists suffered various formsof harassment and torture in the past simply for their commitment toprofessional ethics. Now the government must bring the perpetrators tobook so that such actions are not repeated in the future. If theperpetrators of the past are allowed to go scot-free, journalistswould continue to be victims in the future.As new exercises are underway to ensure the healthy growth of themedia industry and a free press, attention must be given to some ofthe sectors, which hitherto were not addressed. Alternative media likeonline journalism has emerged as a powerful outlet. The present lawsand policies of Nepal do not treat alternative media within the ambitof mainstream media. Attention must be paid to the growth and impactof online media and bring about policies and laws to ensure thedevelopment of alternative media.Lastly, one very important issue that must not be left out whiletalking about media reforms and development in Nepal is the officialmedia. This is the issue concerning the status, structure, functioningand ownership of the state-run media like Nepal Television, RadioNepal, Rastriya Samachar Samiti and Gorkhapatra Corporation. It isagainst the principle of democracy to run the media by the government.Thus, it is high time action was immediately initiated to bring aboutchanges in the ownership and structure of the official media.PrivatisationBut one thing all of must take into account is the sensitiveness ofthe media industry before taking any decision on restructuring theofficial media. The media is different from that of other industriesand enterprises. Given the unique situation of Nepal and the sensitivenature, the modalities applied for the privatisation of otherenterprises like leather, bricks and pulp industries should not betaken as a yardstick while restructuring/privatising the officialmedia. It would do well if the official media was to be broughtdirectly under the parliament so that it is held directly accountableto the people's representatives and indirectly to the people and notto the government or minister of a particular party.
Media in NepalMore Plural And Vibrant [ 2006-11-6 ]By Yuba Nath LamsalThe recent news that the government has allowed more privatetelevision channels and FM radio stations to operate is, indeed,heartening. The healthy growth that the Nepali media has beenwitnessing is encouraging, which is a testimony of the fact that ourdemocracy is getting stronger and more mature. The media industry isgrowing in terms of both quantity and quality.The history of free and pluralist media in Nepal is short as it beginswith the political change in 1990 that ushered in a new era ofdemocracy, human rights and open society. The successive governmentsformed after the restoration of democracy in 1990 adopted a liberalpolicy on all fronts, including the media and communication.InvestmentThe constitution of 1990 guaranteed the freedom of expression andprotected newspapers and other media outlets against cancellation ofregistration on the basis of the news, views and opinions publishedand aired. This encouraged the private sector to invest in the mediasector, breaking the long monopoly of the state over powerful mediaoutlets. Exercising these rights and taking advantage of the open andliberal policy, Nepal's media industry, indeed, flourished during thelast one decade following the 1990 political change. The privatesector came up vibrantly both in print as well as electronic media.Until 1990, there were two broadsheet dailies, one in English and theother in Nepali, the only radio station, Radio Nepal, Nepal Televisionand Rastriya Smachar Samiti, the National News Agency. They were andstill are state-run. There were some dailies, weeklies, fortnightlies,which had little audience/readers compared to the state-run mediaoutlets. After the 1990 political changes, several broadsheet dailies,both in English and Nepali, have come up with increased readership andreach. Weeklies and fortnightly newsmagazines also changed theirprevious style and began catering their services as per the taste ofthe readers. Now there are five television channels (four privatelyowned) and more than 50 FM radios. Other small newspapers, both in thecapital as well as in the districts, have sprung up providing thereaders with different tastes and flavour.However, the period during the royal rule that scuttled the democraticprocess was a dark period in terms of media freedom. During thisperiod, media outlets that supported democracy and free press wereharassed in various forms. Many journalists were threatened, assaultedand arrested. And it rewarded some journalists who eulogised theking's take over.The 10 years of Maoist insurgency were also bad for Nepali journalismas far as the security of journalists is concerned. The Maoists wereintolerant to journalists and media practitioners who did notsubscribe to their ideology and exercised freedom of expression andupheld professional ethics. As a result, several journalists becamevictims of Maoist intolerance. Dekendra Thapa and Gyanendra Khadka areits example.The new political process that has set in has begun toinstitutionalise democracy and the rights of the people, which wereclearly expressed during the April uprising. The interim constitutionis in the pipelines, which is expected to come into force soon after apolitical settlement between the government of the Seven PartyAlliance and the Maoists is reached. The process for the constituentassembly has also begun. It is, thus, high time the political playerspaid due heed to ensure total protection of press freedom. Thepolitical parties and leaders must have realised that democracy cannotbe strengthened in the absence of a free press. The role of the mediaand the journalists during the pro-democracy movement should also bewell recognised. The guarantee of press freedom must be there in theinterim constitution. The parties must also clearly state theirpolicies and agenda for press freedom in their political manifestobefore the elections to the constituent assembly are held.The other question that needs to be addressed equally is the safety ofjournalists. Press freedom cannot be guaranteed if journalists' safetyis not guaranteed. There must be a strong mechanism to ensure thesafety of journalists so that they can carry out their profession in afree and independent manner. Many journalists suffered various formsof harassment and torture in the past simply for their commitment toprofessional ethics. Now the government must bring the perpetrators tobook so that such actions are not repeated in the future. If theperpetrators of the past are allowed to go scot-free, journalistswould continue to be victims in the future.As new exercises are underway to ensure the healthy growth of themedia industry and a free press, attention must be given to some ofthe sectors, which hitherto were not addressed. Alternative media likeonline journalism has emerged as a powerful outlet. The present lawsand policies of Nepal do not treat alternative media within the ambitof mainstream media. Attention must be paid to the growth and impactof online media and bring about policies and laws to ensure thedevelopment of alternative media.Lastly, one very important issue that must not be left out whiletalking about media reforms and development in Nepal is the officialmedia. This is the issue concerning the status, structure, functioningand ownership of the state-run media like Nepal Television, RadioNepal, Rastriya Samachar Samiti and Gorkhapatra Corporation. It isagainst the principle of democracy to run the media by the government.Thus, it is high time action was immediately initiated to bring aboutchanges in the ownership and structure of the official media.PrivatisationBut one thing all of must take into account is the sensitiveness ofthe media industry before taking any decision on restructuring theofficial media. The media is different from that of other industriesand enterprises. Given the unique situation of Nepal and the sensitivenature, the modalities applied for the privatisation of otherenterprises like leather, bricks and pulp industries should not betaken as a yardstick while restructuring/privatising the officialmedia. It would do well if the official media was to be broughtdirectly under the parliament so that it is held directly accountableto the people's representatives and indirectly to the people and notto the government or minister of a particular party.
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