Nepalese Press Developing As Industry
Yuba Nath Lamsal
HISTORY of Nepalese press is very short compared other nations including our immediate neighbours. Press in Nepal began only about a century and half ago when the then Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana brought Giddhe Press from England. But, journalism in fact, started only a century ago in Nepal with the publication of Gorkhapatra in 1901. If we talk of free press, we need to go only ten years back. It started only after the restoration of democracy in 1990.
Quantity
The 100 years history of Nepalese press has seen much ups and down and development. In term of quantity, Nepalese press has grown very fast. Hundreds of newspapers including dailies, weeklies, fortnightly, monthlies have been registered in the concerned government agencies but few of them are only being published regularly. Quality of most of these newspapers is poor and far from satisfactory, from the professional point of view.
Pre-democracy press had been divided into two categories-pro establishment and anti-establishment. Official press as well as some private newspapers supported the then partyless Panchayat regime and condemned those who were opposed to the regime. The second category of press had one-point agenda to topple the Panchayat system and restore multi-party democracy. There was no independent and professional journalism.
With the restoration of democracy, people’s rights including freedom of expression was fully restored. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990, further institutionalised these rights making the right relating to freedom of expression unaltered. Harassed and strangled during the pats dispensation. Nepalese press especially private ones heaved a sigh of relief when the constitution guaranteed the freedom of expression and provided protection against censorship in the press and cancellation of registration of the newspapers on the ground of contents they printed. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990 is a milestone in the history of Nepalese press freedom.
In western as well as other countries, which have long democratic tradition, press has already developed as an industry. Press has been a lucrative business. Private sector has invested in the press industry, which has really prospered and thrived.
In the short span of ten years, Nepalese press is also moving steadily towards maturity and professionalism, although it is still far from perfection. Now it is slowly taking the shape of an industry. After the restoration of democracy, the private sector has also invested in this sector to develop the press as an industry.
Some broadsheet dailies hit the newstand. They have already become popular among the general mass. Their popularity surged because they could prove themselves distinct from the traditional and protocol journalism that virtually dominated Nepal’s newspaper business in the past. Much to the taste of the people, these new dailies in terms of both layout and contents have proved to be different and innovative.
The monopoly in the electronic media has also been broken. Some private FM radio stations have come up. Although they are not allowed to air news, they are doing fine in other areas entertainment and education. One day private radios would also be allowed to air news and news related programmes, which are indeed, much in demand. There is widespread public feeling that pluralism needs to be ensured in electronic media, too.
The case of television is different. Private sector has not yet come up with the interest and proposal for separate television channel. The official Nepal Television has still monopoly in this sector, which may not be to the liking in democracy and pluralistic society.
Similarly, monopoly of the only news agency—RSS—has also to be broken not only to provide different taste to the people but also make the official news agency more efficient and professional. When we talk about the media and press in Nepal, we mainly think of the print journalism. The print journalism has, of course, taken a shape of industry. Hopefully, it would further prosper in the future and those opposed to it also learn from the success of the private sector and make their efforts to improve.
The four broadsheet dailies that came up after the restoration of democracy have been doing well in terms of professionalism and objectively. But the weeklies have hardly changed and improved in their style. Almost all weeklies have still not kept away from party journalism.
They are advocating the interest and ideology of political party or the other and are far from professionalism. However, their influence is fast waning, which is a positive trend in Nepal’s media.
The international experience has shown that newspapers and also the electronic media can be developed as an industry, which can thrive on its own and even make profit. But it has to be developed in the manner that an industry ought to.
Newspapers and media organisations have different roles to play. The press has social responsibility to the society and has to properly inform, educate people and build public opinion through its news contents, editorials and opinions. At the same time, it has to go commercial for its own survival. Press then needs to carry out promotional and commercial activities through advertisements to earn revenue.
In other words, readers or customers get three newspapers for the price of one. They get news and information on current local, national and international events, opinion on different issues and promotional activities.
To accomplish all these three jobs simultaneously and survive, newspapers and media have to be developed like industry. Gone are the days of one-man show in the newspaper industry. Now corporate culture must be developed for the prosperity and development of press in Nepal.
Policy
Corporate culture has recently been initiated in Nepal as well, which is a matter of satisfaction for all. However, it has so far been confined to print journalism alone. Time has now come to do the same in the electronic media. Although the government has adopted the policy of ending monopoly and creating culture of pluralism in all sectors including media, the moves are slow and sometimes intriguing. Thus, efforts need to be made to ensure genuine pluralism in the media sector, which would also serve as a big contribution for the consolidation of democracy and strengthening peoples rights.
(http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishdaily/trn/2000/jul/jul13/features.htm#1)
HISTORY of Nepalese press is very short compared other nations including our immediate neighbours. Press in Nepal began only about a century and half ago when the then Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana brought Giddhe Press from England. But, journalism in fact, started only a century ago in Nepal with the publication of Gorkhapatra in 1901. If we talk of free press, we need to go only ten years back. It started only after the restoration of democracy in 1990.
Quantity
The 100 years history of Nepalese press has seen much ups and down and development. In term of quantity, Nepalese press has grown very fast. Hundreds of newspapers including dailies, weeklies, fortnightly, monthlies have been registered in the concerned government agencies but few of them are only being published regularly. Quality of most of these newspapers is poor and far from satisfactory, from the professional point of view.
Pre-democracy press had been divided into two categories-pro establishment and anti-establishment. Official press as well as some private newspapers supported the then partyless Panchayat regime and condemned those who were opposed to the regime. The second category of press had one-point agenda to topple the Panchayat system and restore multi-party democracy. There was no independent and professional journalism.
With the restoration of democracy, people’s rights including freedom of expression was fully restored. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990, further institutionalised these rights making the right relating to freedom of expression unaltered. Harassed and strangled during the pats dispensation. Nepalese press especially private ones heaved a sigh of relief when the constitution guaranteed the freedom of expression and provided protection against censorship in the press and cancellation of registration of the newspapers on the ground of contents they printed. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990 is a milestone in the history of Nepalese press freedom.
In western as well as other countries, which have long democratic tradition, press has already developed as an industry. Press has been a lucrative business. Private sector has invested in the press industry, which has really prospered and thrived.
In the short span of ten years, Nepalese press is also moving steadily towards maturity and professionalism, although it is still far from perfection. Now it is slowly taking the shape of an industry. After the restoration of democracy, the private sector has also invested in this sector to develop the press as an industry.
Some broadsheet dailies hit the newstand. They have already become popular among the general mass. Their popularity surged because they could prove themselves distinct from the traditional and protocol journalism that virtually dominated Nepal’s newspaper business in the past. Much to the taste of the people, these new dailies in terms of both layout and contents have proved to be different and innovative.
The monopoly in the electronic media has also been broken. Some private FM radio stations have come up. Although they are not allowed to air news, they are doing fine in other areas entertainment and education. One day private radios would also be allowed to air news and news related programmes, which are indeed, much in demand. There is widespread public feeling that pluralism needs to be ensured in electronic media, too.
The case of television is different. Private sector has not yet come up with the interest and proposal for separate television channel. The official Nepal Television has still monopoly in this sector, which may not be to the liking in democracy and pluralistic society.
Similarly, monopoly of the only news agency—RSS—has also to be broken not only to provide different taste to the people but also make the official news agency more efficient and professional. When we talk about the media and press in Nepal, we mainly think of the print journalism. The print journalism has, of course, taken a shape of industry. Hopefully, it would further prosper in the future and those opposed to it also learn from the success of the private sector and make their efforts to improve.
The four broadsheet dailies that came up after the restoration of democracy have been doing well in terms of professionalism and objectively. But the weeklies have hardly changed and improved in their style. Almost all weeklies have still not kept away from party journalism.
They are advocating the interest and ideology of political party or the other and are far from professionalism. However, their influence is fast waning, which is a positive trend in Nepal’s media.
The international experience has shown that newspapers and also the electronic media can be developed as an industry, which can thrive on its own and even make profit. But it has to be developed in the manner that an industry ought to.
Newspapers and media organisations have different roles to play. The press has social responsibility to the society and has to properly inform, educate people and build public opinion through its news contents, editorials and opinions. At the same time, it has to go commercial for its own survival. Press then needs to carry out promotional and commercial activities through advertisements to earn revenue.
In other words, readers or customers get three newspapers for the price of one. They get news and information on current local, national and international events, opinion on different issues and promotional activities.
To accomplish all these three jobs simultaneously and survive, newspapers and media have to be developed like industry. Gone are the days of one-man show in the newspaper industry. Now corporate culture must be developed for the prosperity and development of press in Nepal.
Policy
Corporate culture has recently been initiated in Nepal as well, which is a matter of satisfaction for all. However, it has so far been confined to print journalism alone. Time has now come to do the same in the electronic media. Although the government has adopted the policy of ending monopoly and creating culture of pluralism in all sectors including media, the moves are slow and sometimes intriguing. Thus, efforts need to be made to ensure genuine pluralism in the media sector, which would also serve as a big contribution for the consolidation of democracy and strengthening peoples rights.
(http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishdaily/trn/2000/jul/jul13/features.htm#1)
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