No Foreign Investment
IT is apparent that the Nepali press has made tremendous progress in the last twelve
years' of democracy. The increasing number of national dailies both in Nepali and English
languages, F.M. radio stations and the television channels speak of this fact. A decade
back, there were only Radio Nepal and Nepal Television in the form of electronic media and
Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal to represent the national broadsheet dailies. A large
number of people, especially in remote villages and towns lacked access to these means of
communications for various reasons. But now the situation has changed and the Nepalese
people have access to accurate and credible information. It is all because of both
quantitative and qualitative progress that the Nepali media has made in the last few
years. However, it does not mean that Nepali press is totally free from negative aspects.
Among others, lack of transparency in media organisations has been one of the biggest
problems of the present Nepalese press. Moreover, with the publication of some dailies,
which are often reported to have foreign investments, the issue of foreign investment in
media has become a much debated issue. Even the government, in the past failed to take any
stand regarding foreign investment in media on time thereby causing confusion. Against
this backdrop, Minister for Information and Communications Ramesh Nath Pandey has severely
criticised foreign investment in the media while speaking at a symposium organised by the
Editor's Society the other day. Minister Pandey also called for timely monitoring and
restriction on foreign investment that came through the back door in Nepali press adding
that such investment might invite repercussions. Certainly, the press plays a crucial role
in leading the nation to the right path by disseminating accurate information. Only a
responsible press can fulfill this objective. But if the media itself lacks transparency
in its investment, there is a less chance of the media being responsible. Also a foreigner
has nothing to do with the sensitivity of the local people nor is it necessary for such
media to be responsible to the individual, society and to the country, because profit
becomes everything for a foreign investor. This does not augur well for a small and
developing nation like Nepal. Like the present government has emphasised time and again,
there must be transparency in the dealing of the media, so that it can play a responsible
and positive role in the overall development and welfare of the nation.
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