Minimum monthly wage for journalists: How far will it be implemented? (Commentary)

By Pritam Bhattarai (Kathmandu) / May 18: Working journalists recently received a gift of an increment in their monthly minimum wages to a minimum of Rs 19,500 with the Cabinet meeting on May 5 approving a proposal to that effect.

The increment is almost double-fold from earlier Rs 10,008. The salary revision has provided a sense of happiness to hundreds of working journalists and is likely to make them more dedicated towards their profession. And the credit for this noble cause goes to the Federation of Nepali Journalists, an umbrella organisation of all working journalists across the country.

However, questions still remain unanswered—of how far the salary revision will be implemented especially at a time when media house owners are against it. And was the previous salary revision implemented properly?

In over 125 years of recorded history of Nepal’s journalism, it was only after the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal in 1990 that journalism started exercising professionalism independently with the press freedom and right to information guaranteed by the then constitution. However, that long march forward was not that easy for media outlets as the then Maoist decade-long insurgency started not so long after press freedom was ensured. And so was the case with the then journalists.

The then journalists had to work being on a knife-edge as they would become a soft target of both then Maoist rebels and state security personnel for writing what they called an article against them. Under these circumstances, the size of the pay was a less concerned matter for them then.

Over half a dozen of journalists were killed and scores of them beaten up, threatened and displaced during the insurgency that ended in 2006. The dark days for Nepali journalism was also marked during the former King Gyanendra Shah’s direct rule following the royal massacre in 2058 BS and the Madhes Andolan in 2064.

The situation of Nepali media outlets and journalists has not yet improved for the good. Many media outlets are struggling to survive for want of advertisements that primarily decides their survival and journalists are struggling to sustain for want of pay enough to make their ends meet.

For a good cause, the number of media houses mushroomed especially after the 2006 Jana Andolan as the environment was more conducive for them then. And so was the number of journalists.

In the beginning phase, the journalists in their career phase were hired at relatively low pay as they were eager for their future career in journalism and for exposure as well. As time passed by, the situation did not seem better for most media outlets as they lacked and continue to lack advertisements to run office with the business market often facing up and down primarily due to political instability. Such situation of media outlets also severely affected the working journalists. The inflation skyrocketed, but the size of their wages did not, often causing frustrations among many of them. Now the situation is also no different for them as many of them still do not get their regular pay, forget the salary increment.

Under these circumstances, how can journalists deliver well? Even people not associated with journalism opine that you cannot sustain through an ‘honest’ journalism in Nepal at least at this point of time. Except for a handful of media outlets, most of them are struggling to sustain financially. Regular pay is a hard cry for many working journalists. In a sense, regular payment is far better than the increment given the scenario of journalism at present.

However, amid such circumstances, the FNJ has been continuously working for the welfare of working journalists. Taking in mind sustenance of working journalists, the FNJ has been revising the minimum pay of working journalists. In 2011, the minimum wage of working journalists was increased to Rs 10,008 from Rs 7,200 in 2009. However, the salary revision of 2011 could not be implemented properly. According to a report filed at the Minimum Wage Fixation Committee recently, 26 percent journalists were yet to get minimum wages.

So it is most important to properly monitor implementation of the salary revision and ensure working journalists get their regular pay. And salary revision will be effectively implemented if media houses owners are also taken into confidence with regards to this matter.

Relations between journalists and media house owners

The relations between journalists and media outlet owners are like something that is inseparable. In a general meaning, the growth of any business house determines future prospect of its employees. Wellbeing of working journalists, to some extent, depends upon the sustenance of media outlets.

It is also undeniable fact that they are many sitting journalists who are running media houses themselves. And the fact also should take into account that if any of us, the journalists are giving justice to working journalists working for us in terms of their pay as far as the implementation of salary revision to working journalists is concerned. RSS