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
18 June 2007
Nepal 1 Forced 8 Journalists to Leave Thier Job
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/
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/
10 June 2007
Twice Mistake by KTV
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.
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.
07 June 2007
Political Appointments in Gorkhapatra Sasthan and Nepal Television Corporation
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.
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.
03 June 2007
Stale News on Kukur Biralo in Gorkhaptra
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.
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.
02 June 2007
Future of High-level Taskforce on Restructuring and Autonomy of Government Media
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.
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.
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