mediaharsha

  Media researcher  Harsha Man Maharjan  is associated with Martin Chautari, one of the few social science research organisations in Nepal. Maharjan holds a doctorate degree in media studies from Kyoto University in Japan and has extensively studied Nepal's media industry.  Purushottam Poudel  of the Post spoke with Maharjan on the theory of media, its applicability in the changed context, the issue of media regulation, digital democracy, old and new media and a host of other issues. The following are excerpts from that interview.  In the traditional media, the media dependency theory had a dominant role in a country like ours. How do you evaluate the media dependency theory with the emergence of new media?  We know that the media dependency theory discusses the core and the periphery. It assumes that people on the periphery need to depend on the media at the core. As a media researcher, I cannot state that this theory does not have its influence, bu...

कामना गौतम   | मंगलबार, वैशाख २०, २०७९   अहिले स्थानीय चुनावको सरगर्मी बढ्दो छ । स्थानीय तहमा उम्मेदवारी दिएकाहरू जनताको माझमा गएर वाचा गर्न व्यस्त छन् । दलहरूले चुनावी घोषणापत्र सार्वजनिक गरेका छन् । कतिपय उम्मेदवारहरू भने सामाजिक सञ्जालमा निर्वाचन आयोगले तोकेको आचारसंहिताभन्दा अघि बढेर एक–अर्का उम्मेदवारलाई आरोप–प्रत्यारोप गरिरहेका छन् । निर्वाचन आचारसंहिता , ०७८ को परिच्छेद ४ को ‘राजनीतिक दल , उम्मेदवार तथा दलको भ्रातृ   संगठनले पालना गर्नुपर्ने आचरण’ को दफा १२ को ‘क’ बुँदामा ‘जुलुस , आमसभा , कोँणसभा , बैठक एवम् भेला गर्दा सभ्य र अनुशासित तरिकाले गर्नुपर्ने र कसैको घरको आसपासमा गई निज वा निजको परिवारको सदस्यको सम्बन्धमा विरोध वा प्रदर्शन गर्न नहुने ,’ उल्लेख छ । तर , कतिपय उम्मेदवारले यो आचारसंहिता पालना गरेका छैनन् । सोही परिच्छेदको ‘ण’ बुँदामा ‘अनलाइन वेब पेज , टीभी स्क्रोलिङ , सपिङ मलमा डिस्प्ले , कल सेन्टर सञ्चालन , बैंकका एटीएम काउन्टरमा सन्देश वा सडक नाटक आदि माध्यमबाट दलको वा उम्मेदरको बारेमा कुनै प्रचारप्रसार गर्न वा गराउन नहुने ,’ उल्लेख छ । यो बुँदालाई पनि उम...

By Harsha Man Maharjan  The debate regarding singer Durgesh Thapa’s new song, “Bicha Bichama -4 (Khyassa Putali)”, released  o n  Youtube  on 23 July 2021 on the occasion of Teej show that a group of people are not happy with the use of the words, “Khyassa Putali”. Just a day earlier,  the National Folk and Duet Song Academy Nepa l had requested the singer to change these two “objectionable” words and after the singer did not follow their request, it has been reported that this organization is planning to boycott the singer and the song. This situation has created the debate regarding the shrinking of digital spaces in Nepal. Let us see the other two cases in brief. Shrinking Digital Spaces This first case is related to “national security”. A video was made public on the Youtube channel with the title  “Deshdrohi”  on August 18, 2020. The lyrics of the  video criticizes Brahmins and Chhetris and it contains visuals of burning the national flag ...

By Harsha Man Maharjan    Digital technologies have become pervasive and ubiquitous. Traditional news media organisations have moved to websites and apps, with people accessing news contents in digital forms. Social media platforms have become important to express thoughts and exhibit identities. IT companies and even news media organisations are collecting, storing and analysing users’ data. These organisations are using these digital footprints to innovate. Due to the pandemic, the use of digital platforms like Zoom has increased for interaction and education. The pandemic has accelerated the digitalisation of societies. Scholars are discussing the issues related to domination, identity, representation and differences in the digital sphere.   The disciplines under social science and humanities should be helpful to make sense of this digitalisation. These disciplines need to make students aware of these socio-technological changes. They have to encourage students to...

By Harsha Man Maharjan  The evidence shows YouTube could be a menace, when it is left unchecked — audience being uncritical, YouTuber being avarice — and there are concerns that some mechanisms to govern YouTubers are needed. YouTube has become a platform not only to help those in need, but also to spread malice, hatred, rumours, and earn revenue easily. While discussing the governing mechanisms, we should focus on the role of different actors — state, YouTubers and audiences — and create a balance between rights and responsibilities. Role of state The mechanism the state uses is legal provisions to govern YouTubers, but these provisions have come under criticism as often freedom of expression is curtailed when these laws are used. Let us see two cases, in which the charges were made under the  Electronic Transaction Act, 2008. One, in March 2019, police arrested a model, the owner of YouTube channel,  Masti Talk Time  produced by Fulchoki Media  and its host in...