Media Woes

In recent months, Newslook was almost in recess when it comes to pithy comments— after all that big bang in February. It deserved some break. In fact, there is no dearth of comments and opinions on the issue—the Internet is unprecedentedly replete with a range of views. Now, time to speak up again when your brethrens are under invasion. The language and spirit of the new media ordinance IS alarming but we all know documents don’t mean much in Nepal’s hukumi bureaucracy. Orals work better than literals. But when the nation’s media leadership is literally under attack, principles begin to matter. The plundering of Kantipur FM shows the true nature of King Gyanendra’s determination. It all began when the king, a sovereign in the making, blocked this website in late February. The blockage later extended to more than a dozen other informative sites. There was a dim hope that the step was not a definite resolve but sort of a dhamki only to the youthful and spirited media that did not always know how to use the freedoms in moderation. Immediately after the royal takeover, Newslook asked some respectable journalists in KTM if the King had truly dismantled media freedoms. The rallies by journalists’ group were merely gurkhis, one journalist replied. In deed, a cursory survey would reveal that even the mainstream news media were more critical in their reporting of royalty than many of the blocked websites! More than 9 months have passed since then. Political parties and journalists and activists have taken to the streets, instead of a roundtable, many, many times. The demos and rallies, Nepal’s gift of negative participatory democracy, have become even more characteristic of our national identity. So much so that even America’s top-level domains, such as nyrally.org anddcrally.org are owned and operated by Nepalis. The king himself completed recently another round of his deshbharman, essentially being rallied around by people. Such rallies, often visual circuses for public consumption, may be hurting us more than helping us. The outside world also thinks so; they have the advantage of a distance. International media groups are not happy with the king and they predict a worrisome scenario. We need roundtables, not rallies. The ultimate loss is freedom, the freedom to come together despite differences; press or otherwise. (Oct 22/05)

• What does the muzzling of the press indicate? TelegraphIndia, Oct 12/05
• King declares new measures to muzzle media, MediaChannel, Oct 11/05
• CPJ says new media law repressive, condems it, CPJ, Oct 11/05
• Defy new media rules, says FNJ, HT, Oct 11/05
• FNJ to move SC against new media law, THT, Oct 10/05
• IPI calls on govt to rescind media ordinance, IPI, Oct 10/05
• King promulgates ordinance to control media, TheHindu, Oct 10/05
• King promulgates media ordinance, NepalNews, Oct 10/05
• Media fiat evokes sharp condemnation, The Himalayan Times, Oct 10/05
• HM issues ordinances, TRN/RSS, Oct 10/05
• Harsh media ordinance makes a comeback, TKP, Oct 10/05
• Controversial press law introduced, KoL, Oct 09/05