Vietnamese film in capital

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 23: Inter-Cultural Film Society, a non-profit NGO screened Thuong nho dong que or Longing for the Country, a Vietnamese film yesterday at Russian Cultural Centre amidst the gathering of its members, mostly foreigners and media persons.

The 116 minute-long Longing for the Country that was produced in 1996 is a film by Dang Nhat Minh. Minh has successfully reflected the rural Vietnam where the farmers, especially women have to toil hard in the paddy and sugarcane fields.

Inter-Cultural Film Society that aims to bring diverse feature films from different cultures around the globe to its audience in Nepal for the promotion of inter-cultural understanding has been screening such films in the capital since March this year. It screens a film once a month (on fourth Saturday according to the English Calendar) and the Longing for the Country is its fifth film on the line.

With the screening of Volmond or Fullmoon, a film from Switzerland on Saturday, 19th August its programme for the first six months will be over. Its next film programme begins from 23rd September with the screening of Chameli, a Nepali feature film by Rabi Baral. Anyone willing to enjoy the foreign film can become the member of the Society paying Rs. 600 and can watch 12 films, a film every month, it is learnt.

All the films that are screened by the Society are spoken in their original language with English subtitles. Helvetas Nepal has been sponsoring the Film programme.

Also in Kathmandu, RSS reports: Rajparishad Standing Committee member Dr. Swami Prapannacharya inaugurating the spiritual environmental society here said spiritual thinking is essential in order to make life true, lovely, pure, peaceful and healthy.

Stating that the environment of Kathmandu valley is in a very serious state, Dr. Prapannacharya said the government needs public cooperation in resolving this problem.

Prof. Dr. Asharam Shakya, Angoorbaba Joshi and other speakers also expressed their views at the function chaired by vice-president of the society Prof. Dr. Rammohan Mahato.

Meet held on multi-party, press freedom

Butwal, July 23 (RSS): Nepal Press Institute (NPI) Regional Media Resource Centre, Nepalgunj and the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Rupandehi District Chapter hosted a day-long seminar on "Multi-party system, press freedom and the present scenario" here on Saturday.

The participants of the seminar were of the view that although the constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 guaranteed the freedom of the press, the press was not able to enjoy the kind of press freedom and the right to information as envisioned by the multiparty system.

Senior journalist Suya Lal accused the government of trying to enforce dictatorship upon the press.

President of the Rupandehi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahendra Narayan Shrestha alleged that not a single political party or authorities have respected the spirit of impartial and dynamic journalism.

Chairman of Radio Lumbini Arjun Gyawali said the press has spoken on behalf of the people in the present democratic set-up.

Presenting a working paper, advocate Kumar Chudal said that there was a crisis of public trust on the press in the present scenario.

Commenting on the working paper, lecturer Dil Sahani said there was greater press freedom in the multi-party dispensation compared to the Panchayat system.

Advocate Salikram Banjade, Nepal Bar Association Appellate Court Butwal president Beni Bahadur Poudel, FJN district treasurer Deepak Gyawali and others also expressed their views at the programme presided over by the former advisor and FNJ Rupandehi president Balkrishna Chapagain and vice-president Basanta Pokharel.

Communications boom: boon to family planning

Kathmandu, July 23 (RSS): There has been a tremendous increase in the number of people using radios and televisions in the developing countries, thanks to the revolution in the communications sector in the world during the last 25 years.

During the period from 1965 to 1995, the number of people owning the radio has increased from 82 million to 997 million and the television from 13 million to 707 million in the developing countries, according to statistics.

Dr. Tulasi Dharel holding Ph. D. for his works on family planning in Nepal, in his thesis, attributes the increase in the number of people taking advantage of the family planning to the advertisement on it from radio and television.

According to his research works, advertisement of radio and television reaches at all the places at the same time and the messages conveyed have widespread impact.

In Nepal, 37 per cent of the housewives have radios and 7 per cent have television sets. According to him, print media along with the electronic media have made significant contributions in publicising family planning. While the electronic media leaves indelible impression among the educated and the illiterate both, the print media has made impact among the educated mass.

In the research work, it has been stated that the messages from radio are more effective than other media in Nepal where the literacy rate among men and women are 55 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. As many people can listen to one radio set whether in urban or rural areas and hilly or terai regions, messages from it are more effective.

If attention is paid to local customs while preparing the advertisements, it will be more effective. More people will be benefited from the advertisement on family planning through local languages, according to the research.

He suggests that advertisement on family planning be broadcast or telecast in the evening which is more effective because most of the people busy during the daytime find time to listen radio or watch television only in the evening.

Likewise, he suggests that short advertisement on family planning with interesting songs will attract the listeners of the young age group and have more positive impact.

According to the research scholar, the interest of the youths below twenty year could be enhanced by holding essay contests on the topic, presenting the essay adjudged best through mass media and taking the interiew of the winners of the contest.