2. Background
Journalism in this small Himalayan country is yet to be
lucrative profession for many aspiring journalist. Sad yet true
many journalists across the country have been fighting to get
paid with minimum wages and intimidation, attack,
misbehave and atrocities have been a common phenomena at
the country.
In 2012, one journalist was killed and numerous others
were attacked and received threats in connection with their
reports. Freedom of Press and of Expression was challenged
by both government and non-government actors.
3. Incidents of Press Freedom Violation
during 2012
In 2012, one journalist was killed and numerous others
were attacked and received threats in connection with their
reports. Freedom of Press and of Expression was
challenged by both government and non-government
actors.
A study carried by Freedom Forum, an organization
working to promote press freedom situation in the country
showed that a total of 147 incidents of press freedom
violation occurred in Nepal during the year 2012. In 2011, a
total of 96 such incidents were recorded by the
organization.
4. Detail of Incidents
Closure 1
press vehicle torch 6
Book torched -- 1
intimidation -- 3
Disappearance -- 1
Journalists under control -- 3
Loot -- 3
Threats – 14
6. Killing of Yadav Paudel in 2012
Killing of journalist Yadav Poudel from Jhapa -- a
district in the southern plain of Nepal on April 3, 2012
left Nepali media panicked. It obviously ruined the
morale of journalists across the country.
Although the murderers of journalist Poudel have
already been punished with life-time
imprisonment, the hostile atmosphere for free
reporting is still looming. Media workers in Jhapa are
still agitated and agonized with fear psychology with
no assurance of security from the government side.
7. Communal, ethnic and regional tensions
and media
The country is still struggling to complete the transition
from a monarchy to a federal republic and no one can
predict the future of democracy at this juncture of time in
the country.
It is a sharp rise as situation grew remarkably hostile
during the months on the eve of the collapse of Constituent
Assembly that was supposed to promulgate new
constitution in May 27, 2012.
Journalists and media outlets were at the receiving end
during this period. Three days- May 20-22, of 2012
remained 'black days' in Nepali media. It was worrying that
government remained mum on the perpetrators of media
freedom during these days
8. Dispute of minimum wages
In Nepal, most of the journalists in Nepal are
underpaid. The government has been failing to
implement the provision of minimum wages as set by
the Minimum Remuneration Fixation Committee's rule.
Media employers are not provided even the
appointment letters to the media persons.
The trend continued in 2012 and the government’s
plan of implementing minimum wages had been an
illusive.
9. Partisan Press
Maoists are supporter of partisan press by principle. Partisan
press has been rampant once they started to run the government
in Nepal.
The ruling government of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) and the Madhes-centric political parties has funded the
partisan and region-based media union and organizations- a new
trend during 2012 in Nepali media.
The government funding to the partisan and region-based media
union has badly politicized the media which is detrimental to
free and professional journalism. The Madhesi Media Forum
aligned to the Madhes-centric parties of the government was
provided Rs 1.5 million as training budget.
(Freedom Forum)
10. International Fact Finding and Advocacy Media
Mission o Nepal
The International Fact Finding and Advocacy Mission to
Nepal (also known as the International Media Mission)
visited Nepal from 23 to 2 February 2012 to assess the
media freedom situation in the country.
The International Mission was represented by AMARC,
ARTICLE 19, Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD),
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International
ederation of Journalists (I J), International News Safety
Institute (INSI), International Media Support (IMS),
International Press Institute (IPI), Internews, Open Society
Foundations (OSF), Reporters sans Frontières (RSF), South
Asia Free Media Association (SA MA), South Asia Media
Solidarity Network (SAMSN) and UNESCO.
11. The International Mission’s priority
concern:
The International Mission had two priority
concerns.:
1. Implementation of the Working Journalists’ Act,
security of employment and their compensation or
working journalists
2. growing threats to online freedom of expression
and the application of restrictive regulations to the
Internet.
12. The International Mission’s appeal to
the government:
We call upon media owners and employers to fulfill
their legal obligations under the Working Journalists’
Act by signing secure employment agreements with
journalists and by paying the wages that are set pursuant
to the law. We also call on the Government to fulfill its
obligation to enforce the law where owners and
employers do not do so.”
Second, the International Mission is concerned with the
growing threats to online freedom of expression and the
application o restrictive regulations to the Internet.
13. Fragile Freedom
After demise of main state organ, that
is, legislature, the country faced major setbacks in
democracy. Whether due to violence by criminal
groups, as in southern Terai, or government hostility to
media criticism, media freedom was on the defensive
in the country.
Monitoring agencies have weaken and the government
wants media houses to be entirely its mouthpiece
which will have adverse impact in professional
journalism in the days to come.
14. IFJ says, “working conditions remain
dismal”
As reported in the South Asia Press Freedom Report
for 2011, a committee formed under the WJA pointed
out in a report submitted November 2010, that 37
percent of the country’s (Nepal’s) journalists are paid
below the prescribed minimum wage, while 45 percent
are working without letters of appointment. Among
the media houses surveyed, 48 percent had failed to
introduce basic measures such as retirement and
welfare funds, medical cover and insurance.
15. Lip Service not Enough
As a journalist in Biratnagar town told the
International Media Mission of February 2012: “The
political parties rule the law, they are not ruled by the
law. Until this changes, nothing changes”. There has
been too much back-and-forth between media and
political parties in fixing responsibility for unsettled
and often hostile relations. Media organizations
recognize that it is time to implement sound ethical
guidelines as part of their internal editorial process.
But they are not yet ready to take full responsibility for
the consequences arising from violence against
journalists.
(International Federation of Journalist)
16. Ethical Dimension should be encouraged
As a watchdog of government and society, journalists
should not forget ethical values and professionals
standards. Journalism is business but it is not just like
another business.
In 2012, the trend of some unethical practices from
journalists also emerged in the country which can be
dubbed as a stumbling block to the professional
journalism.
17. The smarter the journalists are, the better off society
is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform
themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the
student body.
- Warren Buffett
Siromani Dhungana
Researcher, Journalist & Media Educator
Kathmandu, Nepal
Email: siromanidhungana@gmail.com | meshiromani@gmail.com
