mediaharsha

http://sopastrike.com/

2012-01-19T02:15:00.002+09:00

for freedom of speech and information
January 18th is going to be amazing. Sites are striking in all different ways, but they are united by this: do the biggest thing you possibly can, and drive contacts to Congress. Put this on your site or automate it by putting this JS into your header, which will start the blackout at 8AM EST and end at 8PM EST.

Price Hiking Consensus among Three Nepali Dailies: Its Effect in Nepali Media

2011-12-17T18:10:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

The very newspapers which always criticized the government for back-breaking price-hike in fuel and other goods increased its price cent percentage. On 13 December 2011, three Nepali dailies Kantipur, Annapurna Post and Nagarik declared through the publisher’s note that they had increased their price from Rs. 5 to Rs. 10. It was unprecedented in the history of news media in Nepal.

In 2003, some of them were fighting to reduce their price. At that time there was a price war between The Himalayan Times (related to Annapurna Post) and The Kathmandu Post (related to Kantipur). When The Himalayan Times (THT) started to sell in Rs. 2, The Kathmandu Post made its price Rs. 1.50.

All three newspapers argued that they had no other option than to increase the price because there was price-hike in newsprint and prices of everything in increasing in Nepal. Annapurna Post even claimed that newspapers in Nepal were the cheapest in South Asia. All of three newspapers had assured that they would try to improve their content.

I think we have to see this hike as these media’s strategy to cope with increasing onslaught of online media. Day by day the users of internet are increasing, and online are available on mobile phone. Many content of these newspapers are available online, so these newspapers want to reduce the circulation of newspapers. But many readers were surprised to see the huge increase in price. I know friend who have stopped buying these newspapers due to this hike. They think the price as cartelling of some big media houses in print media.

But it is interesting to see other dailies like Gorkhapatra, Samacharpatra, Rajdhani, Nayapatrika, etc have not increased their prices. Why is so ? An online newsportal: onlinekhabar.com has claimed that the exercise for the hike was going on from one month, and these three newspapers could not convinced other publishers. A friend from Kantipur publication informed me that they heard about this hike 45 days before.

Will the others also follow these three newspapers’ path? Only future will show.

About price war:

http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/2004/01/23/StrictlyBusiness/4885

Reds: Nice cinema on First World War and Its Aftermath

2011-10-06T21:10:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I am interested in the cold War period. That's why i watched this movie. More than this, it presents pictures of US and USSR, the main actors of the Cold War. People believe this as the story of a writer and journalist,John Reeds. I had same misconception before i watched it. What i think is this movie is actually a saga on the rise of left movement in the US and feminism, which broached the idea of free sex and independent thinking. Please watch this movie, if you are more interested in Emma Goldman's life. It is a nice movie to know about the first world war and its aftermath. I disagree with some reviews who blame for its length-it is 196 minutes.I believe that only due to this length, it could portray lives of its actors in detail.

source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082979/reviews-114

Film Critic: Journalist and Audience

2011-10-01T00:02:00.004+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Who is a film critic? Better to put this questions as: who can be a film critic ?

This issue evolved with a review of Nepali film, Break Fail by Manoj Pandit, film director and critic. On 25 September 2011, Nepali daily Nagarik reported that police summoned Manoj on a complaint from actress Richa Ghimire. According to the reporting, Richa blame Manoj of character assassination through a review of her film, Break Fail and affecting international market of the film. In that review he has opined that she was not worth being an actress in the film, which she took as a personal matter. I don’t think so. Going through the review I have come to a conclusion that Richa was wrong. Being a film critic, Manoj had rights to comment on Ghimire's acting.

If what Nagarik wrote was correct, Richa had some misconceptions. She said reviews have to promote Nepali cinema industry without criticizing it. More than she opined that only journalists with cards from FNJ should have rights to write film reviews.

What I think is any film viewer has rights to be a film reviewer. Journalists have no monopoly on this business. Nepali film industry must show courage to hear criticism.

Links:

Manoj’s review:

http://www.merocinema.com/fullnews.php?newsid=2498&newsof=3

about the news:

http://nepal24hours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7883:richa-drags-manoj-to-police-station&catid=70:entertainment&Itemid=67

IAMHIST or International Association of Media History and Me

2011-07-21T16:50:00.005+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan
This is the association I came to know through internet, and now this is the organization, of which I have become a member. Hats off to the technology for bridging time and space it made people easily reachable as if people from different countries are only neighbors next to my home.
IAMHIST provided me an opportunity to present a paper on Nepali cinema in its 24th conference under the theme, ‘Media History and Cultural Memory’ that took place in Copenhagen. For this it also supported me financially and morally, without which this participation was impossible for me.

Reaching Denmark was difficult and tiring, but having a chance to participate in the program and meet likeminded people compelled me to forget about those difficult moments. And now what I remember is only moments of discussion, contemplation and imagination during the conference. The boring and nerve-raking 17 hours waiting I had to experience at Indira Gandi Airport was nothing to what I have learned from the conference.

It gave me a realization that there is a bunch of people who are interested in media history and who are thinking about it, just like me. And just like me, they are endeavoring to come up with some interesting arguments out of achieves never accessed by others or by rereading the same old achieves. It also reassured me that some of topics related to cinema, propaganda, television, etc which I was thinking to study in future, were worth undertaking, as others are doing them in the context of other countries. With information of these ongoing studies, I even got idea about the people whom I should consult for comments and feedback while studying those topics.
Thanks IAMHIST. Please see some of pixs related to the program.

CODE OF ETHICS FOR BLOGGERS (Proposed on May 27, 2011)

2011-05-27T15:45:00.002+09:00

Friends, here is the code of ethics proposed by Ujjwal Acharya(The Radiant Star ). You are free to give suggestions

DOs:
A blogger should honestly:
Be honest and fair on what you write in your blog
Write things that you believe to be truth
Specify your source of information – credit to offline sources and link to online sources
Specify clearly the use of any unconfirmed fact or information
Avoid conflict of interest – clearly disclose your position including job, financial interest, affiliation and relationship if they related to the post OR maintain an detailed About Me page
Clearly differentiate between advertisements and blog content
Disclose clearly if an entry is posted sponsored or as advertisement or after accepting a payment or goods to write it
Admit and correct mistakes as soon as possible but only with strikethrough or editorial note
Allow comments to engage audience, allow different opinions and clearly state your moderation policy if any
Show compassion for human being – be sensitive writing about or using photos of victims
Promote freedom of speech

DON’Ts:
A blogger shouldn’t intentionally:
Completely rewrite or delete an entry
Threaten people and institution using the blog
Write anything undermining nationality, national security, religious harmony and social order
Give space to pornography, hate speech and crude content
Publish personal and confidential information of people
Spam, spread malware and viruses and engage in illegal activities
Plagiarize – copy and paste from other sources
Disclose the source of primary information without source’s consent
Bloggers, please provide your suggestions, criticisms and comments.
All your comments, suggestions and criticisms will be taken up in subsequent updates of the Code of Ethics before it is finalized and bloggers are invited to be signatory.
http://www.nepalivoices.com/nepal-blog/2011/05/26/code-of-ethics-for-bloggers/

Janabadi cinema or Maoist Cinema or Revolutionary Cinema: What is its Nepali Avatar ?

2011-05-20T02:39:00.003+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Janabadi Cinema. Marxist Cinema.Maoist Cinema.
What is Janabadi Cinema ? How is it different from other cinemas? Is it Marxist Cinema ? Is it Maoist Cinema ?

Answers to these questions are difficult to get. Some people believe there is nothing like Janabadi cinema. What they accept is there are two types of cinema– good and bad cinema. That’s all.

But to know about Janabadi cinema, you have to see some of these cinemas. Video Cassette shop owners can assist you. What you need to do is go and ask one of such owners about the cinema and he/she will provide more than ten cinemas which the owner thinks are Janabadi cinema. In this situation some of which you get might not be Janabadi cinema. Usually what you get are Lal Salam, Jannayudha, etc.

So, best way to know about Janabadi cinema is to ask the advocates of these cinemas. I know there are two such people Ramesh Bhattarai and Ishwor Chandra Gywali. Bhattarai and Gywali have written few articles on the issue.

Here I am relating what Gywali said about the cinema during an interaction program organized by Martin Chautari, Kathmandu, Nepal on 19 May 2011.

He thinks that Janabadi cinema depicts reality and it tries to create ambient of reality. With this description, he tried to differentiate between a melodrama and a Janabadi cinema. “Melodrama presents fantastic worlds”, he added. According to Gywali, What differentiates a Janabadi cinema from other cinema is that it provides a way of liberation to poor and downtrodden people. It is interesting that during the program he informed that there is no cinema in Nepal which he can pinpoint as Janabadi cinema. He opined that even Lal Salam and Junayuddha have weaknesses.

Do you believe that cinema can be Janabadi? Can this be the medium of liberation? I have questions only. Is there any Nepali avatar of Janabadi cinema ? What is Janabadi cinema ? What is Marxist cinema ? What is Maoist cinema ?

Can you answer me? Is anybody hearing?

Photo source:
http://www.himalmag.com/component/content/article/879-rebellion-films.html

Gigapedia or Library.nu for Democratization of Knowledge

2011-05-05T01:09:00.003+09:00

The story began on January 2011. Dateline: Zurich, Switzerland. I went there to participate at Winter School Program of ETH on Postgraduate Winter School: Historical Development Experiences in Comparative Perspective (January 23-28, 2011). This program helped me to know more critically about development issues especially foreign aid. Pls see pixs from that program.

More than this, I came to know about Gigapedia–a website where we can download books. A friend of India, Lipokmar Dzuvichu informed me about this. According to him, he and his colleagues at JNU downloaded books from this website. Now this website has been changed in to www.library.nu. Please visit this library to download books‒new and old.

What i hope is this website helps in democratizing knowledge. Don't you think so ?

VCDs of Nepali Cinema: Where are Cinemas Made by Government?

2011-04-23T23:21:00.003+09:00

These are Nepali cinemas available at market. In them, we don't see early cinema made by government-Aama, Hijo Aaj Bholi and Pariwartan. Neither do we see cinemas made by Royal Nepal Film Corporation. These early cinemas are important sources to do study of Nepal's history but they are difficult to find. To my knowledge, they are available at Film Development Board in cans and we need special machine to watch them. Yes, we can get them at Nepal Television library. We can see them for study purpose. I don't know when these cinemas will be available at market.

Nepal Telecom Authority as Cyber Moral Police

2010-08-24T15:42:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan
On 13 August 2010, Kantipur, Nepali broadsheet daily carried a reporting about cyber law. The reporting made public that Nepal Telecom Authority is planning to block all pornographic sites available in internet. And the authority will ask 41 ISP companies in Nepal to block these sites. The reporting says Electronic Transaction Act, 2063(2008) restricts ISP companies from operating pornographic sites but it has no provision of blocking these kinds of sites. What the reporting referred is article 47 of the act which says this:

Publication of illegal materials in electronic form: (1) If any person
publishes or displays any material in the electronic media including computer,
internet which are prohibited to publish or display by the prevailing law or
which may be contrary to the public morality or decent behavior or any types
of materials which may spread hate or jealousy against anyone or which may
jeopardize the harmonious relations subsisting among the peoples of various
castes, tribes and communities shall be liable to the punishment with the fine
not exceeding One Hundred Thousand Rupees or with the imprisonment not
exceeding five years or with both.
(2) If any person commit an offence referred to in Sub-section (1)
time to time he/she shall be liable to the punishment for each time with one and
one half percent of the punishment of the previous punishment.
Now the authority is planning to put new provision, which requires ISP companies to block these sites, while issuing license.
Article 47 is highly ambiguous. It refers to “public morality” and “decent behavior “. The interpretations of these words vary with person to person. And the meanings of these words keep on changing as society changes.
I think Nepal Telecom Authority is taking this step in moral ground. It sees pornographic sites against “Nepali norms and values”. What Nepal Telecom Authority is trying to do is wrong. It is going for easy option which is controversial. It is trying to work as cyber moral police. Our society is changing. Meaning of obscenity is changing too.
Yes, we have to regulate the access of the porn sites from children. That means only adults must have access to these kinds of sites. Porn sites accessed by adults should not create problems to others. Banning porn sites curtails adult’s right to information.

Politics of Nepal's Censor Board

2010-04-19T16:46:00.001+09:00

here is my article on Film Censor baord, published in Republica last Friday

By HARSHA MAN MAHARJAN
The Film Censor Board was assailed by Nepali media in February and March 2010. There are two reasons for this. One, the Censor Board demanded cuts in two Nepali films, “Dasgajja” and “Dasdhunga”. It rated another cinema, “Palpalma”, as suitable for above 16. Some critics also asked for doing away with the Board. Earlier, movies like “Aago” and “Ahankar” also faced hassles from the Board. Censor boards: International scenarioCensor boards are universal entities in film industries. They certify cinema after viewing them. The process varies in countries. Some call it censor board, others certification board. Whatever, it is a mechanism of suppressing expression. In the US and UK, film industries have established this mechanism to dodge state interference. In India and Nepal, the state has established it. The boards work as moral police to safeguard the interests of the states.In Britain, the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) was formed in 1912. In 1984, it changed into the British Board of Film Certification. It now certifies movies in seven categories: Universal (all ages, with nothing unsuitable for children), Parental Guidance (general viewing, but certain scenes deemed unsuitable for children under 8), 12A (maybe unsuitable for under 12, need adult company for those under 12), 12 (suitable only for 12 years and over), 15 (and above), 18 (adults), and Restricted 18 (for adults only, shown at licensed cinemas or sold at sex shops).In the US, the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures and National Association of the Motion Pictures Industry established 13 points, listing scenes and topics the industry needed to avoid. In 1968, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) started a rating system, credited to the then president Jack Valenti.At present, there are five categories: G or General Audiences (all ages admitted), PG, or Parental Guidance Suggested (some material may not be suitable for children under 10), PG-13 or Parents Strongly Cautioned (some material may be inappropriate for children under 13), R, or Restricted (under 17 requiring accompanying parent or adult guardian, 21 or older), and NC-17, or No One 17 and Under Admitted (these films contain excessive graphic violence, intense or explicit sex, depraved and abhorrent behavior, explicit drug abuse, strong language, explicit nudity, or any other elements which, at present, most parents would consider too strong, and therefore, off-limits for viewing by their children and teens).In India, its censor board came with the Indian Cinematograph Act 1918. After independence, the government formed a Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) on January 15, 1951. Now it is called the Central Board of Film Certification. And it certifies cinemas in four categories: U (unrestricted public exhibition), U/A (unrestricted public exhibition with parental guidance for children below 12), S (exhibition to restricted audience such as doctors etc), and A (public exhibition allowed to adults above 18 years).Nepal’s Censor BoardThe Censor Board appeared in Nepal in the post-1950 period. But cinema had entered Nepal in the Rana period. Some examples prove that the Ranas used to irregularly screen cinema for the public. In 1949, the Rana government established a cinema, Kathmandu Cinema Hall, for regular screening of films in Kathmandu. There was no need for a censor board then because the screenings were under their supervision. Cinema technology was expensive, so it was beyond the people’s reach.This scenario changed in the post-1950 Nepal. In three years, many new movie theaters – Prabha Hall, Moonlight Hall, Shree Hall, Chalchitra Hall, Bishwajyoti, Jai Nepal etc – came into existence. Demands for licenses for cinema halls might have urged the government to opt for a film censor board. So, one was formed in 1951. Accordingly, people had to submit films before screening them publicly or privately. The government charged Rs. 100 and confiscated films and projectors in case of violation. The rule contained eight points related to communal feelings, vulgarity, superstition etc. This board was under the home ministry and had the power not to certify films if it deemed so.It was the state that made the first feature film, “Aama”, in Nepal around 1964. It was in the Panchayat period. Before this the censor board dealt only with foreign import. The scenario changed with “Maitighar”, made around 1966, the first feature from the private sector. Some 17 years later, the next film produced in Nepal by the private sector was “Juni.”His Majesty’s Government of Nepal enforced the Motion Picture (Production, Exhibition and Distribution) Act 1969, which made provisions for the Film Censor Board. This act had four criteria for certifying or rejecting movies: “a) To permit the said motion picture to exhibit publicly without prescribing any conditions; b) To permit to exhibit publicly, subject to any alteration, modification or abiding by any other conditions and restrictions; c) To permit, prescribing the condition that the said motion picture shall be exhibited publicly for adults above the age of sixteen years; or d) Refuse to give permission to the motion picture for public exhibition.”The Board could modify scenes of a cinema if it found that the film undermined “His Majesty the King or the royal family”, jeopardized “the security, peace and law and order of the Kingdom of Nepal”, harmed “the harmonious relations subsisting with foreign states, or peoples of various castes or tribes”, and which might “cause negative impact on public interests, or behavior or morality”, or defamed “any person or contempt of court or incitement to any offence.”The Act even authorized the government to stop “a motion picture already permitted by the Film Censor Board for exhibition” if the government found it objectionable. Till 1971, the Board was under the Home Panchayat Ministry. The National Communication Services Plan 1971 proposed one representative each from the Home Panchayat Ministry and Royal Nepal Film Corporation to the Board. The Plan also instructed the Board to air royal proclamations before and in the middle of film screening in cinema hall, as well as to screen religious films regularly. The Plan also brought the Board under the Royal Nepal Film Corporation.The Film (Production, Exhibition and Distribution) Rules, 2001, which formulated the act, had made provision for a seven-member board. They were the Joint Secretary and Under Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication, representative of the Home Ministry, representative of the Culture, Tourism and Aviation Ministry, three citizens from the film sector, including one woman. It authorized two types of censor board in Nepal: central and local. The former was to be in Kathmandu, and local boards in every district.The government amended this regulation on January 11, 2010. But the amendment was criticized for increasing the regime’s power of prior censorship. This amendment added a member from the Film Development Board to the Censor Board. It also made provisions for four categories of films for exhibiting – U, suitable for all; PG, needing parental guidance; S for special professions; and A for audience above 16 years of age. Before this, there were only two categories: U and A. So the present cinema certification in Nepal is similar to India.Politics of the Censor Board in NepalNowhere are censor boards out of criticism. Let’s take the MPAA. Many independent filmmakers think that it is biased against them. That the MPAA gives more priority to sex than violence while providing rating. They also cite discriminatory rating system between Hollywood and independent films, homosexual and heterosexual sex scenes, male and female sexual portrayal, etc. The critics allege that MPAA supports the interests of the big studios. The six big are Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group/The Walt Disney Company, Sony Pictures/Sony Corporation, Paramount Pictures/Viacom, the 20th Century Fox/News Corporation, Universal Studios/NBC Universal, and Warner Bros/Time Warner.Generally, three main reasons are behind cinema censorship in the world: politics, sex, and violence. Politics is the main factor among them. In Nepal, it was more so in the Panchayat period. In 1981, Maonj Kumar, the Indian filmmaker and actor, made a movie called “Kranti” about the Indian struggles for independence from the British. The Panchayat government banned this film in Nepal.If we go through media reporting on the Censor Board’s behavior to movies like “Dasdhunga” and “Dasgajja”, it shows that official mentality remains unchanged.Dasdhunga is a feature film related to the deaths of two CPN-UML leaders, Madan Bhandari and Jibraj Aashrit, in an “accident” generally known as the Dasdhunga Incident. How did that “accident” happen is still a debate. Many believe that Amar Lama, the driver who was driving the jeep, intentionally caused the accident. But Lama has called that incident as his negligence in his memoir. According to Manoj Pundit, the director of Dasdhunga, he made this movie from existing documents – reports of commissions formed, and memoirs. The Censor Board asked Manoj to scissor a few scenes. He accepted to mute three names – Madhav Kumar Nepal, KP Sharma Oli, and Dr Bharat Pradhan – from the footage. In the movie, during the interrogation with Amar Lama, these names, however, appear.Dasgajja is about border issues – encroachment, looting, and intimidation from Indians – at the Nepal-India borderline. The director of this cinema had experienced hassles and intimidation from the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) while shooting the cinema. At home, its producer, Nawal Khadka, informed the media that the Censor Board demanded scissoring 10 scenes and dialogues from the movie. If he accepted the Board’s terms, Dasgajja would be a movie of merely 10 minutes. The Censor Board is denying certification to this film. Manoj Pandit thinks that filmmakers have the right to criticize brutalities from the Indian side in Nepal and India border areas. But the Censor Board fears it may jeopardize the cordial relations between Nepal and India. The reality, however, is much complicated.How did the media present the row between Dasgajja and the Board? Mahendra Guragai, chairman of the Board, has informed that the Board has no qualms on the criticism of looting, raping by Indians; what the Board objects is its presentation. According to Guragai, the film presents facts unrealistically.There are other ongoing issues between the Censor Board and Nepali filmmakers with regards to their films’ rating and clearance for public viewing.RemediesThere are three schools of thought on Nepal’s Censor Board. Some say that cine professionals must handle this job, and everything will be okay. Others say the Board should be an autonomous body and there should be no interference from the state. Quite others say that the Board itself must be made redundant.Manoj Pandit thinks that like other media, there should be no prior censorship of cinema; audiences are the judges.In any case, rating must be done in real sense. That means the Board’s only function is to certify movies. In short, it should be a rating body, not a censoring authority. It must shed off its parental attitude. The present categories are also simplistic, which must be revised. Simultaneously, the Censor Board must increase its PR. It must inform the people how it functions.As is evident, the impasse between Nepal’s private-sector movie industry and the Censor Board is yet to be resolved.

http://theweek.myrepublica.com/details.php?news_id=17523

Why is there less content on media in media themselves?

2010-04-07T18:22:00.001+09:00

I hope that media can be important tools for media literacy. But there is a problem. These media give less priority on issues of media. No doubt their interest is on press freedom. But they show interest in publishing praises. They give space if we write articles with the title like fourth estate. But when we criticize them, they would rather kill the article than to publish it. It shows they are intolerable to criticism.
These days CK Lal, an intellect is writing column on media in Nepali Times. This is good. Till today he has written column on Indra Lohani, TV journalism, government-owned media etc. I would be happy when Nepali Times shows courage to publish critical comments about oneself.

Road ahead for Alternative Book Fair

2009-12-24T16:49:00.002+09:00

HARSHA MAN MAHARJAN

Here is my aricle on alternative book fair published today in Republica

The book exhibition of not-for-profit publishers, Alternative Book Fair, ended on Dec 14. Himal Association organized the fair from Dec 10 at Sabhagriha, Kathmandu. Fourteen NGOs participated in the fair. However, they were dissatisfied with the flow of visitors. What went wrong? The organizer and the organizations that participated in it have been forced to think about it. Martin Chautari, the organization I am associated with, also participated in this fair. The ideas I am presenting in this article is the result of my interaction with friends and my observation of five days at the fair. Martin Chautari has been participating in this fair since the first edition, which was organized in 2005.DEFINITION: INTERPRETATIONA friend of mine entered Sabhagriha when he saw a banner of Alternative Book Fair at the front gates. He had assumed that Sajha Prakashan had once again organized a book fair like it had done a few days earlier. But he could not make out what the word alternative stood for. I also saw a student asking his friends about the meaning of Alternative Book Fair. This is a fair of not-for-profit book publishers. It started in 2005 as a bid to uplift and popularize books published by NGOs/INGOs. I think this is alternative in two ways.
One reason to for using the term ‘alternative’ is the not-for-profit nature of the whole affair. Mainstream publishers are commercial and their sole interest is to seek and earn profit. Some of the not-for-profit publishers have been producing books of good quality which would have been expensive if the same were published by commercial publishers. Some NGOs even distribute books for free.Another reason is related to the fair itself. It is alternative as it is another version of the main fair Global Exposition and Management Services Pvt Ltd, in which many small booksellers and publishers shun from participating as the rate of the stalls are exorbitant. However, the rate of stalls for the Alternative Book Fair is far cheaper.UNINTERESTED ORGANIZERSHimal Association was the sole organizer of Alternative Book Fair 2009, which was unprecedented in the history of the fair. In the first fair, there were nine organizers: Martin Chautari, Himal Association, Room to Read, Rato Bangla Kitab, CWIN, Action Aid Nepal, INSEC, CNAS and Bagar Foundation. Martin Chautari came up with this idea at first. It did consultation with other organizations and other eight organizations agreed to be the organizers. But Martin Chautari took all the responsibility to organize the fair. It planned the inauguration and closing programs. It worked as the secretariat for the fair. All organizers did different activities to attract visitors. Rato Bangla and Room to Read arranged student visits for different schools, and Room to Read earmarked reading space for children in the fair. It was evident that all organizers were full of zeal.In the second edition of the fair in 2006, the number of organizers went down to six. Three organizations – CNAS, Bagar Foundation and Rato Bangla Kitab – not only stopped being organizers; they were unwilling to even participate in the fair. Even so, Room to Read and others continued to play significant roles to increase the flow of visitors. Martin Chautari did programs related to publishing everyday in cooperation with Fine Print. In 2007, the fair was not organized. In 2008, Himal Association and Martin Chautari were the organizers. It was organized as a part of Film Festival organized by Himal Association. Books were launched during the fair. These kinds of activities helped to publicize the fair in the media.However, in 2009, the flow of visitors to the fair was remarkably low. The participating organizations complained that Himal Association did not give sufficient interest to publicize the book fair. It was engrossed with films only. Nobody inaugurated the book fair. It had never happened before. No publicity efforts were made to attract attention of the media and visitors. Though Jagadamba Publication brought out a new book by journalist Kanak Mani Dixit it was launched in Yala Maya, Patan, not Jagadamba’s stall at the fair. If Jagadamba Publication had launched the book at its stall at the fair, that would have attracted more visitors. This shows lack of coordination between the organizers and participating organizations. It also shows lack of homework on the part of the organizer.My primary concern is the disinterest of NGOs to be partner organizers of the book fair. Ideally, the fair should be organized through cooperation of NGOs/INGOs. That demands a lot of homework before the fair. All participants must consider the book fair as their own. However, what has happened is that participation of organizations has decreased.LETHARGIC PARTICIPANTSIn 2005, the number of participants of the book fair was 30. It went down to 25 in 2006. In 2008 it was 28. This year, there were only 14. These figures clearly show that many organizations have stopped participating in this fair. There are many reasons behind this. Some organizations want big sales, which would at least cover the cost of hiring a stall. They are wrong. This fair began with an aim to bring different not-for-profit publishers at one place and share their problems and search for remedies. It also started to take these publications to their target audiences. Its aim was to popularize publications of not-for-profit publishers.Some organizations point out that they lack human resources to oversee their stall. It’s true that this is a problem for many NGOs as they operate with inadequate staff. But some participants are solving this problem. For example, in the latest fair, SAWTEE used a volunteer to manage its stall. What is needed, I think, is coordination among NGOs/INGOs. A lot of NGOs/INGOs have published different materials related to their work and they can make it available to the masses through these kinds of book fairs.WHAT LIES AHEAD?The organizer/s and the participating organizations have to work collectively to popularize the Alternative Book Fair. Himal Association has to evaluate its weaknesses. If this is done, I think we can be happy about the outcome of the next Alternative Book Fair in 2010. The organizer also has to think about the duration. Is organizing the book fair once a year good? Can we organize it once every two years? I think it will be okay if this fair is organized every two years. There are many organizations, which come up with very few publications in a year. They believe that it is worthless to participate in the fair with the same old publications. There is another option too. If an organization has few publications, the organizer has to encourage them to keep a stall jointly with some other organization facing the same situation. Actually, Education Network, a combination of three organizations, has been doing this since the fair’s inception.(Writer is associated with Martin Chautari, a policy research institute in Kathmandu.)

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=13191

Alternative Media and Alternative Economic Sources

2009-12-23T14:50:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan
2009 is ending very soon. And I am getting mails from Alternative media: Open Democracy, The Center for Media and Democracy, FAIR etc for donation. This is no news. It happens every December. Donation is an alternative economic source of mass media. Usually advertisement is main economic source of media.

In his article What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream Noam Chomsky says that mainstream media sells its audiences to advertisers. Michael Albert has written an article titled What Makes Alternative Media Alternative? Here he has focused on alternatives finance apart from others characteristics.

Open Democracy, The Center for Media and Democracy, and FAIR are alternative media so they are using alternative source of economy. FAIR watches media biases and censorship. Center for Media and Democracy counters PR and Propaganda in media. In Nepal we can’t say which media is alternative and which is mainstream. For example what is different between so-called community radio and commercial radio? When Radio Sagarmatha came into existence it declared that it would air no commercial ads. But this declaration remained for few months. We don’t have audience-supported media.

Links
about FAIR
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=100

about The Center for Media and Democracy
http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/index.html

What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream
http://www.zmag.org/zmag/viewArticle/12757

What Makes Alternative Media Alternative?
http://www.zmag.org/zmag/viewArticle/12660

Journalism education in doldrums

2009-12-06T14:40:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan
Friends here is the original version of my article published in The kathmandu Post yesterday (5 December 2009)

“We have not any school or college for journalism. There is a great lack of books on Journalism in our language though we have published many articles on this subject in different newspapers and magazines”. This is what journalist Shyam Prasad Sharma said about Journalism Education in Nepal. He was speaking in a program organized by International Federation of Journalist in 1962 at Budapest.
Journalism Education began in the US in 1890s. One of the countries in Asian region to begin this education is China. JE started in China in 1920s with the help of US scholars. In India it began in late 1930s. After about four decades of this, JE started in Nepal. It was Ratna Rajya Campus which began JE in 1976. It was under Tribhuwan University (TU). This university was established in 1959. So after 17 years of TU’s establishment, RR Campus offered JE course in Nepal.
But some people demanded JE in Nepal many years before than this. And it is repeated demand that Panchayat government gave consent to start JE in Nepal. One of the early document to demand this education in Nepal was the report of First press commission. This commission was formed in 23 February 1958 to suggest government on development of healthy journalism in Nepal. This report had suggested government to start JE in Nepal. Journalism of pre and post 1950 was led by journalists without training and education in Journalism. This happens in the initial phase of Journalism in many countries. But for development of healthy journalism JE is sine qua non. 1958 press commission demanded four things: to start Journalism Education in a college, to establish Journalism school for journalists, to arrange scholarships to study journalism abroad and to manage field visit in foreign media for journalists to learn more about editing. Even Journalist Association demanded JE in Nepal.
Journalists Lal Dhoj Deusa Rai, Gokul Pokhrel, Bharat Dutta Koirala etc were resource persons in early classes of JE in Nepal. Among them only Rai had passed MA from Culcutta University. According to Rai, the beginning of JE helped to reduce skepticism towards JE among few journalists. Before this, journalists used to think JE as a waste of time and what they believed was only practice makes a good journalist. JE education in RR Campus helped even in establishing Journalism as an academic course which can be learnt from class room too.
In 1976 there were 16 students-14 male and 2 female. Problems were many. There was no department of Journalism in RR Campus till 1979. It was under English department. “We see no feasibility of opening Journalism as a new department” says Rai. There was lack of teaching materials and teachers. And JE was only available there at that time. Students needed to reach this campus. That means it was limited to Kathmandu. In 1980s there were two colleges providing this education-RR Campus and People’s Campus.
In 1991 there was a seminar on the revision and reform of journalism curricula. It was the result of this seminar that Journalism department of RR Campus was renamed as department of Journalism and Mass Communication. Even curricula were changed accordingly. Earlier, curricula were focused to print media. Now content on electronic media was also added. And JE become Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC). Journalism education also began in higher secondary level from 1997. Journalism education started in grade X and IX from 2001. So there is a sea change in terms of availability of journalism education. Colleges and schools outside Kathmandu are offering courses in Journalism in secondary and higher secondary level. There are colleges outside Kathmandu offering Bachelor course of JE. But a lot of these colleges are centered in Kathmandu. From 2001 MA courses of Journalism began in Nepal. There colleges-RR Campus, Kantipur City College and College of Mass Communication and Journalism. All of these colleges are situated in Kathmandu. That means Bachelor and Masters courses are still Kathmandu centric.
This problem evolved with evolvement of national universities. Nepal has opted for the concept of multi universities. There are six universities in Nepal and only three universities: Tribhuwan University, Purbanchal University and Kathmandu University are offering courses in mass communication. These universities were supposed to be regional. All of six universities are working as national universities. If there had been regional universities. Chances are there that few more colleges would have offered BA or MA outside Kathmandu. It would have been easy to monitor affiliated colleges then.
There is lack of teachers with MA degree in Journalism outside Kathmandu. There is a gap of 22 years in starting BA and MA course. So many students with BA degree in journalism could not pursue journalism in MA level. And there is about 190-200 of MA degree holders in JE. Kathmadu allures people from outside of Kathmandu with MA degree with journalism. So there is scarcity of teachers with JE outside Kathmandu. Most of them are MA degree holders in other subjects. HESB demands post graduate degree holder as the prerequisite to be a teacher in Higher Secondary level. But it does not say only people with post graduate degrees in Journalism and Mass Communication are eligible for the teaching. And there is propensity to ask journalists to teach journalism classes. That means these teachers have a little knowledge of theoretical aspect of Journalism.
In 23 June 2006, Chiranjibi Khanal, then head of the Department of Journalism Communication, R. R. Campus under the supervision of Gokul Pokhrel prepared two teaching manuals for XI and XII courses in Journalism. He has suggested three options for teacher’s qualification: a. Minimum second division in masters' degree in journalism and mass communication, or b. Graduate in journalism and minimum second division in any discipline and c. Master in any discipline with hands on journalism training and 15 years experience in journalism field. Khanal’s recommendation makes B.A. degree holders in journalism and experienced journalists or trainers with master’s degree in any subject eligible to be a teacher of Journalism and mass communication. But HSEB has not incorporated his recommendation yet. The data provided by HSEB shows, 210 colleges are offering journalism courses in Higher Secondary level.
There is a problem with teachers’ remuneration too. Shreeram Khanal, a journalism teacher writes in an article that remuneration most of these colleges are providing is low. He even finds no chances of suing these colleges if they don’t provide remuneration as teachers did not have appointment letters and contracts. There is another problem which Khanal doesn’t mention. There is dearth of trained teachers. They have less knowledge of how to teach. Having a MA degree does not provide ideas and techniques. Teachers might have sound knowledge of journalism. But they might be unable to express their feeling. And training reduces this problem
This problem has to do with government policy and donor’s interest too. Nepal has poured big amount of money on training teachers of school. In the book, New Horizon in Education in Nepal, educationist Tirtha Raj Khaniya has wrote that short and long term training for faculty teachers are needed in Higher Education. Recently University Grant Commission has just started to provide training to teacher in higher education. But it has not seen the need of training to journalism teachers. By training it only means that these teachers must have idea of how to teach students. Teachers can get this idea from formal training or seminars etc. Professor Lal Deusa Rai said that he tried to arrange training for journalism teachers but he failed. However he got opportunity to go to International Institute of Journalism, Berlin. This lack of training also ends in poor quality of teaching. Some colleges have arranged training and refreshing training themselves. For example KCC did so.
Even the curricula have problems. They are less practical. In IA level students have to prepare some specimens of news, feature and editorial. And this is not enough. The curricula of Higher Secondary level is no exception. In BA course there is a provision of going internship for two months in media. In lack of coordination between colleges and media institutions, internees are unwelcome in media houses. And if there is coordination nobody has time to teach trainees in these media houses. Result is there is lack of the basic knowledge of journalism: writing, reporting and editing. Yes colleges can’t teach every thing to students. What they should provide is the practical knowledge of the basics of journalism. And this is what our journalism education is missing. Student might have sound knowledge of theoretical aspects of journalism. They lag far behind in practical.
Actually there is a debate going between Academic vs Practical aspect of journalism from the beginning of JE. Even Ram Krishna Regmi told in a discussion program organized by Martin Chautari that colleges can’t create a student totally fit to newsroom. She/he will be fit in the newsroom only after working for few months and media institutions have to cooperate for this. Regmi thinks that media have a responsibility to give platforms to internees. Shreeram Khanal said that Nepalese media institutions are not willing to provide internships. Nepalese media institutions must make internship policies. This kind of internship is the rule in the US. For example The Washington Post has Newsroom Summer Internship Program and every summer it provide internship to journalists as reporters, visual journalists, web producers, news designers, feature designers, information designers and video editors. In Nepalese context, Nepalese media institutions must think about these kinds of internship. If they don’t do this, they should not hope for better and qualified human resources in Journalism and Mass Communication.
In 1980s government had formed the second press commission and what its report said about Journalism education at that time is still valid. According to this report JE lacked practical knowledge and there were scarcity of trained teachers. There is no entity to oversee Journalism and Mass Communication education. As Laxmi Dutta Pant, teacher of JMC writes in his regular column in The Rising Nepal colleges management are minimizing the cost and they are operating classes with poor or no infrastructure. Now what is the solution? Gokul Pokharel one of colleagues of Lal Deusa, who helped in 1970s has demanded Media education council. According to Pokhrel JE is in mess in Nepal and the proposed council will help in improving this mess. His proposed council is similar to Nepal Medical Council. He thinks Media Education Council is needed in Nepal to standardize JE, to evaluate JE, to recommend reference and learning materials, to organize workshops and seminars etc. This kind of entity is not new in the world. In the US there is Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications which oversees education in journalism and mass communication. Countries like Japan, UK and Australia has also formed this kind of institution.
Yes in Nepal JE has become a giant now and Media Education Council is needed to oversee it. Only future can tell how much this institution can help to overcome JE mess. First Nepal must establish the institution to oversee Journalism and Mass Communication Education.

What a Joke: No R.R. Campus in Census of World Journalism Education Council

2009-11-19T14:44:00.002+09:00

Harsha Man Maharjan
1. Campion College
2. College of Journalism and Mass Communication
3. Kantipur City College
4. Kathmandu University
5. Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ)
6. Nepal Press Institute (NPI)
7. Purbanchal University
8. Shepherd College of Media Technology
9. Worldview International Foundation / Nepal (WIF)

These are the programs of Journalism Education in Nepal listed in the census of World Journalism Education Council. What a joke: there is no mention of Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus. We know RR Campus is the first to start Journalism education in Nepal in 1976. I can’t believe that WJEC miss it. The website of WJEC says these are the criteria they enlisted the programs:
1. Published lists and academic articles about journalism education in different regions of the world;
2. Lists of programs provided by the regional association partners drawing on their member lists, conference registrations, and regional studies of journalism education; and
3. Published articles by individual scholars writing about different regions of the world and by keyword searches conducted by team members of online Web sources, including individual program Web sites.

That means they have never crossed upon the article on Journalism Education in Nepal which mentioned that RR Campus is the first college to start this. I know there is no such article. I think article of JE in Nepal is incomplete if it doesn’t mention RR college.

Links
http://wjec.ou.edu/censusoverview.html
http://wjec.ou.edu/programlist.php

Watching quotes and news sources

2009-10-28T16:43:00.001+09:00

Watching quotes in journalism is uninteresting job for me. I think this requires patience. And P.Kharel is doing this for Media Adhyan journal 5, a journal published by Martin Chautari. He presented his findings in an interaction program organized by Martin Chautari on 22 October 2009.

Kharel found that there is inconsistency in using “” and ‘’. Many of them lack style book. If some have they are not following. What striked a lot during the program is the information there should be direct only if what sources say are important. And anonymous sources should be exception not rule.

Basics Elements of Journalism is lacking

2009-08-24T19:46:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

We talk big. We have big problems in Nepali media. We know there is cartel among media owners. These owners want to evade trade union in their organizations. What are the remedies? We can’t change these maladies in a day . But small things we can do. This is what I came to know from the program organized by Martin Chautari and Alliance of Social Dialogue (ASD) on 20 August 2009.
What are characteristics of reporters, sub-editors, editors etc ? What is news and newsvalue ? There were the questions I needed to tackle at the exam after I joined Journalism and mass communication. I know these are the basic of journalism.
Yet working young journalists told that desk never consult them during editing. No doubt reporters go to the field and they know the subject best. But people at desk feel uncomfortable to consult reporters. It is against the basic of journalism. Some young journalists informed that people in desk never give feedback to them. “How can we learn?” they questioned. There question is genuine. But these basic of journalism is absent in Nepalese print media.

Manuscript for Film Development Paid but Not Published. .

2009-08-18T14:06:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan
During direct rule of then king Gyanendra, I had heard that film Development Board is preparing a manuscript of film history of Nepal. On 16 August 2009 I met Chetan Karki. He was the author of that manuscript. And the manuscript is still with him. FDB showed no interest on the manuscript.

It is about the role of monarchy for development of cinema in Nepal. This issue is always debatable. Now it is fact that then king Mahendra had special interest in arts and creative activities. And he definitely did contribution for development of cinema in Nepal. There is another factor too. D.B.Pariyar made cinema in time of Mahendra’s father Tribhuwan. Few historian thinks that royalist film historians begin Nepali film history from Aama not Satya Harischandra only to praise then king Mahendra. But nobody can deny that Satya Hrischandr was made in India and Aama is the first Nepali cinema made in Nepal. And then king Mahendra wanted to use cinema as propaganda tool. And he did it. To propagate Aama he organized mobile team to show this film in different places of Nepal.

Chetan Karki is searching publisher for the manuscript. He knows FDB folk would deny his argument. But why are we afraid to give the devil his due?

Photos of kamana Prakashan

2009-07-26T19:42:00.008+09:00

Last week I visited Kamana Prakashan to study early issues of Kamana magazine. These are the photos of slogan written on the wall of flats:

Do its journalists follow these slogan?

Recommendations of International Media Mission in Nepal on Feb 2009

2009-07-14T13:48:00.002+09:00

The following recommendations are based on the assessment carried out by
the members of the International Mission.
5.1 Press freedom violations and safety
1. Police should investigate thoroughly all threats of violence against journalists
and media workers, and the public should be made aware of investigations
and prosecutions to discourage attacks, and ensure an end to
impunity. The International Mission will closely watch progress in the investigations
of the pending cases on the attacks on Birendra Sah, Prakash
Singh Thakuri, Prakash Shrestha, J.P. Joshi and Uma Singh. The Mission
urges all international agencies and governments to raise the issue of
state responsibility during their interactions with the government of Nepal.
2. Press freedom monitoring networks should be strengthened across the
country and specifically in areas outside of Kathmandu. In this regard,
the monitoring system of the FNJ should be maintained and strengthened,
including reporting nationally and internationally on information
gathered, and a central database on press freedom violations should be
established and maintained.
3. Safety training should be provided through existing training organizations
and relevant international organizations. Such training should be
country-specific and accessible to all journalists and media workers in the
districts.
4. Media houses should provide basic safety equipment to journalists when
needed.
5. Life and health insurance should be provided to journalists, photographers,
camerapersons and media workers, and for their equipment.
6. Support mechanisms to assist threatened journalists and their families
should be strengthened and institutionalised.
7. Safe houses, hotlines, reactive missions and other safety related activities
should be strengthened/ undertaken as needed.
8. Local authorities, judiciary and police should be trained on press freedoms
and freedom on information issues.
9. Linkages between human rights defenders, peace-process mediators, FNJ
and other national media bodies should be strengthened.
10. Political parties should develop positions and concrete measures in support
of media safety and clearly communicate these to their membership
and the public.
11. No journalist should be sacked simply on the basis of his or her political
perspective as long as it does not reflect in the content of his/her work.

5.2 Uma Singh’s murder and pending
investigations
1. The International Media Mission recommends that the government invite
competent external parties such as the OHCHR, FNJ, and other NGOs to
assist the police in carrying out speedy, impartial, thorough and transparent
investigations of all threats, kidnappings, disappearances and murder
of journalists and media workers.
2. That the government demonstrate clearly its commitment to press freedom
and freedom of expression through involvement in the investigations
and by working for the establishment of a committee or sub-committee
within Parliament to study all credible cases in which journalists or media
workers have been threatened, kidnapped, disappeared or murdered.
3. That it cooperate with civil society and competent institutions to reach an
accord on how to provide security to journalists and other media workers,
with special attention to the security of women journalists.
5.3 Impunity and investigations into
the attacks of journalists
1. The International Media Mission urges the UN OHCHR to investigate the murder
of Uma Singh as circumstantial evidence suggests she may have been
killed for her role as journalist (a human rights defender) and not over a pending
property dispute as Nepali authorities have been presenting the case.
2. The state is responsible for investigating all the pending cases of murder
and disappearance of journalists. Only thorough investigations and punishing
those guilty can the state put a stop to attack on the media and
journalists.
3. The growing impunity for those responsible for attacking journalists must
stop immediately. This can be attained by thoroughly investigating and
punishing those responsible for attacks on Birendra Sah, Prakash Singh
Thakuri, Prakash Shrestha, J.P. Joshi and Uma Singh. The Mission also
recommends that the government initiate investigations and actions
against the murderers of Dekendra Thapa.
4. The mission also demands impartial investigations into the murders of all
journalists killed before 2006 and punishing those who were responsible.
5. The attacks on journalists and media companies must end immediately.
Violence against journalists and the media cannot be justified for any reason
in a law-abiding society. Ending violence against the media would
be Nepal’s first step towards democratisation because there can be no
democracy without a free media and vice-versa.
5.4 Media policy and legal reform
1. An inclusive consultative process with the media community, civil society
and other stakeholders should be undertaken to ensure broad and inclusive
discussion on media policy reform and to identify action areas.
2. The new constitution should ensure press freedom and freedom of expression,
and guarantee the independence of media regulatory bodies.
3. Authorities should consider the provision of a regular grant from the state
to the media, either directly in terms of finances or indirectly through tax
relief in accordance with the spirit of the UNESCO ‘Florence Treaty’ – the
Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials;
any such system of support, however, should be based on equitable,
objective criteria applied in a non-discriminatory fashion.
4. The Ministry of Information and Communication should either close or
privatise all state-run media, or turn them into public service media.
5. Support should be provided to national and local authorities to train public
officials on the implementation of new media legislation.
6. Public awareness should be developed regarding the new media and right
to information legislation and voluntary media accountability systems
and capacity building should be provided to the media community and
civil society to monitor implementation of the new laws.
7. The participation of experts should be ensured in all activities relating to
media law and policy reform; despite many of the positive steps Nepal has
made, standards still fall short of international standards.
8. The distribution of public advertisement should be allocated through a
fair and transparent mechanism to both print and broadcasting media.
9. The FNJ legal desk should be strengthened for responding to protection
needs of journalists and media workers. The legal desk will assist in ensuring
enforcement of laws related to the media.
5.5 Broadcast media
1. State radio and TV should be placed under the governance of an adequately
financed independent body, the membership of which should reflect
the diversity of Nepali society.
2. The mandate of public service broadcasters should be to serve the needs
of all groups in society, especially those not being adequately served by
commercial and community broadcasters.
3. The licensing process should be designed to promote diversity in the
broadcasting sector.
4. Frequencies are a public resource and political parties should not control
broadcasting stations. A study should be carried out to assess the ownership
of broadcasting stations.
5. All regulation of broadcasting should be undertaken by an independent
regulatory body.
6. Support should be made available for existing broadcast media, particularly
in the districts, for addressing infrastructure problems and working
towards financial sustainability in the post-donor environment.
5.6 Print media
1. Taxes on newsprint and replacement parts should be lowered and postal
rates reduced.
2. Registration requirements for print media should be removed.
3. Rules on cross-ownership and concentration of ownership should be set.
4. The Audit Bureau of Circulation should be established and supported to
undertake its duties.
5.7 Unions and associations
1. Trade unions should negotiate (not resort to violence) for fair and reasonable
working conditions and employers should seek to implement the
amended Working Journalists Act. Media employers should implement
fair and decent working conditions, which also reflect equal access to recruitment,
work opportunities and promotion for all groups.
2. Support should be provided for strengthening associations, unions and
media organizations at the national and district levels, including for the
secretariats and performance of core-functions (with specific reference to
the FNJ).
3. Gender awareness and mainstreaming should be promoted among media
associations and institutions. Media employers should ensure that
women and members of minority groups are provided equal opportunities
for employment, pay, professional assignments and promotion.
4. The minimum wages and other recommendations made by the committee
for fixing minimum wage should be implemented and should gradually
be extended to all media, irrespective of type and size of investment.
5.8 District media
1. Assistance should be provided for improving communications for media
workers and district media outlets (including telephone, internet, etc.)
2. Assistance should be provided for the training of journalists from marginalized
groups to ensure that they receive the same professional development
opportunities as other journalists, and that they can be properly
represented in the national media.
3. Access to longer-term training opportunities should be provided in basic
journalism skills, as well as specialized areas such as graphic design and
business management.
4. Training of Trainers (TOT) should be undertaken for building a team of
district-based media trainers.
5. Access to modern equipment, including offset printing presses and field
reporting equipment, should be made available through appropriate
mechanisms.
6. Options to facilitate improved circulation of the print media should be
provided.

Source: http://www.i-m-s.dk/files/publications/1453%20Nepal.web.pdf

Insecure Public, Lynching and Nepali Media

2009-07-10T18:10:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Today is the age of 24 hrs news channel. We are viewing news of children kidnapping. So are we watching about the lynching of innocent alleged kidnappers. Why are these incidents increasing? Does it have anything to do with media-boom?

I think it has something to do with media too. Not all. I am not saying media is totally responsible of it. They are disseminating news about the killings, kidnappings and looting. This reporting inadvertently creates of the image of insecure Nepal in people’s mind. People are feeling insecure.
One thing is sure. Media is doing nothing to decrease the rate of lynching. They are not proactive on the issue.

Here I am not resurrecting mass society theory. But we know we are in transitional phase and there is a kind of lawlessness.

Political Appointment in Government-owned media in Nepal: Business as Usual

2009-07-02T14:34:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Once again we got chance to see an old drama. There is no difference in its plot. Yes, its actors are different. But drama’s ending is same as previous one.
Yesterday government reshuffled people bossing government –owned media institutions: Nepal Television, Rastriya Samacharsamiti, Gorkhapatra Corporationa and Film Development Board. The cabinet meeting appointed Kundan Aryal as Executive Chair of Nepal Television, Amar Giri as Chair of Film Development Board, Bal Krishna Chapagain as chair of Rastriya Sambad Samiti, and Vijaya Chalise as Executive Chair & Shambu Shrestha as General Manager of Gorkhapatra Corporation. Last time Ministry of Information and Communication was under CPN (Maoist)’s hand. Now it is the turn of CPN(UML). It is filling these posts with those near to its ideology. Many of them are from Press Chautari.

As a student of mass communication and journalism, I have been doing studies on government-owned media in Nepal. I want to find ways to reduce this kind of interference from government. I desire to turn government-owned media to state-owned media institutions. There should be initiation from parliament in these kinds of political appointment. I think it will help to reduce government interference. Do you accept me?

Leni Riefenstahl and Nepali Newsreels

2009-06-07T19:14:00.003+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Watching Leni’s documentary Triumph of the Will reminded me of Nepalese newsreels and documentaries made before Nepal Television came into existence.

In 1970s panchayat government created Royal Nepal Film Corporation to make films. It made few films and thousands of newsreels. These newsreels were mainly about visit, birth, marriage etc of royal family members. Mobile teams had to screen these newsreels in different places far from Kathmandu during royal visits.

I have seen none of these newsreels. They are languishing in two rooms of Film Development Board. And it is difficult to see them. But I can say they are technically poor. Nepal lacked trained human resource at that time and there might also be scarcity of technical instruments.

Yes, in this context we can’t make technically sound documentaries as Leni did. She had support of Nazi party. All necessary human resources and technical instruments were available at her call.

Recently I watched Leni’s Triumph of the Will. Technically this film is superb. Oh yea, subject is dull. What a hectic job she did by turning about five days of footage of Numberg rally into a documentary of 2 hours. Hats off to her. She was highly innovative director.

About Triumph of the Will and Leni:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_of_the_Will http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leni_Riefenstahl

photo source:

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,291297,00.jpg

Beware: It’s War Propaganda

2009-05-14T14:10:00.000+09:00

Harsha Man Maharjan

There is a huge uproar in Nepal this week. Unthought-of situations unfolded in political situation. I had not thought that the Maoist will resign from government on 4 May 2009. Neither did I hope to see old footage of the Maoist drilling to its carder of 2 January 2008.

About 4-5 hrs of PM Prachanda’s resignation Image Channel broadcast clips of a video in which he was addressing his cadres. Many people were shocked to see it. Next day other TV channels also broadcasted the footage. The Maoist even organized a press meet to provide its view on the content of the video. The caretaker PM even informed journalists that he would be happy to provide other videos if media needed.

What will the video incident do to Nepal’s peace process? It is difficult to answer. Only future will give that answer.

Actually my interest is with leakage of the video. In a program organized by Martin chautari on media practices, Tirtha Koirala, News and Current Affair Chief of Kantipur Television informed that a guy approached him four days before PM’s resignation with the video. He had no interest in the issue so he informed the guy that he had to ask his MD. There is even a rumor that top leaders of political parties had seen the video before and they withdrew their support of sacking army chief due to that video.

No doubt the video is news worthy. But journalists must deal historical source in its historical context. And media literate people must question media activities. Many people criticized Image Channel for that ‘scoop’: It will only jeopardize peace process. In an article pubished in Nayapatrika, Mahendra Bista, news chief of Image Channel wrote that the channel had no vested-interest in showing that video. If we go through the footage we can clearly see that it is war propaganda. Prachanda was moving heaven and hell to appease Maoist cadres. And till 2 January 2008 then CPN(Maoist) had no hope in peace process. Many things happened in these years.

old qestions: Master Level II/ HumanitiesJournalism and Mass Communication 2064

2009-05-11T18:55:00.003+09:00

Many friends preparing for the exam of masters II year asked me old questions of exam. I searched my collection and found these three papers. I lost questions of electronic media. Hope this posting will be useful for friends.

Tribhuwan University
2064

Master Level II/II Year/ Humanities
Journalism and Mass Communication
Comparative Press Laws and Media System (JMC 511)

Full Marks: 80
Time: 4 hrs.

Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as for as practicable

The Figures in the margin indicate full marks

Attempt any THREE questions from Group “A” and FOUR from Group “B”

Group A 3x16=48

Describe the main features of ASEAN and SAARC media and legal systems with special reference to Nepal.
What are the characteristics of conventional and modern theories of press laws? Explain with suitable examples.
Which clauses of the press laws of UK have inspired laws of developing countries like Nepal? Give examples.
Critically analyse the media system in UK and USA. How do the media systems in these countries compare and contrast with the media in China?

Group “B” 4x8=32

Explain prior restraint and the functions of print and electronic media.
Critically examine the Defamation Act of India and Pakistan.
Compare and contrast the law of privacy and liability for physical harms in Europe and USA.
Explain the historical development of the press Council in Nepal and refer to the recent ethical media practices in the country.
Why are the issues of libel and privacy more sensitive in media exercise? Explain with examples.
Describe western systems and existing press provisions.

Tribhuwan University
2064

Master Level II/II Year/ Humanities
Journalism and Mass Communication
Development Communication and Journalism (JMC 517)

Full Marks: 100
Time: 4 hrs.

Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as for as practicable

The Figures in the margin indicate full marks

Attempt any THREE questions from Group “A” and FOUR from Group “B”

Group A 3x20=60

Describe the issues of emerging in the field of development communication.
Delineate the difference between development communication and development support communication.
The low density of broadcasting media in developing countries constraints the process of development communication in these countries.
What is the impact of 3-year National Communications Plan 1971-1973 on the development of media organization and institutions in Nepal.

Group “B” 4x10=40

Asian Perspective vs liberation perspective on development communication. .
Environmental Journalism is a highly specialized form of development journalism. Discussed briefly.
Legal framework of broadcasting development communication in Nepal.
Alternative paradigm of development communication.
The Bagmati River has become source of multiple issues of urban environmental degradation in Kathmandu Valley. Why?
Public broadcasting system has better prospects in rural development communication than state broadcasting system. Discuss very briefly.

Tribhuwan University
2064

Master Level II/II Year/ Humanities
Journalism and Mass Communication
International and Inter-Cultural Communication and Media(JMC 506)
Full Marks: 100
Time: 4 hrs.

Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as for as practicable

The Figures in the margin indicate full marks

Attempt any THREE questions from Group “A” and FOUR from Group “B”

Group A 3x20=60

How the culture of a society is reflected in social communication patterns (verbal and non-verbal) ?
What role do media play in intercultural and international communications?
How the idea of free flow of information interacted with modernization theory and the idea of New World Information and Communication Order?
Describe how the politics is replaced by economy as a driving force in the world of media and communication.

Group “B” 4x10=40

What are the main ingredients of a society’s culture ?.
What is media internationalization? Discuss.
How strong are decentralization trends in media at present?
What are the differences between ‘ITU’ and UNESCO’s visions of information society?
What difficulties do you usually face while interacting with foreigners ?.
Describe how the introduction of new technologies has changed Nepali media and society.

Good News Now They don’t have to Care about Sun and Rain

2009-02-25T15:58:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Whenever I have time I like to rummage in huge chunks of books in second hand bookshops. Many of these bookshops sell textbooks. And these books are in demand.
But I am always in search of rare books or reports on Nepal. Who knows what is perching in a dark corner of the shop. You may find a gem. This searching is adventurous.

Second hand book stalls at pavement on the wall of RNAC building were my sources. Now they have shifted to the back of this building. It is not easy for shop owners. They have to care about rain, wind, and sun. That’s why they hangs long plastics over their stall and put books on plastic so that they can wrap them in time. Yet rain damages their books. And they have to supply damaged pieces to Kawadi.
For some book owners this condition has changed. Especially three brothers of Nawaraj and Bharat have opted for rooms to open shops. It is not easy for them. Now they have to pay rent from Rs. 3000 to 5000 per month. But they don’t have to bother about heat, wind and rain. Yes, there is a problem of load shedding. Nawaraj and his brothers’ shop is languished inside room. We need to pass a long passage to reach it. And they have managed lamps.

Deepak Rauniyar’s Debut Film Threshold: Claims and Counter Claims

2008-12-18T15:28:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Mahrajan

Decoding a text is always a subjective matter. So what I am going to write about Deepak Rauniyar’s debut film, Chaukaith (Threshold) might not be what you think about the film. This film won third prize in 6th Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival.

It has a simple story. Trisna, an enumerator of Census visits a woman living in a Tarai village. Her name is Saraswati Gupta but people know her by her village’s name. Not her own name.

Trishna’s visit enlarges Saraswati’s understanding of world. Trishna throws a stone in Saraswati’s calm and serene pound. And Saraswati’s life no more remains same as before.

In the beginning Saraswati feels uneasy with Trisna. She has no habit of speaking with strangers. But her hesitation gradually vanishes and they become good friends. And gradually Rauniyar unveils his characters. We come to know more about their lives.

Saraswati, a mother of two daughters has grudges: her early marriage discontinued her study. She was studying at ten class and due to her marriage she could not appear Schooling Leaving Certificate (SLC). Trishna requests Saraswati to restart her study. But Saraswati thinks her husband will oppose this. He scolds her even if Sarawati goes to market.

Saraswati has a son from a failed marriage. She asked for divorce when he barred her from working outside the home. Saraswati could hardly believe that due to the given reason a woman can leave the husband. She was putting up her husband for a long time. She never had courage to leave her husband.

Saraswati even sings on Trishna’s request. But her singing ends abruptly when her husband returns. He brings fingerchips for daughters and pani puri for Sarswati. Seeing his affection towards his wife, Trishna even becomes nostalgic. In evening she leaves Saraswati and sets for Kathmandu.

At bedroom, she leaves bed when he requests her to move towards him. We can say he wants fulfill his sexual desire. But Saraswati informs him that she is feeling tired. He repeats same demand. So she opens the door, passes the threshold, and goes to other room for sleeping. And the film ends.

As said earlier, people can interpret this film in different ways. Some might say it is old bikashe story which equates woman rights in leaving the husband. Marriage is more complex than the film has presented. For them this is no solution. They blame social norms and value not the husband. And for them, the husband is victim of society too.

Other might ask “Where is a ground for leaving the husband. The portrayal of the husband is far from complete. He is not evil enough to leave. The story lacks conflict between Saraswati and her husband. He cares her and being the wife he has rights to ask for sex.”

Some might even agree with Deepak. They might say: “The husband is not cruel one; he is the breadwinner. Yet he needs to appreciate her desires and aspirations. He has never done this.”

Other might agree with Deepak. Many things happen in a spur of a moment. At these moments we never think about the result. So Saraswati must have leaved the bedroom in the given situation.

What do you think?

Link:
Review of the film and photo source:
http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2008/12/18/Review/15478

About KIMFF
http://www.kimff.org/

Not Without/Without My Daughter: More than Culture Shock

2008-12-07T13:34:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

In Ellul’s book Propaganda, he thinks that more we consume media; more we become vulnerable to propaganda. Have I also become a victim of propaganda? Only readers can tell.

Today I am writing my feelings on Brian Gilbert’s film Not Without My Daughter. As its regular film show and discussion series Martin Chautari screened it on 4 December 2008. It is based on a true story about the struggle an American woman did to escape from Iran to America with her daughter leaving her brutal and abusive Iranian husband. This is film is only an American perspective.

Wanting to now more about the film, I googled. Then I came to know about its controversy and, reaction from Iranian people and the husband himself. According to IranMania.com, documentary Without My Daughter directed by Alexis Kouros and Kari Tervo, contains the husband, Bozorg Mahmoody’s views. This documentary is not available in Nepali market.
To IranMania.com, Alexis Kouros had said: the documentary "is about the relationship between a human being and the system or politics, in which the system or politics is the final winner. It shows how politics affect individual lives". Even Bozorg Mahmoody thinks himself “a victim of international politics and propaganda amid the animosity between Washington and Tehran”.

Not Without My Daughter has a simple story. An American woman Betty Mahmoody goes to Iran with her Iranian husband and their daughter for few days. He has assured her that they would return the USA. But he changes his mind and decides to stay in Iran forever. She shows dissatisfaction and the husband becomes more abusive and brutal. He lets his wife to visit the US not his daughter. So at last she succeeds to escape with their daughter from the husband.

We can see this film from few perspectives. If we analyze the film in feministic perspective, Betty Mahmoody has rights not to accept Islamic dress code and religion. But it sounds as if we are giving emphasis to individual rights. If we look through cultural perspective, both husband and wife are from different cultures: Iranian(communitarian) and American (Individualistic). And there socialization is different too.

From nationalistic perspective, Bozorg Mahmoody wants to serve his country and its people. He feels guilty for remaining in the US as a doctor when he is supposed to participate in Iranian revolution. And nation is more important than an individual.

There is a psychological reason too. In the US he feels inferiority complex. He knows that the American state and some Americans hate Iranians. He loses his job as a doctor. His only fault is he is an Iranian. So when he returns Iran he gains power and his wife feels powerless. He not only hopes that his wife will convert to a Muslim, he also becomes brutal. He flogs her publicly for not obeying his commands.

More about the film/documentary:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Without_My_Daughter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Without_My_Daughter

More about the controvery:
http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=14192&NewsKind=Current+Affairs
http://www.mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=523053
http://www.payvand.com/news/02/nov/1078.html
http://www.hartnett.nl/_fwodaug.htm

Photo source:
http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=14192&NewsKind=Current+Affairs

Toll Free Phone Hangama in FM Radio Networks in Nepal: Call Us We will Pay for the Call

2008-12-04T15:08:00.001+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Many Nepalese people outside of Kathmandu are voicing their views in national issues through talk programs like Nepal Chautari and Hamro Nepal Ramro Nepal of Ujjyalo 90 Network and Aab ko Nepal of Nepal FM Network. It is unprecedented in Nepali history.
And Nepal’s transitional phase needs more interaction and dialogue on many important issues. These FM programs are helping in this dialogue.

Main reason behind this is the caller has to pay nothing for the call. These networks pay for calls. They use toll free phone lines. Even the content of FM radio stations outside kathmandu is reaching these networks’ offices at Kathmandu through these toll free lines. These networks also use these lines to get suggestions and opinions of listners about other programs of networks too.

For me toll free line is new concept. I came to know about this kind of phone line from Nepal Chautari. Antenna Foundation Nepal publishes advertisement of Nepal Chautari highlighting this phone line. Even annual report 2007 of Nepal Telecom has mentioned that toll free service or Advance Freephone Service is becoming popular these days. According to the report its increased from 22 to 54 which are subscribed by money transfer business sector, man power/education consultancies, large business houses, banks, airlines, FM stations, media publications, social organizers etc.

More about Toll Free Lines:
http://www.ntc.net.np/utilities/ntcAnnual2007.pdf

http://www.ntc.net.np/in/afs.php

About Nepal Chautari:
http://www.afn.org.np/programs_detail.php?id=8

About Hamro Nepal Ramro Nepal:
http://www.unn.com.np/programs_hamronepal_ramronepal.php

Community Radios for Better Networking among them

2008-11-23T17:53:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Everybody says networking is good for FM radios. It produces synergy.

Two station mangers of community radios accepted this too. But they are not happy with what Ujjyalo 90 Network and Nepal FM Network are doing these days.

Both of them, Ghamaraj Luintel, Radio Sagarmatha and Gunakar Aryal, Radio Madanpokhara are for two way communication in these networks They were presenting a talk on the topic: Why Networking for Community Radio? On 20 November 2008 at Martin Chautari.

Yes there is a huge gap between what goes through the capital and what comes from local radios outside Kathmandu. These two networks must increase the volume of content from outside.
There is issue of editorial rights too. Luintel thinks these networks kill editorial rights of local radios. And this happens till there is same boardcasting of packaged news.

Many people think these networks are futher concentrating resources in Kathmandu. And local radios outside Kathmandu are not getting adequate benefit.

link
http://rudrarampur.blogspot.com/2008/10/should-fm-radio-be-forced-to-broadcast.html

Perils of Network Radio in Nepal: Dilemma of Being National Broadcasting

2008-10-01T09:00:00.002+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Kathmandu
There are two networks of FM Radios in Nepal: Nepal FM Network and Ujyaalo 90 Network (UNN). Their content is available in satellite and internet. And any radio can hook their content after contracts. This has made this network powerful. They boast that they are heard all over Nepal.

But there is negative aspect of network radio too. Here is an experience of Hem Bahadur Bista, Chair of Nepal FM Network and host of talk program Samaya Sandarbha. There was a long traffic jam inside Kathmandu on Monday, 29 September 2008. Kantipur, a Nepali daily published a news on it. Bista desired to do the talk program on the jam on Tuesday. But he could not do that. Reason was national quality of his network. He has to think about unknown listeners in Humla too. So he quit the idea of the program.

It shows that though Nepal FM is situated in Kathmandu, it is difficult for this FM to raise local issue being in the network.

links
http://www.unn.com.np/unn.php
http://www.nepalfmnetwork.com/

Translator’s Society in Nepal

2008-09-25T16:54:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Kathmandu

Translation is a difficult task. Once I tried to translate George Orwell’s essay English Language and Politics for Mulyankan magazine. I had even informed this to the then editor of the magazine. I translated few paragraphs but it was not satisfactory. At last I quit that job.

So I am aware of difficulties of translators. On 21 September 2008 I participated in a meeting organized by Translator’s Society.

Translation is alluring job. Who wants not to be a translator, when the rate of translation is Rs. 500 per page? And there is demand of translation.

International Non Government Organizations, the UN bodies need translators. Federal set-up will demand more translation. That means it has future too.

At Yala Maya Kendra, there were people known for translation like Basanta Thapa, Manjushree Thapa and other. Many issues came during the meeting. I have noted some of them:

Translator’s Society should be legal entity.
This society should update list of translated books in Nepal especially literature.
Translator must seek permission from writers.
The society has to decide rate of translation.
It can organize training program on translation and proofreading.
It must standardize transliteration of Nepali words. It must work with copyeditors

Don’t Resurrect Big Brother: Curbing Cyber Pornography in Nepal

2008-09-24T15:54:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Kathmandu

Big Brother is Watching You
George Orwell, 1984
Orwell wrote the novel 1984 in 1948. He was writing about future. It is a negative utopia. The big brother of the novel watches every activity of its people. And everyone has this knowledge. There is no hope for dissidence.

I think Nepali government is also trying to resurrect this big brother. It wants to monitor cyber café and is searching ways to stop access with pornography in internet.

Adult has right to access pornography. Yes, government must bring out the measure to curb access to pornography by children. It might corrupt children’s mind.

Nepali government strongly believes that pornography abets violence on women. But there is no concrete study to prove this. Oh yes, Himal Khabarpatrika reported that many actors have unknowingly act on Nepali blue films. And some of them were only for private purpose.

So government must work out on the policy related to x-rated film and material. The Government is only opting easy way. No doubt cyber pornography is a click far from access. Any body can access it. How to keep it away from children? Answer is difficult.

What a Joke: Documentaries not Saleable in Nepali Television Channels

2008-09-15T11:00:00.001+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Documentaries are thriving in Nepal. Moviegoers in festivals prove this. Yet documentaries get lest priority in Nepali television channels.

What is the problem? It has to do with imagery we have about documentaries.
They were boring and lifeless. It used to be on a festival or a place or a person. Nepali Television created this imagery.

Before NTV, Film division under Department of Information produced newsreels, documentaries and film. These newsreels and documentaries are about Panchayat politics, royal personalities or development. These were publicity materials. In 1971 Royal Nepal Motion Picture Corporation came into existence and did same job including others.

Kantipur Television added creativity -different camera angles and presentation through Vikalpa, a collection of documentaries.

Our imagery of documentary is changing due to film festivals and other international television channels. Film festivals provided exposure and access to different kinds of documentaries: King for a Day, War and Peace, Raam Ke Naam, No one Believes Professor. We now even have some nice documentaries like News Room Bahira, Team Nepal, A Rough Cut on the Life and Times of Lakchuman Magar, The Sprit doesn’t Come Anymore etc. News Room Bahira has personal touch that we never saw in documentaries of Nepal Television.

Every time I watch documentaries in Aljazeera TV , It reminds me what Nepali television channels lack. And I ask a question: why are they not showing documentaries? I got the answer in interaction programs at Martin Chautari. One of them is 11 September 2008 Martin Chautari Media Discussion series by Deepa Gautam and Tanka Upreti on documentaries of Nepal Television. Both of them told that Nepali TV owners are reluctant to pay for documentaries. These owners believe that documentaries are not saleable. I agree with Gautam and Upreti. They are not not saleable.

Yes, Kantipur TV has stopped Vikalpa. Now its old editions are fillers only.
Television channels need to find sponsor for it. I don’t think it is impossible. There is no other way.

The problem is with the content and presentation of documentaries. We must unlearn the conventional style. We must experiment.

Names of Nepali Film: End of Imagination

2008-09-10T18:56:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Irani films

Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry, The Wind will Carry Us
Majid Majidi’s Color of Paradise, Children of Heaven
Boman Ghobadi’s A Time of Drunken Horse, Turtles can Fly

Nepali

Ama(Mother)
Janayudha(People’s War)
Balidan(Sacrifice)
Sano Sansar(Small World)
Basudev
Taxi Driver

These are some names of Irani and Nepali films. What we see during comparison is that Irani film’s names are fresh and poetic. Their cinematography is poetic too. They are full of color.

Among six Irani films I have named here, I have seen all, except Ghobadi’s A Time of Drunken Horse. So what I am writing here is applicable to five films.

How miniscule is the plot of Taste of Cherry? It is story of a man, Mr. Bardi who is searching for a man who can bury him after he commits suicide. The director gives no importance to reasons of suicide. At last a taxidermist agrees to do what Mr. Badi ordered to do but we have inkling that Mr. Badi will regret to commit suicide. Actually the taxidermist himself once tried to commit suicide himself he dropped his plan after tasting cherry leaves.

Ditto is the plot of Turtles can Fly. This film is not about turtle as I wrote in previous posting. It is about children who have to shoulder burden as turtles do. It tells a tale of thirteen year boy, Satellite, the organizer of the cleaning minefields, whose life changes when he falls for a girl with her toddler and a disabled brother. Only girl and her bother know that the child is the result of the rape during war. The girl’s sad face speaks women’s plight during war. It is children and women who suffered the most in war.

Opposite to them, Nepali films have long plot and story. They cover stories of two generations or more. Basudev is the example of this. There are few exceptions like Mukundo.
But all of six Nepali films I named above all sound stale. They are lifeless. They lack spark. Their names are not poetic.

Yes, Turtles can Fly

2008-09-09T09:00:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Can Turtles fly ? If we ask this question to others. There answer will be no. Never.
But Iranian film maker, Boman Ghobadi thinks opposite to what others think. For him, turles can fly.

I have read a story of friendship between a turtle and two cranes. Here too the turtle travels in air. Two cranes help it. During a drought, the turtle makes a plan to move to another pond. According to the plan it will clutch a stick with its teeth and two cranes will carry the stick by their beaks. Everything was going well when, I think…a crow…gives credit to cranes for making this plan. The stupid turtle could not listen to praises and opens its mouth to tell truth. It falls and dies.

But Ghobadi shows how turtles can fly without others help in his film, Turtles can Fly. Turtles are only symbol here. This film is more about children then turtles. It is not about children if we say childhood is the happiest moment of life. We think children have no burden, no responsibility.

Turtles can Fly is about daily life of children in Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border. These children are innocent like turtles. But they have a huge burden as turtles have on their back too. Yet they need to fly. If they don’t fly, they will die. It is a harsh reality.

These children eke out a living through cleaning minefields. It is dangerous job but they lack option. Satellite, a thirteen year boy organizes this job. His life changes when he falls for Agrin, a girl who has migrated with her blind toddler and her brother. Only her brother and she know that the blind toddler is the result of rape during war. Her sad and mysterious face betrays this. At last she commits suicide.

So this film tells us how war affects children, girls and boy and how stigma remains with rape victims during war in their whole life.

I recommend all to watch this film. I think Nepali film makers can learn a lot from this film. It teaches us how even a film with small plot can tell harsh facts of life.

links for film and the director

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtles_Can_Fly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahman_Ghobadi

Vulgarity or Reality: Language Debate of Dalan, Teleserial

2008-08-17T10:22:00.001+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Nepal television is showing a telefilm about state-led oppression of dalit community, Dalan. Jagan Media Centre made this telefilm which is directed by Nabin Subbha.

I don’t remember seeing any Nepali telefilm which gives real picture of history. It relates how higher caste people utilized state policies to oppress dalit community. In other words how state assisted in oppressing this community.

In telefilm sector, many people are praising the telefilm. We have high hope about the teleserial. The telefilm team did research of Nepal’s history to make it and donor community did huge investment for it. Number of its fan club is rising day by day.

Lately, its language has come under criticism. In its previous edition (Year 8. No. 52), Nepal magazine has criticized its vulgar language. The magazine thinks the language has astounded general people and it is worth censoring.

In today’s edition (Year 8. No. 53), Purna Singh Baraili, producer of the telefilm disagrees with the magazine and informs that he feels no uneasy watching it with his family.

Now question comes: is the language too vulgar? I don’t think so. Actually this kind of language adds reality to the presentation of real life of dalit community. I appreciate it.

From Jagran Media Centre

JMC is currently broadcasting a 25 episode television series illustrating the life, suffering and upliftment of three generations of a Dalit family called Dalan. Dalan is being braodcasted every Sunday 8:40 PM from Nepal Television. The purpose of Dalan is to create awareness among Dalits and non-Dalits alike and encourage a change in attitudes and behaviors toward Dalits. JMC has applied a participatory approach to the writing of Dalan by utilizing intensive discussions with Dalit scholars, writers, activists, film critics and journalists.
Shot entirely in the remote villages of Parbat, Baglung and the periphery of Kathmandu, Dalan presents a very realistic picture of Dalits life and history from 1950 to 1995 A.D..
Directed by Navin Subba (of Numafung) and aptly scripted by Aahuti, a renowned litterateur and Dalit activist, Dalan has become a work of art.

photo from Nepal magazine

http://www.kantipuronline.com/pNepal/article.php?&aid=5

Self Promotion through Tito Satya

2008-08-15T20:45:00.000+09:00

In media there is role of promotion and advertisement. We hear about tie-up between film producers and products like cars, watches etc.

I have no knowledge on this kind of deal in Nepali media sector.

But what I have seen on two issues of Nepali comedy serial Tito Satya.

Earlier Deepa Shree Niraula hums a part of a song film, Sundar Mero Naam. Yesterday we see Deepak Raj Giri tolerates pasting the poster of the film on his car for the protagonist is similar with him.

Deepak Raj Giri is main actor of the film. I don’t know why he used his telefilm to publicize the film.

Link about the film
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/detail.php?article_id=4642&cat_id=10

Mainstream Nepali Media Mum on Kantipur Ownership Row.

2008-08-10T15:28:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Issues of media rarely become news. That’s why many Nepalese could not believe what they heard and read on 7 August 2008. The news was about break-up between Sirohiya and Gywali family, owners of Kantipur Publications and Kantipur FM. It also informed that Gywali has left Kantipur Publications and Kantipur FM.

I came to know about this issue on 7 July 2008 from Sanghu with byline of Deepak Adhikari and and it has being doing following-up from that day without bylines. My friend from Kantipur informed that Sambodhan too did coverage on the issue. Few Nepali blogs also covered on the issue.

At last the news came in host media on 7 August 2008.

On 7 August, both Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post published news on change in ownership of Kantipur Publications and Kantipur FM. Now Gywali family is out from these publications and FM. Capatain Rameshwar Thapa has entered the team.

Many people believe that many journalists will leave Kantipur and TKP to join new publications by Gywali family.

Why this issue was not news for other mainstream media? Why did they not carry this issue though they had knowledge of it? We speak of plural media. Only due to this we come to know about activities of rival media but Nepalese mainstream media kept mum on the issue. Only few weeklies dared to do this.

Does it imply that they have unwritten alliance not to divulge wrong activities inside these media houses?

U-turn in Depiction Madheshi in Tito Satya, Comedy Serial of Nepal Television

2008-07-25T09:15:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I was happy to watch July 24 2008 episode of Tito Satya(Better Sweet). It is a popular tv comedy serial in Nepal. Long ads during this program, proves this.

I used to blame these kinds of comedy teleserials for portraying stereotypical images of disables, women, non-Nepali speaking people. Usually it laugh at Newari, Hindhi accents.
Is it a big think when a BBC newscaster pronounces Sher Bahadur Deuba in different way as we do? It is obvious to do mistakes when a person lacks certain sounds in her/his native language. But Tito Satya always derides Newars for non announcing Nepali words properly.

However this trend got u-turn on July 24. It presents a Madheshi as citizen of Nepal, who has equal rights as other Nepali. It links power of Madheshi with the first President and Vice-president of Madheshi community. In the episode a Madheshi threatens to inform President and Vice-president about the discrimination.

Nepali Style of Breaking News in Television Channels

2008-07-21T13:28:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

What is a breaking news ? Usually it is to disclose important incident by any media institutions. That means generally breaking news is about politics like death of Man Mohan Adhikari. But in present context its definition is not static.

We no more limit breaking news with only politics. Even human interest news of so-called soft issues is also breaking news. Yet many people still believe that breaking news must contain correct facts.

Here I am referring to breaking news of Sagarmatha TV and Image Channel on 19 July 2008 about the result of election for the President of Nepal in Constituent Assembly. The Assembly had not officially announced the result. Yet till 7 pm, Image was breaking news as ‘Flash News’that Nepali congress candidate Ram Baran Yadav got 294 and Maoist nominee Ramraja Prasad Singh, 282. At the same time, news channel Sagarmatha TV was breaking news that Yadav got 294 and Singh 284. Both of these channels were wrong.

Later it was found that Yadav got 283 and Singh, 270. Breaking these kind of wrong information only dilute credibility of these tv channels.

What is the Way Out of FM Jam in Nepal ?

2008-06-18T20:01:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I have a routine of listening to news aired by Nepal Fm at 6 am everyday. But these days I could not get clear signal of the fm. Actually signals of none of the radio is clear.

There are more than 30 radios on air at Kathmandu. There is no plan from government side before awarding radio licenses. It only created chaos. And we are suffering today. When will government stop working on ad hoc style?

What is the way out of it ? When will I get chance to listen FM radios clearly ? I don’t have answer. There might be some way out.

Watching Media Persons at Work on 28 May 2008 at Baneshwor.

2008-06-01T18:38:00.000+09:00

Nepal was to become republic on 28 May 2008. Declaration of republic was scheduled at 11 am. CITIZEN were surrounding parliament building at Naya Baneshwor to celebrate the declaration . As parliamentarians only declared it republic at 11 pm. These are some activities of media persons I captured.

Small Medium, Big Revolution: Role of Pamphlets in Social Movements in Nepal

2008-05-29T12:12:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

What was the role of Pamphlets in different social and political movements of Nepal? There is no concrete study on the issue.

Usually pamphlets are written material. They are prepared to persuade people on different issues. They might contain one-side issue. People use them to social transformation or to maintain status quo. They are portable, easy to hide. So pamphlet is effective medium for social movements.

Some people might think they are useless where about a half population are illiterate. But it is word of mouth that gives publicity to the content of pamphlets.
I don't know how pamphlets were used by political activists in Panchayat period (1960-1990) and before. Scholars might have mentioned about them in books. There is no doubt that pamphlet was important medium in these autocratic political systems when state media were in the hands of rulers and private media were few.

I can tell how Civil Movement for Peace and Democracy used pamphlets during the direct rule of king Gyanendra. In the early days of the rule it was difficult for private media to disseminate this information and pamphlet was main medium. After few months private media also courage to carry views and news opposed to the rule.

I think pamphlets played important role to bring down the Gyanenda rule. Nepal will be announced republic today (28 May 2008). I think it is time to remember the role of pamphlet in ending monarchy in Nepal. No doubt non government radios also propagate messages opposing the activities of the monarchy. Pamphlets will always be a medium of opposition.

Chinese film on Kings and their Ambitons: Forget people

2008-05-25T16:00:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

There is a hope in Nepali people for 28th May 2008. Parliament will declare Nepal a republic on that day. So we are evaluating the role played by Shah Dynasty in Nepal.

In this context, Martin Chautari screened a Chinese film by Chen Kaige, The Emperor and the Assassin (161 mins, 1999, China) at its premises, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal on 22 May 2008. Kaige is a member of Fifth generation Chinese directors. These directors use new film language and different plot than their elders. They revisited Chinese history and brought facets of history not presented by the establishment.

The Emperor and the Assassin is about Ying Zheng, king of the kingdom of Qin; his lover Zhao and his assassin Jink Ke. Zheng unified seven kingdoms of China in 221 BC. In this way we can compare Zheng with kings and queens of Shah dynasty who unified small principalities and kingdoms geographically. As in the case of Zheng, Shah rulers could not unified Nepali culturally.

So this film tells how Zheng’s lover goes to the kingdom of Yan being a spy. She has to find an assassin for the king of Yan. This assassin needs for killing Zheng. In this way Zheng and his lover hatch a plot to abort his assassination.
But watching inhuman treatment and massacre of people of the kingdom of Zhao she starts to hate Zheng and love the assassin.

At the end of film the assassins’ attempt of assassination fails and Zhao goes to Zheng to take the assassin’s dead body.

This film is a story of kings and their ambitions. It tells how general people suffer in the process of “nation building”. These power-hungry emperors hope that their unification process would bring peace and prosperity in general peoples’ live but their action does nothing but suffering.

Does that mean the process of nation building unnecessary? I have no answer. What I can say is that in this process people of enemy kingdoms are brutally killed, tortured. And in some cases their culture are destroyed. These scars of the suffering will remain for ever. So I think the film’s story of kings and their ambitions are universal.

links:

photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor_and_the_Assassin

about Chen Kaige: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Kaige

NBPAN: a Club of Few Big Book Publishers

2008-05-23T12:59:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Few years National Booksellers and Publishers Association of Nepal (NBPAN) had more than two hundred members. Today it is less than fifty.
What are the reasons behind this? Ram Chandra Timothy, chair of NBPAN furnished his explanations on this issue in the program organized by Martin Chautari on 18 May 2008.
Main reason for this is weaknesses of NBPAN. Many things: training, seminar, research etc it was supposed to do are not done yet.

Another reason is the criteria required for being a member of NEBPAN. To be its members, booksellers and publishers must register themselves. According to Timothy there are many booksellers and publishers who are not registered.

Whatever may be the reasons behind the dwindling numbers of the members, it has turned NEBPAN into a club of few big book publishers and sellers at Kathmandu.

Gloomy Pictures of 12th National Education and Book Fair 2008

2008-05-22T13:04:00.000+09:00

This time also, there were only praises of 12th National Education and Book Fair 2008 in Nepalese media. Broadsheet like Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post published reports and dairies about the fair. It is more than zeal of journalists. It has something to with advertisements of the fair.

By praising, these media cooperated with the organizers of the fair. What is a point in presenting its weaknesses; it will only lose the advertisement.

Definitely the fair has bright sides. It is creating a book reading culture in Nepal and media have to support this. Is the fair only contained good aspect? No.

Here are some negative aspects. In the fair, there is majority of booksellers selling international books. The number of national publishers and booksellers are decreasing but Indian publishers are increasing. It has to do with money. I came to know that Indian publishers had to pay more than Nepali participants.

Some of Indian publishers were criticizing poor facilities they got in the fair. But Nepalese media only were full with Indian publishers’ appreciation of increasing visitors.

What a Nice: Badri Bahadur Karki Taskforce's Report is Partially Public

2008-05-12T13:35:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

What a nice. What Badri Bahadur Karki’s High-level Taskforce on Restructuring and Autonomy of Government Media said is no more secret now. I moved heaven and earth to get this report. I call member of the taskforce Dhurba Hari Adhikari. He didn’t have the copy. I called Badri Bahadur himself he requested to ask in ministry of information. I call there and no one said no to me and no one provided me the report either.

Now the gist of the taskforce is available in a book named Patrakarita: Niti tatha Kanun(Journalism: Policy and Laws), published by Freedom Forum. Taranath Dahal and Bhimarjun Acharya are its writer. Dahal told me that his boss at RSS provided him the report. Actually I used to get the report from the RSS too. I could not get it.

Then I tried to get it from Gorkhapatra Corporation. Tej Prakash Pundit was member from that taskforce. But he is out of contact with me since his eviction from the corporation.

This report is not public yet. I hope government will make the report public soon.
http://mediaharsha.blogspot.com/search?q=badri

In the Praise of Workers of Nepalese Media Sector

2008-05-02T12:48:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

1 May.
International Workers' Day.
Salute workers in media sectors in Nepal and World.
Whose condition is poor, ustually.
Who have no place in media to disseminate their grievances.
Even competitors media house avoid the issue of exploitation of media workers.
Whose concerns some well paid Journalists disdain to voice .
Some examples: these journalists back management side
not workers' .
Readers generally talk about their right to access to media
not the welfare of these workers.

Nepalese Weeklies Still Have Space

2008-04-26T13:00:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Yes. These newspapers still have niece in Nepalese life. Media scholar Pratyoush Onta, Journalists Kunda Dixit and Dr. Dharma Adhikari are right. Their influence is waning. But daily newspapers could not replace weeklies from our life. Why is so?
The occasion was regular media discussion at Martin Chautari on 24 April 2008. Pundit or main speaker was Dr. Dharma Adhikari. The topic was The Essence of Journalism: Some Thoughts on Nepali and US Perspectives and Practices on the Craft.
The pundit and others presented their views on the subject.

Dr. Dharma Adhkari introduced weeklies as opinion-based journalism. Yes its news contains opinion and most of them are aligned to different parties and fraction of these parties. These weeklies cover the gap created by ‘Valadmi Journalism’ (Innocuous Journalism ) of dailies. According to Kunda Dixit, ‘Valadmi Journalism’ only presents superficial fact. It whets our appetite for more news. Then we have to bank on weeklies.

But weeklies’s news is amalgamation of fact and fiction. We have to decide which is fact and which is fiction.

Weeklies still have place in Nepalese Journalism field due to growing corporate censorship. Professionalism and commercialism are present trends in Nepal. There are internal and external pressures inside newsroom. And ‘Innocuous Journalism’ is the result of these pressures.

Weeklies too have these pressures but as they are in ‘Mission Journalism’, degree and manifestation of these pressures are different from that of dailies’.

link to Dharma Adhikari
http://dharmaadhikari.com/
http://journalism.missouri.edu/alumni/dharma-adhikari-04.html

UML's CA Manisfesto Mum on Restructuring of State Media in Nepal

2008-04-01T15:26:00.000+09:00

It is habit of UML to keep all option open in every issue.

It says nothing about restructuring of state media in its CA Manifesto. It is not suitable for main political parties of Nepal to do this. They must have clear vision on the issue.

Government must stop meddling with these media institutions.

links

http://www.cpnuml.org/

Friends my exam ended yesterday.

2008-03-28T16:02:00.000+09:00

Notice: Friends I might not post for a month. My exam is going on.

2008-02-22T20:29:00.000+09:00

Network society of how many for what ?

2008-02-20T14:28:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Internet is new media. Its nature is global. But how a local people benefit from it?

I am not talking about students. They can consult internet for their study.
This sunday I had to get few passport size photos. I was at my office at that time. I don’t have number of Milan Studio, a photo studio at Kirtipur.

I googled it. There was the website of the studio. And within Sunday evening I could get my photos. My problem was solved.

The owner of the studio told me that he made the website a year ago with Rs. 500. It is not big amount. That means it is being cheap.

But I could not stop thinking. Who does get benefit from this? No doubt people know about the studio through the website. What is its economic benefit? Does it only create long term effect? or Is its effect unseen ? or Should we stop counting economic benefit ?

Civic Engagements and Interference for Inclusive Media in Nepal

2008-02-18T18:08:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Representation of Janajati, Dalit, Madhesi and Women in Nepalese newsroom is poor and hopeless. It is about 14 %, 2 %, 2 % and 12 % respectively. Their national presence are 39.2 %, 11.8%, 30.63 % and 50.05% respectively according to 2001 census.

But there is no concerted effort for increasing this number. On 17 February 2008 Martin Chautari organized a half day discussion program on the issues of inclusiveness of Nepal Police, Nepalese Bureaucracy and Nepali media.

Definitely my interest is on media. And historian and media researcher Pratyoush Onta presented this paper. ASMITA Women's Publishing House, Media & Resource Organization's Manju Thapa was more interested to know the ways to bring change in the numbers in newsrooms.

Asmita has researched many times about the missing journalists women in Nepali media. But Nepali media houses never incorporated its recommendations.

I accept thesis of Pratyoush Onta and Sangita Lama. Without correcting their exclusive newsrooms, these media houses have no rights to blame the interim government for not making different institutions inclusive. That means the discussion of inclusion must begin from media houses.

Now I am presenting some of ways of civic engagements and interferences. I have collected them from here and there.

Media Rights and Other Right Activist Instutions
1. To demand proper representations in media houses.
2. Make civic awareness about this through media literacy programs.

Audience
1. Write Letter to editor demanding inclusive newsroom.
2. Start to talk about the issues publicly.

There might be many others ways. Pls add your comments. We need to create a movement for more inclusive media.

links

http://www.asmita.org.np/
http://www.anij.org.np/
http://www.blogger.com/
www.martinchautari.org.np/

Who Cares of Others ?

2008-02-17T15:48:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Do you believe somebody loves 48 hour per week load shedding in Kirtipur, a historical place in Kathmandu, Nepal these days? Load shedding has become our routine.

He is not a manufacture of generator. Neither is he a seller of generator.

He is a student studying masters in Tribhuwan University. His name is no important.

His exam is going on and he has to cram too much.

He manages a Chinese rechargeable lamp.

Blaring radio and tv of his neighbor disturb his study. It seems that his neighbour has no knowledge of what Mark Twain said, "Your freedom ends where my nose begins."

Who cares of others?

Radio and tv were the symbol of status in Kirtipur in 1980s. It seems that few still believe in this.

People's interest in blogging increasing in Nepal

2008-02-15T20:44:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

There is no other way than practice to know ABC of blogging. I had tinkered with about dozen of blogs my self.

K.P. Dhungana of Harmo Blog was saying this to a mass of about thirty listeners today in a program.

Most of them were interested to know the technical aspect of blogging. Blog is no more an alien concept in Kathmandu now. According to him there are more than three hundred bloggers in Nepal.

He has been writing about blogs in his blog and in newspapers.
Youth Initiative organized the program at Martin Chautari premises today.
There were two speakers but Umesh Shreshtha could not show up.

A Day of Silence for Foud

2008-01-06T20:00:00.000+09:00

UNITY OF NEPALESE BLOGGERS FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

2008-01-05T19:57:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

There is no heaven for journalists, activists, dissidents. Democracy demand toleration of criticism. Criticism paves ways for improvement.

What about authoritarian countries like Saudi Arab. Saudi government has been detaining a blogger Fouad Alfarhan on 10 December 2007. His crime was to post information about Saudi academics who were detained with charges of funding ‘terrorism’. According to report Saudi government is interrogating him for “doing campaign for these detained academic”. Saudi bloggers and bloggers from world are condemning Saudi government.

It is right time we think about Nepali bloggers’ welfare too. Any time any group can threat Nepali bloggers for their posting. I might be unaware to threats some Nepali bloggers had faced. Those who blog disclosing identity are vulnerable to these kinds of threats. WE NEED TO UNIT FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

Kantipur FM Being Radio of Nation: Where is local Content?

2008-01-03T16:00:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Kantipur FM has become Radio Kantipur. This is how Kantipur FM is propagating itself. It is celebrating ninth anniversary on 4th January 2008. It is Radio Rastrya Ko (Radio of Nation).

It has become bigger, broader and blah blah. Yes its audience has multiplied enormously. It is operating through seven relay stations.

Now it has covered about 60-65 district. It got seven license to air radio stations in Kathmandu (96.1 mhz), Sunsari (96.1 mhz), Birgunj (96.1 mhz), Nepalgunj (101.8 mhz), Bharatpur (96.1 mhz), Pokhara (101.8 mhz) and Butwal (96.1 mhz). Six of them are of 1kw and but one relay station at Sunsari is of 10 kw.

Now a question arises. How can Kantipur FM air its national content through relay stations ? How can it become national when it is a FM radio ? Isn’t main principle of FM radio local ? How is it different from Kantipur FM ?

I put some of these questions to Prabhat Rimal, station manager of Kantipur FM. He accepts that they got licenses for operating radio stations. He finds it unfeasible to open radio stations at these places at this moment. He told me that Kantipur FM is airing few programs for few hours as local content in few languages in some places.

It is airing radio programs on Maithali and Newari on Tuesday and Wednesday for 30 minutes each for Kathmandu and Janakpur. Is this enough? I doubt. Kantipur FM lacks local content.
Rimal thinks that there should be co-ordination among different FM stations regarding of content in local languages.

Nepalese FM Radios in the hands of Political Parties: Trends and Implications

2007-12-07T21:43:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

A discussion is in the town in media sector: political parties are owning FM radios.
Is this a new phenomenon?

No. These parties are publishing weekly papers. They lack readers. Their health is poor.
Now what will happen to these FM radios? Will they become the propaganda tools of parties? Only future can tell.

The Kathmandu Post published a news about the political parties owning forty FM radios in Nepal. This news started discussion this issue.
I think FM radios be they community and commercial are mostly elite-captured in Nepal. And political parties leaders are elites in there hometown. Besides this, it is easy to get FM radio licenses with their political clout. It is difficult to find community in community radios in Nepal.

TKP’s news introduces Rishi Raj Lumsali as a UML leader and brands his Shuklaphanta FM, Kanchanpur as UML FM radio. But he told me that he has left politics and wants to remain independent. He even named TKP’s journalism as ‘yellow journalism’.

So is the case with Narayan Prasad Sharma and his Radio Madhya Paschim, Dang as a Maoist FM. Yes Sharma is a MP nominated by the CPN (Maoist). But the CPN(M) nominated him as a independent MP from civil society. Then, how correct is it to call him a Maoist.

What can be the motive of TKP in bringing this issue out ? We know the Kanitpur FM is on the road to be a national radio as the Radio Nepal. I think it want to send a message to its readers that only we are ‘neutral’? That means commercial FM radios are the best among other kind of FM radio.
Is neutrality possible? I doubt on this.

Drama ! Simulation ! Rehersal ! Dummy of Sajha Sawal

2007-11-08T18:01:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

People were waiting with abated breath on 7 November 2007 at Martin Chautari discussion hall. What they only knew was some one was playing the role of prime minister of Nepal, Girija Prasad Koirala and BBC World Service Trust was supposed to this. Friends at MC had hoped for a simulation of parliament.

Later during the program Narayan Shrestha, radio journalist who left Radio Sagarmatha for the BBC World Service Trust, told us that they were taking interview with the PM after few days and they were rehearsing that interview at MC. Copy Editor Sharad Chandra Wasti acted as the PM. Shrestha and Sushil Sharma, journalist related to BBC Nepali Service were grilling the PM.

In radio jargon they were recording a dummy copy of the program, Sajha Sawal. BBC World Service Trust will air this program and UNDP supported it. Trust is going to air radio programs targeting Constituent Assembly.

During the program organizer requested s to question the PM. They aired recorded questions from different parts of country. They even entertained phone calls from two places outside Kathmandu. The organizer did them from Martin Chautari office. Program host Shrestha encouraged audience to put question though the organizers had managed few people to do so.

I have never heard other media organization making dummy copy of their program. Radio program production manual urges to make dummy copies. It helps in reducing problems that might crop up during the program.

The program at MC showed poor quality of phone call. That means they have to improve it in real program.

The organizer wanted to know question pattern of audience. It sought feedback from audience after the program. It was in dilemma on which to give priority: national politics or individual problems. Audience were for national politics.

Next Sajha Sawal will be with Maoist leader Prachanda.

In Memoriam: Journalist Birendra Kumar Shah

2007-11-07T19:29:00.000+09:00

Some called him Nepali Daniel Pal.

He is Birendra Shah, a journalist killed by Maoist cadres. He was kidnapped on 5 October 2007 and killed on the same day.

I never meet him. There is a chance. I might have heard his words on Nepal FM without knowing him. He was affiliated to Nepal FM, Avenues TV, Dristi weekly etc.
Now it is clear that Maoist cadre was involved in Shah’s killing. Earlier the CPN (Maoist) had denied their involvement in the incident. Now all fact finding missions tell that Lal Bahadur Chaudhary, Kundan Faujdar , Ram Yekbal Sahani etc are responsible for shah’s killing.

Chadhari was Maoist Area In-charge of Bara District. Other alleged people are also well known Maoist supporters.

But Maoist top leaders are requesting not to take this accident as party’s policy and not to malign the party with this incident.

This reminds me of Nagarkot incident of 14 December 2007. On that day a drunken army Basu Dev Thapa deputed at Nagarkot army barrack opened fired on the civilians at the premises of Shree Kalidevi Temple killing 12 civilians. 19 people sustained injuries in that incident. At that time Royal Nepal Army requested us not to take it as the action of the whole Royal Nepal Army. But no body heeded RNA.

That means Maoist leader must take responsibly of what its cadre did.

Now it is time to discuss on discipline of Maoist leaders and cadres.
Questions arise:

How does the party educate its leaders and cadres ?
Who becomes leaders and how?
Is its cadres and leaders under its control?

On Nagarkot Incident:

http://www.inseconline.org/factsheet/FS08-CPR-EJE-01-2005.pdf.

On Birendra Kumar Shah
http://www.blogtantra.com/2007/10/15/maoists-kidnapped-journalist-birendra-shah/
http://www.fnjnepal.org/view_detail.php?id=61&ntp=
http://www.fnjnepal.org/view_detail.php?id=59&ntp=
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=79881
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/29048.html
http://www.indiaenews.com/nepal/20071030/77904.htm
http://news.indiainfo.com/2007/11/04/0711042009_nepal-ld_journalists.html
http://www.nepalnewsmobile.com/2007/nov/nov06/news01.php

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=127543
http://www.inseconline.org/fact/Birendra%20Saha.pdf

Make Public the Report of High-level Taskforce on Restructuring and Autonomy of Government Media in Nepal

2007-11-05T13:02:00.000+09:00

BY Harsha Man Maharjan

It was not supposed to end like this.
I had pinned hope on this. Hope that it would come up with ways of restructuring state media in Nepal.

Nepali government formed a task force to materialize suggestions of High Level Media suggestion Commission about state media in December 2006. It was supposed to present its report to government in two months.

And it has already handed its report to the government. There was no mention about this in media. The government has not made it public.

When I asked about the report, Dhurba Hari Adhikari, a member of the task force informed me that the task force handed its report in his absence. He requested me to call Ministry of Information and communications.. There telephones always remained busy. So I called Badri Bahadur Karki, task force’s chair. Karki informed me that he handed its report in Asar that means about three months ago. He even requested me to knock the door of ministry of information and communication.

Why this kind of silence ? Why is government not making it public ? Questions arise. Answer is simple. Recommendations of task is unfavorable to present government. Without studying the report, people can guess its recommendation. The task force has mandate to materialize recommendations of media commission and the commission had suggested to quit government’s involvement in all state media. But present government is unwilling to do so. It is still interested to meddle with these media.

Where are our rights to information? We have all rights to know recommendations of the task force.

Previous posting on the issue:

Future of High-level Taskforce on Restructuring and Autonomy of Government Media
http://mediaharsha.blogspot.com/2007/06/future-of-high-level-taskforce-on.html

Last Chance: Restructuring of State Media in Nepal
http://mediaharsha.blogspot.com/2007/03/last-chance-restructuring-of-state.html

link:
High Level Media suggestion Commission
http://www.fnjnepal.org/downloads/Media_Commission_report.doc

Links for Free Burma

2007-10-05T19:06:00.000+09:00

Posters of Than Shwe were attacked by protesters in the Philippines.

http://bloggingforburma.blogspot.com/

http://www.free-burma.org/

About "Free Burma!"
International bloggers are preparing an action to support the peaceful revolution in Burma. We want to set a sign for freedom and show our sympathy for these people who are fighting their cruel regime without weapons. These Bloggers are planning to refrain from posting to their blogs on October 4 and just put up one Banner then, underlined with the words „Free Burma!“.
News: The Free Burma! Petition Widget for your Blog/Website! See our News for more Updates!
Join our list of participants
Show your sympathy for the Free Burma! action and sign our list of participants, whether or not you're a blogger, website owner or someone who wants to point the way to democracy and freedom in Burma!If you are a forum user or admin from a large website you can also participate in our "Groups for Free Burma!" action.

"Free Burma!"

2007-10-04T18:44:00.000+09:00

About Nepalese Media Workers’ Demands: They Don’t Tell US

2007-10-04T15:27:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

We know this week there are tussles going on between Kantipur Publication Pvt. Ltd. and All Nepal Communication, Printing and Publications Workers’ Union (ANCPPWU). Agitating members of ANCPPWU even vandalized vehicles of publication’s management and press when the publication showed no concern to reinstate its nine suspended members.

Many media related organizations, political parties etc condemned ANCPPWU for disrupting activities of newspapers and vandalism. They equate these activities to attack on ‘press freedom ‘and people’s ‘right to information’. These loaded words helped media to eclipse demands of agitating workers. Actually the media have not told their audiences what the demands were. Most of audiences know nothing about the demands. Thus there reporting on the incidents are one-sided.

There are few exceptions. Government-owned media have presented some parts of demand this time. It is said the ANCPPWU presented 22 point demands to the publication. And the management of the publication and members of ANCPPWU came up with five points agreement on 9 September 2007. But the management changed one point while writing the agreement next day. And ANCPPWU declined to sign the agreement and allowed no advertisement to two newspapers on 26 September 2007. So we saw ad less Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post the next day.

The bone of contention in five points agreement was to make all workers who have worked for 240 days permanent. There are many genuine demands. But as mentioned above many readers have no knowledge of these demands.

These media emphasize people’s right to information in ANCPPWU’s action. But they forget it by not informing people about ANCPPWU’s demands. Readers’ have rights to know about the agitating workers’ demands.

At last Moment

Today’s Rajdhani contains few demands of these workers like sick leave, home leave, life insurance etc. These issues got place in news after the demands were handed to PM yesterday.

Links:
http://www.blog.com.np/united-we-blog/2007/09/27/maoist-trade-unions-naked-intervention-in-kantipur-publications/
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=123920
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23872

Politics of Omission in Nepalese Journalism

2007-10-02T20:08:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Kantipur TV gave priority to a speech by Salikram Jamakattel on 1 October 2007 in its evening news. He was speaking near Kantipur complex after the publication suspended 9 agitating workers and the agitating workers’ vandalized publications’ vehicles and press.

In a footage he was saying Nepali people would lose nothing in absence of Kantipur Publication’s publications and Kantipur TV. He even challenged to stop KTV in four days and to physically attack owners if workers’ demands are not met. The news highlighted other parts of his speech too.

But it ignored other important parts. Students of Journalism and mass communication might raise questions: Are you mad? How all information of a speech can be incorporated in a news?They might doubt I am a student of mass communication and journalism.

This issue is far complicated than what we think. It is not a question of editing. This becomes clear to me after I listened to Sarad K.C’s reporting on the same speech. He even included that Jammakattel was still positive to talk.

So why KTV did not tell about this to its audiences? The answer is simple it wanted to create negative image of the agitating worker’s and Jamakattel. This way it can neglect workers’ genuine demands. Till Kantipur has not told its readers about its workers’ demands.

This can be said as highlight journalism. Here media organizations pick certain part of somebody’s view to grind their own axe.

It was so even in the case of opposition of Foreign Direct Investment in Media by Nepal Media Society few years ago. At that time NMS provoked its audience to boycott The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post. In it ensued incidents these newspapers were burnt and media organization was vandalized.

We got to read two opinions of same people after going these two papers and media of Nepal Media Society at that time. These two papers focused on condemnation of vandalization whereas others highlighted on condemnation of FDI in Nepali media. It is all media politics and audience should be aware of this.

Few Aspects of International Nepal Solidarity Network: Interview with Its Creator Sage Radachowsky

2007-09-28T16:57:00.000+09:00

By Sage Radachowsky and Harsha Man Maharjan

Sage Radachowsky of Boston, USA created the website, INSN and manages the technical aspects, as well as doing a lot of the editorial work and some original reporting.
Here is unedited interview

Harsha: Hope. INSN got new life after hiatus of few months?

Sage: I think the change in the political situation may be causing renewed interest in INSN activity, including the website. Perhaps the lull inthe process has been broken, with the CPN (M) pulling out of the government.In my personal life, I have been focusing on getting my life in order,and doing my carpentry. I have been dealing with personal life issues,which took all my time, and I could not continue spending time on thewebsite. There were several other people helping greatly with thewebsite, but not all of the time. There was also nobody coming forwardto be a Nepali editor, and because I am not fluent, I could not edit or approve articles in Nepali.There will be an INSN meeting today, which may decide whether thewebsite will revive.

Harsha: Why it was closed at that time?

Sage: It was inactive because of lack of interest among the website team, andtime pressures in everyone's lives to do other work.

Harsha: How INSN came into existence? With what motive?

Sage: INSN came into existence with a meeting in Kathmandu among Nepali andforeign activists who all were interested in democracy and peace. Thereis not a firm and fixed agenda, but there is a general consensus of political views that is large enough to work as a coalition and anetwork for the common causes.

Harsha: Is it a blog or a website?

Sage: It is a website, but it allows comments on the articles, so it may havethe feeling of a blog when there is an active discussion about anarticle. It also has served as a place where documents of all kinds could be found -- from the CPN (M) statements to statements and articles but various NGOs and other organizations.

Harsha: Who were engaged in this website in the beginning?

Sage: Many people in INSN have helped greatly from the beginning. I don't wantto make a list myself, because I would omit many people. But it is surethat Usha Titikshu has provided many photographic essays, and Bela Malikwas instrumental in giving an editorial direction, until her sudden illness one year ago. We also have regular contributors such as Maheswor Shrestha, Pramod Dhakal, and Moti Chamling. For a while, Rewati Sapkotawas providing timely news articles. We have also had help in translating from Nepali to English from several people, and technical help fromseveral people.

Harsha: We know Royal government cut internet connection for about a weekon 1 Feb 2005. http://insn.org/ow INSN could post comments and web links related to the coup next day? How It worked after 1 February 2005?

Sage: I flew out of Kathmandu on the day after the coup, and from Boston andGeneva I was able to make posts related to the royal takeover. I also had exported photographs and information with me in a USB drive. There was a great amount of information about the coup from other sources inthe international media as well, even while the internet was blocked within Nepal. The embassies and UN also had internet connections viasatellite, which helped in getting information from Nepal.

Harsha: How did you take the blocking of website? Did this action popularize the site ?

Sage: We took the road of publicizing the blocking of the website, along with Samudaya.org which was also blocked, to protest about censorship in thepress generally. We stand for freedom of information and freedom of the press, so it is natural that we apply the same principle to our ownwebsite. We also used the numerical IP address of the website() to allow people in Nepal to access the site. Thegovernment of Nepal had forced the internet service providers to blockthe name of the website, but they were not able to block the numeric URL.I think that being censored did popularize the site. This is good,because it proves that censorship does not work easily. If some personor group is speaking truth or providing an open forum for dialogue, thenit is clear that shutting it down is a symptom of autocracy, and it only proves that the emperor has no clothes.

Harsha:How it was operated in time of blocking?

Sage: When the website was blocked, it was operated normally, except that alllinks were changed to the numeric IP address instead of "insn.org ", andwe publicized the numeric address to allow people to view it.

Harsha: Do you think that people forget INSN while speaking about media's role after 1 Feb 2005 Royal coup?

Sage: I don't know. I don't think that the INSN website is a major mediaoutlet about Nepal. I think it has a role and a place as a grassroots outlet for opinions and information, but it is not a major media operation like Kantipur or Samaya or any other publications. In my opinion, it is more for consumption by the international audience, whogets their news about Nepal on the internet, and who also want to see the statements from NGOs and the special photo essays and point of viewof INSN.org.

Harsha: Can you tell us through which process an article goes before it ispublished?

Sage: Some regular writers simply get approved by a single person on thewebsite team. When there is an article from a new author, it may be sentto the INSN website email list for comments from many people, and then there is a general consensus to publish it or not. It is often apractical matter, where whoever receives the article makes their own decision. On occasion, there has been internal controversy after anarticle was published. Then, the article was removed until we had someinternal discussion about it. There is not a single formula, but ingeneral, the INSN.org website publishes many points of view, even when it may not agree with many of the website team's opinions. We prefer topublish and then have discussion, instead of having some kind of "partyline" or single point of view.

Harsha: Tell us about your readers.

Sage: Judging from the comments, readers seem to be many non-resident Nepalis around the world, as well as non-Nepalis who are interested in Nepal.Some seem to be Maoist supporters around the world, while others seem tobe very strong anti-Maoist people. Most seem to be somewhere in the middle, however. There are also many readers who do not post comments,who may work in NGOs or government offices who do work relating toNepal. Many people report in personal communications that they have used INSN.org as a resource in learning more about the situation in Nepal.The website team has been proud of fulfilling this role.

Harsha: Tell us more about INSN team.The INSN.org team is a subgroup of the INSN network.

Sage: There are about 30people on the INSN.org website team, although most of those people donot work actively. Some have worked very actively for a short period of time, and others have provided opinions and comments when they havethem. The website team seems to be about one third Nepalis in Nepal,one third non-resident Nepalis, and one third non-Nepalis both insideand outside Nepal.

From INSN
INSN.org was banned
Access to this website was blocked in Nepal on 1 July 2005 by the Royal Nepal Army's orders to Internet Service Providers. See RSF statement , INSN.org statement , and Kantipur Online article . We are mirrored at for access in Nepal, if your provider blocks access. This ban was lifted in May 2006 after the partial victory of the People's Movement. If you cannot access INSN.org from your ISP, please call them to ask to unblock access, and let us know, email webmaster@insn.org.

Links:
http://insn.org/
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=4285

photo source:
http://www.nepalwireless.net/people.php

Janadisha, Nepali Daily is Back

2007-09-23T14:20:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

On 18 September 2007 CPN (Maoist) quit the government.

On the same day people saw a sample issue of daily Janadisha which supports CPN(Maoist).
The sample issue was supposed to be free. But bookshop owner asked me Rs. 5. He told me that it was for transportation he used to get papers. I gave him the money.

In the place it has written 7. This daily was found in market until the government declared state of emergency on 26 Novemnber 2001. Journalists related The Janadesh Weekly, the Janadisha Daily and also the Disabodh Monthly etc supporting CPN(Maoist) were imprisoned. Human rights organizations claim that its editor Krishan Sen was killed in police custody.
Now Govinda Acharya is its editor. This sample issue contains vacancies for reporters at Kathmandu and other districts. It is supposed to come on this week.

Hope this paper will go for peaceful movement and dialogue.

links on Krishna Sen and Janadisha
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18313.htm
http://canada.ifex.org/es/content/view/full/16898
http://www.rsf.org/rsf/uk/html/asie/cplp01/lp01/291101.html

Baring Fox TV Channel

2007-09-20T17:21:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

On 16 september I got chance to watch Robert Greenwald‘s documentary Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism. So far as I know this documentary is unavailable in Nepali market.

Michael Moore’s documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11 that came in same year, 2004, is easy to find in different video parlors here. I must thank Saphala for providing me the documentary. Recently she returned from the US. And she brought it into Nepal.
It was BBC TV’s program Talking Movies that informed me about the documentary. I wanted to watch it on the same day.

Talking Movies informed me that that the documentary unveils one-sided news of Fox news channel. It opposed Clinton government and supported Bush government. In the documentary, Greenwald and his team have found certain techniques that Fox TV uses like conservative experts.

Other way is to dominate and humiliate speakers. I have seen no news and talk host in Nepal who humiliate their speakers. But it is the rule in Fox TV. In one program Bill O'Reilly, a host demoralized and bullied Jeremy Glick a young man whose father was killed in the attack on 9/11. Bill O'Reilly shows anger on Glick‘s anti-war sentiment.

It is said that “Fair and Balance” is the motto of Fox tv. What this documentary shows through its own footage is this is wrong.

Formers media workers of Fox TV and media critiques speak about Fox‘s biased reporting in the documentary. The memo of news editorial chief, John Moody which he gave to his employees shows the true color Fox TV.

In Nepalese context it is difficult to find this kind of corporate control in media. But we have government-owned media supporting views of Minister of Communication and Information, and partisan media blindly support particular political parties and their fractions.

The documentary urges viewers to use different news sources and come at own conclusion. It also requests to complain at FCC if people think media are presenting biased news. Nepalese also need to do same thing.

Beware of media. Coz media power is a political power as Ben Bagdikian says. And power corrupts us.

link:
http://www.outfoxed.org/letters.php

No BBC World Service in 103 Mhz

2007-09-19T16:52:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

For few days there is no BBC World service in 103 Mhz. I came to know about this yesterday.
After Maoist quit the government I was searching authentic voice of CPN (Maoist).
I tuned 103 Mhz in my mobile phone and I was surprised to find Radio Nepal in place of BBC world service.

On 19 September 2007 Khagendra Nepali, former BBC Nepali Service Head was the guest lecture in our class. During the interaction he informed us that it might be a technical problem.

According to BBC's website BBC Nepal service can be heard through following FM radio:
Radio Sagarmatha 102.4 FM in Kathmandu; Radio Kalika 95.2 FM in Bharatpur, Chitwan; Radio Birgunj 99 FM in Birgunj; Radio Annapurna 93.4 FM in Pokhara; Radio Himchuli 92.2 FM in Pokhara; Radio Lumbini 96.8 FM in Manigram; Butwal FM 94.4 in Butwal; Radio Saptakoshi 90 FM in Itahari and Radio Bheri 106.4 FM in Surkhet.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/ws_langs_nepali.shtml

INSN: End of Power Nap

2007-09-18T19:09:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

At last INSN is ALIVE. Hope it was a power nap. After many months of hiatus it got life. Congrats INSN.

This website played important role after Feb 1 2005 coup. The coup compelled INSN to change its course. It was suppose to focus on foreign relations of Nepal.

It is the first website to post Usha Titichhu's photo of army controlling the station of Radio Sagarmatha.on Feb 1 2005. It gave space to post dissenting voices.

We still need INSN. There is still long way to go.

Pls visit the website and send your comments, articles.

It contains articles by Maheswor Shrestha. Thanks to him and team of this website.
http://insn.org/?p=4357
http://insn.org/?p=4358

Sagarmatha Television: "Get Me a Murder a Day"

2007-09-04T15:00:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Live ‘exclusive’ of Sagarmatha Television on the occasion of serial bomb blasts in three palaces of Kathmandu on 02 August 2007 reminded me of the title of Kevin William’s book Get Me Murder a Day.
This book presents history of mass communication in Britain.“Get Me a Murder a Day: the Northcliffe Revolution and the Rise of the Popular Press” is the title of its chapter 3. This chapter tells how sensational newspaper and magazine started in late 19th century and early 20th century in Britain.

Like print media in Britain at that time, Sagarmatha TV presented the bomb blast incident in sensational way. It showed raw footage of blast at Tripureshow that was captured just few minutes after the blast. That footage was terrifying. People were thrown here and there. There was a charred (?) person who seemed to be killed at the spot. Sagarmatha TV telecasted this unedited footage naming it a rare footage which only the TV channel had.

This is the first incident that Sagarmatha got to telecast live. Till 1 August 2007, it lacked materials and was reading newpapers’ articles to cover its time. So the tv channel took these incidents as a golden opportunity to show its talent. It gave not a fig that these kinds of gory footage can terrorize people.

Other Nepali FM and tv channels were informing people that bomb blasting took place at three places. But Sagarmatha was repeatedly saying people that blasting took place in four places. Till 8’o clock, Sagarmatha was informing same information. It only terrified people in the name of informing them about the blasts.

Nepali Bookshops Cheating Prices of Foreign Books

2007-09-02T16:43:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Today I visited Bhrikuti Pustak tatha Masalanda Bhandar, a book shop near Ratna Rajya Campus at Kathmandu. I bought few books for Martin Chautari Media Documentation Centre. There I saw Douglas Kellner 's Media Spectacle. I asked its price. I had already bought it from Mandala Book Point on Nepalese Rs. 1904 few days ago. Actually my interest was to know the price of the book. I know this shop keeps high rate for foreign books. What they do is check internet and put the price accordingly.

Could you believe the price a guy in Bhrikuti told me ? It is Nepali Rs. 2975. I had discussed about this issue with Anjan Shrestha, owner of Educational Book House, few months before. He was aware of Bhrikuti's behaviour. He told me that generally his rule is to put price according to what he has paid for books.

That means Bhrikuti is placing high price for foreign books. It is unfair. If you don't believe about this, please check price of a foreign (not indian) publication in few bookshop. You will come with different prices. This happens if the book is published by Sage, Routledge etc.

Readers must be aware of this. Other books shops migbt be indulge in same kind of cheatings. Readers beware.

Why Scrap Royalty of Cable Operators in Nepal ?

2007-08-29T16:22:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I am still not satisfied with government’s agreement to scrap 4 percent royalty. I see no reason to do this. These operators are run for profit. Government has rights to impose royalty on these cables.

Article 11 of The National Broadcasting Regulation, 2052 (1995) demands 4 percent royalty of income from broadcasting institutions. These institutions include both private radios, private TV and cable operators .

I have Kriti Cable Network at my home. It is transmitting a channel called Kriti Cable Network(KCN) and is showing music videos. The National Broadcasting Regulation, 2052 (1995) does not bar them from transmitting educational programs. They are not doing this.

The Nepal Cable TV Association is right: a separate law is needed to be framed for governing the cable sector.

But the government has even accepted to reduce the renewal fees. Before providing these kinds of facilities to the cable operators, government must oblige them to broadcast educational and informative programs related to local issues through their channels.

Links:
The National Broadcasting Regulation, 2052 (1995)
http://www.moic.gov.np/act_national_broadcasting_regulation_2052.php

Radio Wave is not for Sale

2007-08-17T21:28:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Few weeks ago I called Kumar Bhattarai. He is the guy who got licenses to operate radio at nine places: Nepalgunj, Kaski, Parsa, Chitwan, Sindhupalchwok, Dipayal, Dhankuta, Humla, Mustang. The licenses are awarded in the name of Nobel Broadcasting Centre Private Ltd. I want to know the reason for this. During my conversation with him, he told me that he is an engineer and a business.

And he has every right to own these numbers of radios. He scolded me for not showing this much of commonsense, even being a student of journalism and mass communication. I replied him that air wave is not for sale. I told this to him but I know it is state's responsibility to check this.

http://dxersguide.blogspot.com/2005/12/first-list-of-companies-qualifying-for.html
http://www.moic.gov.np/pdf_files/fm_details_list.pdf

News Unfit to Publish in Kantipur about Birendra Dahal

2007-08-16T17:02:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Many people came to know about Birendra Dahal's Fast to death from Kantipur, a Nepali daily. We are told by Kantipur and other media that Birendra started his fast to death on 12 August 2007. And he would only end this fasting till the Maoists give written commitment not to interfere and attack Nepali media. HBC FM was closed on 7 August 2007. Kantipur highlighted this episode with photos. More than this, this incident was alleged to be political.

Other newspapers introduced him as the manager of the HBC FM. Actually in his press release he had given no designation. Kantipur TV even broadcasted visual of Harihar Dahal supporting another Dahal.

Birendra's fast to death is going on. But the Joint Movement Committee of HBC FM on Tuesday revealed that it is Birendra himself who closed FM station from its tower at Halchowk on August 7. According to Amrit Kharel of Ganatantrik Radiokarmi Munch, Brindra, did this when media persons of HBC demanded to increase their remuneration and facilities.

The Kathmandu Post carried news on 15 August 2007 about the Joint Movement Committee of HBC FM's concern about the so-called fast to death of Birendra. But Kantipur daily gave no space to the issue.

We must think over this issue. If we go minutely through Kantipur news' about the closure of HBC FM in its edition of 8 August 2007, we can find that the newspaper has blamed Republican Radio Workers’ Forum (RRWF) for closing the FM station. Actually it is mistake of the management team of HBC.

This incident also makes me skeptic about the closure of Annapurna Post and The Himalayan Times this week. Was the union solely responsible for the closure of two newspapers? Why the newspapers which published appeals against APCA house in 2004
are carrying advertisements in support of APCA this week ? Answers are simple. It is all about media politics.
Links:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=119017
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=119185
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aFanata0va3qzpa5a9Ra0ta.axamal&folder=aHaoamW&Name=Home&dtSiteDate=20070809

Sagarmatha TV underpaying its reporter.

2007-08-13T21:03:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

New media houses help in breaking dominance of established media houses. Two new tv channels: Avenues and Sagarmatha have started its telecast in Nepali. They are opening new avenues for journalists to show their talent.

I don't know much about Avenues. But I have heard a rumour about Sagarmatha TV that this channel only recruits reporters is new and fresh faces only to give them small amount of remuneration. Most of them are working for Rupees less than three thousand only.
One of my friends applied for a reporter in the tv channel. She has passed B.A. in mass communication and journalism. The management of the channel did not summon her for even an interview.

Now it has recruited 20 reporters. No doubt most of them are underpaid. Now organizations working for the welfare of media persons must think over the issue.

In the report, The Changing Nature of Work: A Global Survey and Case Study of Atypical Work in the Media Industry, prepared ILO and IFJ present the trend of using new fresh faced so that they can be inadequately paid.
www.ifj.org/pdfs/ILOReport070606.pdf

One Sided view about Trade unions in Media Houses.

2007-07-30T14:35:00.000+09:00

These days dalies in Nepal are criticizing CPN (Maoist ) for opening trade union in media houses. Articles and editorials on the issues are in media. They think these unions are for checking criticism of CPN (Maoist) in these media houses.

This is only a part of the issue. We know media workers in Nepali media are in poor condition. These unions help in collective bargaining of the workers in these media. But these media houses are showing no will to empower their workers. And they are criticizing these unions for their political affiliation. Now it is time to think about the welfare of media workers in Nepal and to evaluate the role of Federation of Nepalese Journalists and other trade unions.

http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/359/Headline/13772
http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/354/Headline/13647

Blessings for Avenues TV.

2007-07-17T22:56:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

There is a good news. Avenues TV began its testing broadcasting on 16 July 2007.
It is a news channel of Ad avenues Nepal, an ad agency. Many people presented their well wishes to the tv channel.

Among them, Pashupati Shumsher Rana hoped that it will be popular like Aaj Tak in India. Is this good wish? I know Aaj Tak is the no 1 news channel in India. But it has a problem. Like other channels there, it focuses on tamasha or trifle issues. Hope Avenues tv will not go for it.

Babu Ram Bhattari thinks it is better to counter some channels who serve few people. He didn't name them. I think he was pointing fingers at Kantipur TV. Is he right ? Well I really don't have the answer.

+2 Jataras in Nepali Media: Flood of Advertisements and Advertorials

2007-07-16T21:01:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

This is time of SLC result. And the festival of + 2. Every newspaper is full of advertisements of these colleges. Today's The Himalayan Times (16 July 2007) published supplement of eight pages devoting these colleges.

Magazines are not exception. Himal Khabar Patrika, a Nepali fortnightly magazine of year 17 vol.6 (no. 188) has earmarked about 40 pages on +2 as special report. It contain about 20 advertorials of 20 colleges.

Samaya, a weekly magazine did same in its no. 164. It has published 23page cover story on +2s. It included about 7 advertorials and some features which were similar to advertorials.
Getting advertisement of colleges is good for media sector. I know this is time for these media to earn money.

Is it good for readers? This question arises.

Going through the content of these media related to +2 businesses in Nepal, I must say they are critical to unhealthy competition and jhuth ko kheeti or crop of falsehood being done by these colleges through advertisements. But they can show no guts to pin point the wrong doers. Going through Chhalphal (year 25, vol. 39) I found it more critical than those magazines and daily papers.

I think this is the result of the money these media get from these advertisements and advertorials.

CJMC Community Radio in Air, Where is TU FM of RR Campus ?

2007-07-05T15:58:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

College of Journalism and Mass Communication began its radio, CJMC Community Radio 106 on Asar 14 2064 (28 June 2007). Principal and Director of The College of Journalism and Mass Communication of the college informed me that that cost Rs, 8,00,000. According to her the college invested whole money.

It is on air in 106.00 MHz. It has capacity of 100 watt.

When will Ratna Rajya begin its radio? I know this campus too had got license to air TU FM 107 of 50 watt. And it got the license about one month earlier than CJMC.

Theoretically it is easy for Government College to start radio. We even have a sound proof studio. I have entered the studio few times during practical classes. But the campus is using it sparsely.

Badri Poudel of the RR College informed me that the department is doing nothing on the issue. He thinks for radio operation requires new studio and he and his colleagues are discussing about the issue.

I know the pathetic condition of the college. Financially it is weak and this stops many ways of improving facilities in the department Yet it would have been easy for the government campus to approach donors to support the radio.

RR campus has introduced the course on electronic media. It is the right time to start radio. Like CJMC, RR needs to request donors like UNESCO and other for help.

links:
about campus radio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_radio

aboout CJMC community radio:
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/18210/1107798038148New_projects_Asia.pdf/48New_projects_Asia.pdf.

Unholy Alliance of Media Owners in Nepal against Media Workers

2007-06-22T14:45:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

On 11 June 2007, I was surprised to see Nepali daily Kantipur in eight pages only. Its sisterly paper The Kathmandu Post, was in black & white. The kantipur publication shrouded a big incident in the publication in the name of technical problem.
Next both newspapers had news on their management letting All Nepal Communication, Press and Publications Workers' Association (ANCPPWA) to open its unit in the publication.

Actually slim Kantipur and B/W The Kathmandu Post are the result of ANCPPWA's pressure to let them open it's unit in the publication.

Now similar issue has cropped on in the Kamana Prakashan. This prakashan out sources Customers Solution Pvt Limited to hawk its publications. Now these hawkers affialiated to ANCPPWA wants to open a unit in the Kamana Prakashan. Pushkar Lal of the Kamana Prakashan denied their rights and closed the publication for few days. He blames the agitating hawkers for doing politics in the Prakashan and diluting so called independent media house.

In a discussion program aired by Nepal FM on 21 June 2007, Ramesh Badal opined that the hawkers have rights to open the unit and the Kamana Prakhasan must protect its workers. He even informed that Nepali media houses are exploiting media workers.

Today Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post have written editorials and news on the issue in favour of the the Kamana Prakashan. Even Nepali daily, Himalaya Times has wrote news in support of the Kamana Prakashan. They quote Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and political parties and blame the whole action as the interference in the prakashan.

The Kantipur publication is showing sympathy to the Kamana Prakashan on the issue as both are experiencing the same. But on the issue of media concentration in Nepal the Kamana Prakhan opposed the Kantipur Publication.

Links on ANCPPWA in Kantipur Publication:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=112533
http://www.hamroblog.com/?p=455
http://www.hamroblog.com/?p=453
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=20822

Links on ANCPPWA in Kamana Prakashan:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=113322
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=113338

Nepal 1 Forced 8 Journalists to Leave Thier Job

2007-06-18T16:08:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

My friends at college today were discussing about the return of Sushil Kharel. He left Masters class of Journalism and mass communication to work in Nepal 1 tv channel.

I search for this issue in google. I came upon a blog: Solidarity with Nepal1 fight:
It has two postings:
1. Nalini's Torture Forced Eight Journalists Displaced from Delhi
2. Get Up Stand Up ...Stand Up for your Right

About the blog, it says this:
"This blog has been created to express solidarity with all the Nepal One staffs who have dared to stand up and fight against the tyrrany and atrocities of Nepal One management...the struggle initiated by the nepal one staffs was exemplerary and a milestone in protecting the fundamental rights of television journalists ...Kudos to all the Nepal one staffs..."

According to the blog, Nepal 1 forced eights jopurnalists: Rajendra khanal, Chiranjivi Devkota, Divyajoyti Misra, Pradip Giri, Sushil Kharel, Lily Bhaidya, Madhu Bhattarai and Aarati KC .

I know there was an agreement between the Nepal 1 and its journalists.
Rewati Sapkota, a journalist working in the tv channel informed in an media discussion program organized by Martin Chautari that the agreement could not improve relation between them and the management of Nepal 1. Even Kishor Nepal, its news editor could do nothing to improve the relation.

I support this fight. I think now the legal fight will begin and these journalists will get justice. But it is not as easy as it appears. Nepal 1 is not registered in Nepal.

Pls visit the blog and show your solidarity to this fight
http://solidarity-nepalone.blogspot.com/

Twice Mistake by KTV

2007-06-10T17:41:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I was amazed to a book name Arresting God in Nepal in the yesterday's news in Kantipur Television. It was the second time. It named this way in previous news few days before too.

Actually the name of the book is Arresting God in Kathmandu. How did those mistakes take place?

The news even informed that 11th Book fair lasted for 10 days. It is 8 days only.

Political Appointments in Gorkhapatra Sasthan and Nepal Television Corporation

2007-06-07T13:22:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

At last on 5 June 2007 Minister of Communication and Information, Krishna Bahadur Mahara has has done two political appointments: Om Sharma as executive chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation and Rishi Raj Baral as chairman of the Nepal Television Corporation.

It shows that the CPN (Maoist) want to toe the line of other political parties. Even in past political parties misused government owned media when they were in power and demanded for autonomy when they were in opposition. I can only hope that Mohara will not regret for what he did today when he will be in opposition.

It would have been better if chairpersons are from the same corporations who know all activities of the corporation. We should not forget the appointment in NTV of writer Benju Sharma. Many staffs in NTV experienced hardship in dealing with her.

Stale News on Kukur Biralo in Gorkhaptra

2007-06-03T16:43:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

We have a phrase: stale as yesterday's news. It seems that Gorkhaptra, government owned Nepali newspaper does not know this.

On June 3, 2007 it has published news with the headline 'Kukur Biralo' in Market on second page.

Kukur Biralo is an audio cassette produced by Subash Regmi. The news only has information on the producer and singers. It has no extra information .

Actually this is the cassette singer Badri Pangeni and his colleagues are lobbying with government to ban. They think it demean the folk singers. But news says nothing about this. The news appears to be a public relations materials. How could journalist who did that news forget this kind of important aspects? This incident helps to know the process of news making. Generally there must be personal contacts to get coverage in media.

It definitely shows laziness of some reporters in Gorkhapatra.

Future of High-level Taskforce on Restructuring and Autonomy of Government Media

2007-06-02T21:44:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I usually contact Dhurba Hari Adhikary, journalist to know more about some media issues. He is a member in the task force to restructure government media. This task force has not presented its report. I call him to know about the present state of the task force.

He requested me to call Kiran Shrestha of Ministry of Information and communications.

Earlier Raghu Mainali told me that the task force is not working and government is not in position to stop meddling in these media. Few weeks before Kantipur daily made a news related to new recruitment of the CPN (Maoist) supporting journalists in Radio Nepal and TV. Tej Prakash Pandit of Gorkhpatra Corporation has stopped visiting Gorkhaptra and there is information that the CPN (Maoist) has proposed Rishiraj Baral in place of Benju Sharma in NTV.

But Kiran Shrestha informed that they are preparing draft of the report. Hope this time, government will pave a way to make these media really autonomous.

Why Kantipur Publication Rejected Advertisement of Rakta Kunda of Worth Rs. 62,000.00?

2007-05-31T14:49:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Rakta Kunda is a novel which depicts Nepalese Royal family in negative way. Many people can’t say whether the fact it presented is accurate or not.

Khagendra Bhattarai, owner of Pairavi Book is sole distributor of the book. He informed me that the book has been published in 50,000 nos. It is Khagendra dai who informed me on 11 Magh 2063(25 Jan 2007) that he was publishing a color advertisement of the book in the front page of next day’s Kantipur. He requested me to read the ad. He was publishing the ad of Rs. 62,000.00 through Spectrum Advertising and Media consultant. Next day the ad did not appear in the newspaper. I thought some thing might have happened.

When I met Khagendra dai after few months I asked about the ad. I could not believe what he told me. On 11 Magh he was sure of the ad till 9 pm. At 9 pm Marketing Department of Kantipur Publication informed Bhattaria and ad agency that management had decided not to run the ad. Bhattari still has the returned cheque.

What is the reason behind this? Did the publication see the threat of law suit from royal family? Actually the royal family even condemned the book publicly. Now question arises. Is publication responsible for each and every ad it publishes? I think advertisers are legally responsible for ads.

I know management can stop some materials from publishing if it thinks that they are harmful for the publication. But Rakta Kunda’s case is different. I know there are few community FM radio stations which have guidelines for choosing ads. I have never heard this kind of incident before. Isn’t this interference of management in the business of publication?
Before this, even in the case of a business man Rasendra Bhattarai, I think there was pressure from management to provide unnecessary publicity to the business man. Former editor of Kantipur, Yuba Raj Ghimire tendered his resignation due to this behaviour of management. He even wrote an article on this issue in magazine, Samaya.

Source of photo: http://www.monikaa.uni.cc/forum/index.php?topic=16.msg58

No advertorial this time

2007-05-30T16:28:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Have you notice an advertisement about the eleventh Nepal Education & Book Fair 2007 in Kantipur daily? This is a regular program of Global Exposition & Management Services (P) Ltd. (GEMS) is organizing this event.

Last year it published advertorials many days before the event. This year it is not doing this. Santosh Chhetri of GEMS told me that last year book shops about which he could not provide advertorials were not happy with him. Ruskin Bond, writer is inaugurating the event. The book exhibition will begin from 1-9 June 2007.

Pls visit my last year's posting on the book fair.

http://mediaharsha.blogspot.com/2006/06/why-less-media-coverage-of-nepal.html

More on Ruskin Bond:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruskin_Bond

MA II year(Mass Communication and Journalism) questions of Tribhuwan University, Nepal

2007-05-29T12:15:00.000+09:00

Below are old questions Shubraj Shilpakar provided me.

Tribhuvan University
2060
Master Level/II Year/ Humanities Full Marks: 100
Nepalese Media System and Journalism (JMC. 515)
Group "A"
(Long- answer Questions
1. Describe the national and international conditions in which print , audio and audio–visual media have emerged in Nepal.
2. What are the objectives of National Communication Policy, 2049 B.S. ? Why policy interventions does it make achieve these objectives?
3. Give a brief account of media regulation system in Nepal. How do you evaluate the implementation aspects of Nepalese media regulations?
4. "Nepal has made big achievements in community radio broadcasting." Do you agree?
Group "B"
5. How do production houses and broadcasting stations differ from each other?
6. What are the different kinds of broadcasting services functioning in Nepal?
7. What is the role of private sector in the development of films in Nepal?
8. Explain the present status of Right to Information in Nepal.
9. Assess the relevance of the long-term Communication Policy, 2059B.S.
10. Why has foreign investment in media been a topical issue in Nepal?

Tribhuvan University
2061
Master Level/II Year/ Humanities Full Marks: 100
Nepalese Media System and Journalism (JMC. 515)
Group "A"
(Long- answer Questions
1. Describe the major components of the long term communication policy of Nepal, 2059 B.S. How do you look at the relevance of this policy in comparison with previous policy (2049) ?
2. What are the basic components of a media system and how are they functioning in Nepal ?
3. Hoe do you evaluate the financial conditions of Nepalese broadsheet dailies? Compare this with the financial status of weekly newspapers.
4. Write a brief outline of the film industry development in Nepal. Which period is called the 'golden age 'of Nepali cinema and why?

Group "B"
(Short –answer Questions)
5. Why is Radio Sagarmatha described as a pioneering broadcasting orgation not only in Nepal, but in whole South Asia?
6. How should a National Broadcasting Authority function?
7. Describe the debate over ownership control in Nepalese media industry.
8. Can we consider the "Sanad" of B.S. 1958 as an early Nepalese media policy document?
9. Describe the status of book publishing in Nepal.
10. Discuss the strengths and Weaknesses of Journalists Code of Conduct, 2060 B.S.
Tribhuvan University
2062
Master Level/II Year/ Humanities Full Marks: 100
Nepalese Media System and Journalism (JMC. 515)

Group "A"
(Long- answer Questions)
1. What are your observations about market expansion of mass media in Nepal after 1990? Who are the new players of this period?
2. Give brief account of the situation when radio in Nepal has emerged and developed.
3. Describe advertisement policies being practical in the country. Give your suggestion to improve them.
4. What are the basic differences between the Nepalese legal system governing media before and after 1990?

Group "B"
(Short –answer Questions)
5. What kind of priority is given to media sector in the government planning? Give brief answer referring to the 10th Five –Year Plan.
6. 'Communication for development!' What this slogan symbolizes in the course of Nepalese media development.
7. Write about the influence of politics in Nepalese media.
8. Give a brief historical account of Book publishing in Nepal.
9. What is the major focus and characteristics of most of the feature services in Nepal?
10. Why is it believed that the situation of Nepalese films is declining these days?

Tribhuvan University
2061
Master Level/II Year/ Humanities Full Marks: 80
Comparative Press Laws and Media System (JMC.511)
1. Differentiate media system between USA and UK. How are the media system characterized with the media in the SAARC region?
2. Describe the theories of the press laws. Why are the press laws guided from conventional theories? Explain with suitable examples.
3. What provisions for press laws are depicted from western countries to the developing countries? Describe the basis of press freedom and censorship.
4. What is the concept of Press Council in general? Explain the structure and functions of press council with reference to Nepal.
5. Explain media and legal system in Nepal.
6. Why are libel and contempt of court more sensitive in the media environment? Explain briefly.
7. Define journalistic privileges and their significance.
8. Describe the problem of practices of privacy and liability of physical harm.
9. Describe the Asian media system and the press.
10. Explain the structural and organizational perspectives of news gathering system.

Tribhuvan University
2062
Master Level/II Year/ Humanities Full Marks: 80
Comparative Press Laws and Media System (JMC.511)
3×16=48
Group "A"
(Long- answer Questions)
1. Discuss modern theories of press law and explain how these theories influence different press laws.
2. Differentiate the press laws of UK and those of South ASEAN countries.
3. What are the different between legal provisions and ethical regulations of press ? Explain.
4. Critically analyze the concept of Press Council system with references to Nepal.

(Short- answer Questions)
4×8=32
5. Explain how the laws of libel and of copyright affect the media in Nepal.
6. What are the provision of Defamation Act of India and UK? Give examples.
7. Compare and contrast the laws concerning privacy and liability for physical harms. Discuss.
8. What are the major problems that journalists face while gathering news? Discuss with structural and organizational perspective.
9. Why is contempt of court more sensitive and emotional in the media field? Explain with examples.
10. Explain 'press freedom and censorship are two sides of coin.'

Development Communication and Journalism (JMC.517)

2060
Group "A"
1. How do the exemplars of the dominant paradigm conceptulise the role of communication for development? Describe.
2. The importance of the critical approach to communication research, particularly in the Asia cannot be overstated because this approach can be productive in stimulating social change in a structural sense. Why?
3. Describe the new communication function of participatory media in the context of another development strategy.
4. How was the role of development communication conceptualized in the Nepalese economic development plans over the last fifty years. Discuss.

Group "B"

5. What recommendations were made by the International Commission for the study of communication problems in regard to new communication policies relevant to level study?
6. Distinguish the type of development studies known as macro societal level study from the micro level study.
7. What do you understand by Asian Perspective on Communication Theory?
8. What is the development of underdevelopment?
9. Describe with a diagram Learner's model of Development Communication.
10. What are the main approaches to Development Communication?

Development Communication and Journalism (JMC.517)

2062
Group "A"
(Long- answer Questions)
1. Examine the fatal flaws in communication approach to modernization theory.
2. Describe the role of the Internet in rural development.
3. What are the issues raised by an ethical perspective of development communication? Discuss with special references to Nepali cases.
4. What are the challenges facing Nepalese journalists who are practicing environment al journalism at the community media level? Discuss.

Group "B"
(Short - answer Questions)
5. National Planning Commission of Nepal and development communication.
6. Development communication in the empowerment framework.
7. The folk media in development communication.
8. ACB model of Westley and MacLean.
9. Alternative perspectives on development.
10. Nepali television reporting o rural development in Nepal.

International and Inter-Cultural Communication and Media (JMC.506)
2060
Group "A" 3×20=60
(Long- answer Questions)
1. Discuss theoretical approaches to international communication in the past and present. Describe in detail one of theories and make a short description of four of the remaining theories.
2. Define culture and explain intercultural communication, with emphasis on intercultural communication effectiveness. List and explain personal and objective factors important for intercultural communication (facilitating it of making it more difficult).
3. Does global culture really exist? Do media and to creation of global culture?
4. The approaches to communication and media within UN structure (UN and its agencies, i.e. UNESCO, ITU, WTO, etc) have been changing in the course of history. Describe different stands taken by the organization and its agencies. Show your acquaintance wit documents (with these institutions), which have had consequences for international communication

Group'B'

5. Describe the main ideas and postulates of Information Society. How did the idea originate and which institutions are currently involved in fostering it ?
6. Write about two non-governmental international organizations, which actions are either directly connected with media, or have some influence on international media.
7. In the international context , what do alternative media mean? How are they different from 'mainstream media'?
8. How should new technologies be introduced in developing countries? What are dangers and advantages of new technologies in developing countries?
9. What factors make the reception of foreign media contents and audience attitude to these contents positive? What factors create hostile environment for reception of foreign media texts?
10. How have technologies facilitated the formation of multimedia, international corporations? Describe one such company.

International and Inter-Cultural Communication and Media (JMC.506)
2061
Group "A" 3×20=60
(Long- answer Questions)
1. Why do people from different cultures want to communicate? Do you think such communication is possible? How can this be made easier?
2. Can we call eastern cultures traditional? Which are the distinctive characteristics of traditional cultures ? How do cultures vary with one another in conceptualizing time and space, in communication patterns and collective or individual approach to members of the society?
3. What does 'liberalization in communication and media markets' mean? What are the implications of international media markets deregulation and what are the consequences for international communication of rapid expansion of new technologies?
4. Discuss different forms of internationalization and localization in media international market. What are their relations to the culture(s)?

5. What are national stereotypes? What role do they play in the international communication?
6. Explain the ideas of free flow of information and dependency theory. (including structural dependency).
7. What are the relations between intercultural and international communication?
8. Depict any international intergovernmental organization, which influences the media at international and national level.
9. How are some indigenous media organizations in developing countries forced to transform themselves because of the presence (and operation) of foreign media Analyze some examples.
10. Why does a good understanding of a foreign language alone not be enough for effective intercultural understanding?

International and Inter-Cultural Communication and Media (JMC.506)
2062
Group "A" 3×20=60
(Long- answer Questions)

1. What are the similarities between intercultural and international communications? How do you understand intercultural communication in Nepali context?
2. What are the main differences between western and non-western cultures? How do the patterns of thinking and communicating differ?
3. Which of the UN agencies are crucial for international communication and in what way?
4. Is globalization in media a reality of myth? Justify your opinion. What are the indicators, characteristics and effect of globalization? What is the counter-force to globalization?
Group "B"
(Long- answer Questions) 4×10=40
5. How should the new technologies be introduced into traditional societies?
6. By 1994, CNN, BBC became significant players in the arena of international communication. Why?
7. Influence of the new technology on inter-cultural communication process. Explain.
8. What could be the stumbling blocks in intercultural communication?
9. What role does caste system plays in communication in Nepali society?
10. Do the foreign media content and formats influence Nepali culture; the contents received directly trough contact with foreign media and indirectly trough Nepali media implementing them?

Legal Eyes on Working Journalists Act

2007-05-28T13:44:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I believe that people who have not studied journalism from Proficiency Level have rights to study Journalism and Mass Communication in Masters Level. This is happening in two colleges in Nepal: Kantipur City College and College of Mass Communication and Journalism. It is not happening in R R College.

I think specialists need to think over Nepali journalism and mass communication. Here I am giving an example of Working Journalists Act 2051 v.s.(1995) Ramesh Badal is a lawyer having specialization in Labour issues. His interpretation of the genesis of Working Journalist Act of Nepal was new to me. I studied the act minutely many times but I could not discern the issues as he did. He was speaking in a media discussion series organized by Martin Chautari on 24 May 2007. Its topic was Issues Related to Working Journalists in Electronic Media.

He thinks it was a blunder of Nepali journalism sector to deny to entertain Labour Act in 1990s. At that time in Nepal trade unionism was only in industries, factories and hotels. Journalists went for Working Journalists Act as in India to differ themselves from muscle power using workers.

According to Badal there is a provision of entertaining Industrial Dispute Act in Indian act related to working journalists which Nepali act lacks.
Actually media owners framed Nepali Working Journalists Act. And the act came in favour of media owner.

These owners included a clause of “journalists in contract”. This provision became weapons to exploit journalists. Nepali journalism sector in infant age at that time and there was majority of journalists who even see management.
So the demand for its amendments came in later years. Some even demand to annul the act.

Government has brought a bill related to amendments in the act. It covers all journalists: print, radio, tv and online. The bill provides equal facilities even to journalists in contract.

Yet Badal is not satisfied with the amendments. He thinks all issues related to working journalists are to be addressed through labour department and labour court. This is not clear in the amendments. He still sees hesitation in journalism sector to go through labour act.

Political Appointments in Media and Ill Health of Gorkhapatra Sasthan.

2007-05-27T19:55:00.000+09:00

Harsha Man Maharjan

There is a rumor going on in the town these days about the Gorkhapatra Sasthan(G.S.): It is on the verge of collapse. A friend in my college informed me that the Sasthan lacks news print, and Workers related to CPN (Maoist) are stopping Pandit from entring the Sasthan.

Its director, Tej Prakash Pundit is on leave for few weeks. Former Communication Minister Dilendra Badu appointed Pundit in the post. Badu is related to Nepali Congress. Now Krishna Bahadur Mohara is Communication Minister. And he has no good relation with Pandit.

Now it is time to think about the political appointment in government-owned media houses. Usually these are the big posts and they get change as soon as there is a change in the government. On the one side we are saying that government should provide independence to these media institutions. On the other side we are seeing political appointments. I have not figure about way out this. Only I know is government should not interfere in these media institutions.

Timid Kantipur

2007-05-08T18:37:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

On 26 April 2007 (16 Baisakh 2064 v.s ), Kantipur, a Nepali broadsheet daily did a scoop on Rayamajhi Ayog. It has byline by Bal Krishna Basnet. He got Rayamajhi Commission’s report form a source. The government has kept this report secret after members of the commission submitted the report.

On that day I praised Kantipur for the scoop. I think every Nepali has right to know what is written in the commission’s report. It is a public property. So as the government was not making it public, I think it is kantipur’s responsibility to publish the report. I hoped that kantipur will not lag behind on this matter. What I remembered on that day was Pentagon papers of America. American government kept secret Pentagon papers related to its involvement in Vietnam War Few newspapers got the papers. When they published the papers in different parts the government ordered to stop publishing the papers and the case went to court. And the court gave verdict on the favour of newspapers.

That’s why I hoped that Kantipur would publish the report next day. I was waiting the paper next day with bated breath. What the paper had was only an editorial on the report of Rayamajhi Commission.
I waited for another day. There was no commission’s report. So in the evening I called Katipur’s editor, Narayan Wagle in his mobile phone to know about the issue. No one responded me. Next I tried in Guna Raj Luintel’s mobile. He was in a program and with out knowing my concern he told me to contact him after an hour. At last I called at Kantipur publication and talked with my colleague, Lekh Nath Pandey. He informed me that Kantipur only got part two of the report and they were thinking about publishing it.

I think still today Kantipur is thinking about issue and it is showing no courage to publish this commission’s report. Isn’t it Kantipur’s duty to publish the report?

History Channel telling a Winner’s Tale

2007-04-24T12:52:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

There is a saying: winners write history. Do you believe this?

I am trying to link this notion with history channel, a tv channel. It broadcasts programs related to different aspects of history. This is one of my favorite channels.

Among its program I like Biography. This program even got chance to be the top ten programs in India few years ago. Its old footage attracts me. How charmingly these programs use steel photos to tell people’s stories. I can only praise the channel for this.

Few weeks ago my belief in the channel shattered. On that day it presented a program on four world famous royal massacres. I forgot details of two of them. Remaining two was about the Tsar family of the USSR and the family of King Birendra.

I could hardly believe what the program told about the royal massacre of Nepal. It blamed then prince Dipendra for the massacre. We all know this was the official version, only few Nepali believed.

My hope at that time was to get information on general people’s disbelief about the official version of the massacre. The world must know this fact and the history channel could have done this. But it took only the official version and quelled alternative versions.

Still today history tells only winners’ tales.

How sad. Isn’t it?

Nepal Army’s PR Material in Kantipur TV

2007-04-23T12:45:00.000+09:00

By Harsha Man Maharjan

People blame Nepal Army for its weak public relations. This scenario is changing these days. People of Pili, Kalikot are thankful to the army for building a road. It seems that these people will never forget the army’s contribution. The road will make their life easy. There is no doubt.

Here my concern is on another thing. These days my exam is going on and I am immersed in it. I had hardly time for other activities. Yet I managed time to watch a talk program of Kantipur TV, Bahas during my exam.

On April 21, 2007 I was surprised to see a documentary on the bravery of the Nepal Army, I place of Bahas. I was a wee bit late and missed the beginning part. I didn’t know the reason of this. Even earlier some times other programs took Bahas’s place.
The documentary was about the army’s ability to construct road. All people were praising the army’s deed. Rukmanga Kattuwal was doing the same.

While watching the program, I thought that it might be the footage of Kantipur TV. Actually Nepal Army made this documentary. This was shown in the end of the program. It was a public relation material to upgrade the army’s image.

What was the motive of the Kantipur TV behind showing this documentary? Was it used as a filler only to fill time? Or, was it the planned program of the Nepal Army? Had KTV any axe to grind through this documentary? Questions remain.

Notice

2007-04-03T15:54:00.000+09:00

Friends

My exam is going on. I might not post for few weeks.

harsha

2007-04-03T15:34:00.001+09:00