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BOOK REVIEW |
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BOOK REVIEW |
Media Mirror Four authors explain
various facets of the media in contemporary Nepalese society By A CORRESPONDENT With the restoration of multiparty
democracy in 1990, Nepal's media sector has witnessed an upsurge in terms of influence and
reach. During its century-old existence, the Nepalese media has traversed periods of
family rule, open democracy, closed partyless system and multiparty democracy. During all
these phases, it has helped a lot in shaping the outlook and approach of society. Like all other sectors of society, the
media has its constraints and compulsions. One can see these in such areas as distortions
of information and skewed dissemination of news to the public. Whatever role it has played
in the last 12 years, the media has enjoyed unlimited freedom. But its contributions
remain to be assessed in a true sense. In many cases, the role of media is very much
critical of the political system, political parties and constitution. Critics hold the view that the media often
compromise with political ideology before disseminating information in society. Such
practices have created certain misunderstanding about the role of the media. Every
democratic society needs an open and objective media reporting through which the people in
the government get the opportunity to correct their mistakes. Realizing the role of an
independent media in a vibrant democracy, the Constitution of Kingdom of Nepal 1990
guarantees unprecedented freedom. More effective the role the media plays in a society,
greater the chances of democracy acquiring strength in its varied aspects. At a time when people are assessing the
role of the mass media in the last 12 years, four eminent writers, P. Kharel, Dev Raj
Dahal, Dr. Sushil Raj Pandey and Dr. Krishna Bhattachan, have added to the discussions by
examining different perspectives. In his article "Understanding media
practices," Kharel, a senior journalist, discusses the historical role of the media,
credibility factor, political sensitivity and partisan media. According to Kharel, the partisan press and
broadcast channels are a big hindrance to the growth of media credibility. "In the
case of Nepal, politicization of the news media is rampant," he writes. The history of Nepalese media is the
history of political evolution. During the Panchayat days, most of today's politicians
were editors or reporters of weekly newspapers or contributed to them. Since the media was
more or less open even in the Panchayat days, politicians exploited it to disseminate
their own points of views. Unfortunately, political parties continue to control the media
and use it as a tool to launch a disinformation campaign. Drawing from his long experience in the
sector, Kharel has pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of the Nepalese media. Dahal explains the role of mass media,
trust and governance, arguing that the media is yet to exploit the freedom of expression
guaranteed by the constitution. "Nepalese media have yet to prove to what extent they
have a response to and a reflection of social pluralism and represent public needs,
interests, views and ideologies," says Dahal. "Professionalism development
requires specific criteria for people to participate in otherwise, journalism is likely to
remain an attraction for characters deeming the profession itself."
Dr. Pandey discusses the role of
media in political communication. Although it is new theme for the Nepalese media, Dr.
Pandey's article gives clear views on what political communication is all about.
"Political communication is one such field that has emerged as a central media
concern in view of the rapid progress in communication technology and globalization,"
argues Dr. Pandey. In his article "Culture and
Communication", Dr. Bhattachan explains how effective the Nepalese media are in
bringing news and views regarding different cultures. "Both culture and media are as
old as human beings and both are intertwined. No society is possible without communication
and no communication is possible without media," says Dr. Bhattachan. The book, based on the theoretical
approaches of the four scholars, is a welcome addition to the academic debate on the roles
and responsibilities of the fourth estate. Media In Society |
Send your feedback to the
editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
