20 February 2008
Network society of how many for what ?
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 ?
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 ?
18 February 2008
Civic Engagements and Interference for Inclusive Media in Nepal
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/
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/
17 February 2008
Who Cares of Others ?
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.
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.
15 February 2008
People's interest in blogging increasing in Nepal
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.
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.
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