Report paints a relatively peaceful atmosphere for Nepali media in 2016

Kathmandu / Dec 31: Nepali media saw relatively peaceful atmosphere in 2016 with significant decline on number of anti-press incidents.

As many as 25 incidents of press freedom violations occurred in the year 2016 against 83 in 2015, states the annual press freedom monitoring report prepared by Freedom Forum – a civil society organization working to defend freedom of expression in Nepal.

Though the number of incidents is 25, nearly 75 media persons came across a spate of attacks, threats, harassment and obstructions that limited them to freely exercise their right to freedom of press and thereby affect free flow of information to the people.

Despite having much awaited constitution in place, political stability was threatened especially due to political parties’ differences over provincial demarcation, which undoubtedly kept media under fear of intimidations, the report reads.

There was neither any forward-looking policy on media, nor any measure taken from the State to address the impunity relating to the crimes against journalists, which is a pressing need, but has been pending for long. Journalists’ professionalism is still eluding.

According to the report, Province-2 (which includes eight districts in the southern plains) and 3 (which houses the capital city Kathmandu) witnessed the highest number of violations- six and 12 respectively whereas Province-4 and 6 remained free of violations.

Similarly, Province-5 witnessed four violations followed by Province-7 with two violations and the only one at Province-1.

There were 11 incidents of attacks, while five threats and death threat combined, four manhandles, and five arrest/ detentions including physical attacks on two media houses.

Among the major anti-press incidents occurred during the period are bulldozing of FM radio building in Dhading causing loss of Rs 10 million, attack on reporter over the news story on the misuse of public money and manhandle of a photo journalist while taking snap of arrest of protestors inside Singha Durbar (the government’s central administrative building), among others.

The trend of running internet-based media has hopped significantly, the report states, adding currently there are 5011 internet-based media in Nepal till date against the record of 250 in 2015.

The monitoring report reveals that out of the total reporters/news writers and news sources there are only 13.4% women working as reporters and 10.67% women acted as news sources in the main dailies. Internet penetration is expanding gradually in Nepal which rose to 52.7% as compared to the record of 44.112 in the last year.

Inaction on impunity

The report has painted the bleak picture of inaction on impunity relating to the crime against journalists. Many crimes (murder of) against journalists are yet to be addressed by the State.

While assessing legal status of journalists/media persons murdered and disappeared from 1996 to 2016, it was found that more than two-third of the cases relating to media persons’ murder were not investigated. The murder cases of Ishwor Budathoki (RSS), Kumar Ghimire (Janaprabhat weekly), Dev Kumar Acharya (Janadisha daily), Raj Kumar KC (RSS), Rohan Chaudhary (Jaleshwornath FM) have neither been investigated nor any process forwarded, the report highlighted.

Similarly, murder cases of Gopal Giri (Nepali Patra), media entrepreneurs Jamim Shah and Arun Singhaniya are still under investigation.

Gender equality poor:

The monitoring on gender dimension carried out during the last three months (October-December 2016) has found women’s presence meager

“News sources, as news writers and news presenters were almost all males. More than 50% dominance of male journalists and sources in the news depicts poor gender equality in Nepali media”, the report reveals.

Among the total media persons, males occupy 95 percent. Study of 5 main dailies (Kantipur, Annapurna Post, Commander Post, Republica and The Himalayan Times).

Internet penetration and use of social media on rise:

There were 13.4% female reporters and 10.67% female sources were quoted in the newspapers, 48.15% of news the female reporters brought are about political issues, whereas only 18.52% about social and legal issues.

Attracting women towards media and retaining them in this profession is a big challenge. Women occupy around 15% population of total Nepali journalists, which stands around 11,000. Social Networking Sites Internet is becoming increasingly pervasive in Nepal too.

As much as 52.7% of the total populations is connected to internet irrespective of convenience and speed. Approximately 8 million Nepalis are using social media. However, the users of internet are almost city centered.

Policy concerns:

The Ministry of Information and Communications has sent the Directive on Operation and Management of Online Media to the Council of Ministers for approval after the revision.

Earlier, the Directive had drawn flak over its various provisions that were against freedom of expression, e.g. government could block websites if they failed to renew their registration on time, and published content against the law. “As per the directive, one needs to register online media before launching it, that is to say, any website that wants to do online journalism should apply for registration with details of editor or broadcasters”, the report quotes.

Similarly, the government approved the National Mass Communications Policy which the report stated has failed to duly address the issues relating to internet based media.

“The ‘registration’ of the internet-based media discourages freedom of expression on the internet. The internet-based media has been treated differently from the print media which is wrong”, according to the report.

The Policy has also failed to duly mention the transformation of State broadcasters Radio Nepal and Nepal Television- into the public service broadcasting, which is long advocated agenda for media reform in Nepal.

Against the spirit and principles of the freedom of expression, Press Council Nepal has planned to conduct license exams for the journalists.

“It is ridiculous to make one take exam to become a journalist, because the qualification tests of journalists can be conducted by the concerned media houses. It is the media house’s right to determine what sort of human resources is required for it”, the monitoring report states.

Key positive measures:

The procedure for implementing the provision providing 50 percent discount to working journalists for treatment in government hospitals and fixation of minimum monthly wage of working journalists at Rs 19,500 are, among others, positive developments recorded during the period. RSS