Telegraph / FES seminar
Media's Role in Strengthening Good Governance - 2

Dr. Ram Kumar Dahal
Professor, Center fro Economic Development & Admininstration (CEDA), T.U, Kirtipur

Media's Constructive and Positive Role in the Realization of Good Governance in Nepal

The Nepalese media have played important role in the realization of good governance in Nepal. Their positive achievements have categorically underlined below:

3.1 Media and Political Education to the People

The Nepalese media continue to contribute to the institutionalization and strengthening of democracy and promoting good governance, inculcating civic culture and democratic parliamentary culture and imparting civic education. They have exposed crimes and raised strong voice against ill-deeds of the national/international criminals, smugglers, terrorists and against those involved in the illegal trafficking of drugs, girls, trafficking to the brothels of Indian cities, unauthorized labour and other contraband goods. They have played constructive role in arousing mass consciousness about universal concepts like democracy, human rights, (including of the workers, children, women and ethnic, linguistic, cultural minorities) good governance, civil societies, environmentalism, gender equity, disarmament, peace, etc thereby providing knowledge about Nepal's endorsement to international agreements, the UN documents and a number of contemporary issues which naturally have raised the level of knowledge of the people. They have made faminist movement popular in Nepal and, consequently, the women are becoming politically conscious about the protection of their rights including gender equity, equality and solidarity. They have encouraged the debate about women's inheritance right and a bill has also been brought in the Lower House of the Nepalese Parliament under the pressure of the media and women organization. Media thus continue to make attempts to empower citizens. This has initiated widespread but positive change in the socio-economic sectors. Their reporting about the functioning of NGOs, INGOs and civil societies is no less important. The growing capital investment in private sector-media and an increment in the study habits among the people; the growth of professionalism, the growing number of newspapers and the entrance of a number of young energetic, educated and trained youths particulately in the field of investigation research and journalism are some of the positive signals of post 1990 media movement in Nepal. The media in Nepal have served as a bridge between the government and the opposition, between the government and the people, between people and their representatives and between national and global interests and have unearthed the grievances of the neglected people in society. This has built up public opinion in different sectors on national and international issues.

3.2 Media and Public Accountability in Nepal

The Nepalese media have played constructive role in strengthening the concept of accountability in Nepal. The media during 1990-2000 have involved in lobbying, educating, advocating and informing people about the misdeeds of their elected representatives. In the past, they had exposed that the MPs did not visit their electoral districts/constituencies. The phoning program conducted by Radio Nepal and the interviews taken by Nepal TV, Radio Nepal and the newspapers have adequately raised several issues concerning the accountability of their elected leaders. Media undoubtedly have worked as one of the civic watchdog agencies in controlling arbitrary maneuvers of executive leadership, to enhance the financial integrity system of the state particularly by the special Police Department, Auditor General of Nepal (AGN), and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament. A lack of accountability in governance so far has evoked populist reaction, resistance of extra constitutional forces and even hold the possibility of conservative backlash thereby eroding the democratic space in the country. The media has raised events of corruption and misuse of power and authority. They have also reported about the misdeeds of INGOs, NGOs, Civil Societies, and donor community. (Pokharel, 1998; Shrestha, Sigdel and K.C., 1998)

3.3 Media and Responsibility in Nepal

The Nepalese media have educated the people about the responsibility of Nepalese state authorities and the government towards the people in different sectors of life. They have also raised the issue, debate and controversy that the constitutional provisions particularly mentioned in Art. 24-26 have not been implemented into practice and have appealed the government to implement them honestly. The media had been successful in stopping the Anti-Terrorist Bill from passing in Parliament in 1998. It was the media, particularly the print one, which for the first time had successfully exposed about how the 550 people in the two Himalayan districts of Humla and Jumla died out of hunger and 4000 from viral influenza. Media equally disclosed the misdeeds of the MPs (how they misused power by utilizing duty-free Pajero and other unconstitutional facilities, often challenging the theory of separation of power and check and balance).

3.4 Media and Transparency in Nepal

The media continue to report the activities of the government to the public, made them transparent and have brought to public knowledge the matters of public affairs. They stress on the effective implementation of right to information and press and publication right and boldly criticized the weaknesses of the institutions of governance. Several occasions, the Supreme Court of Nepal (SCN) has defined the "right to information" variously and, therefore, media persons are trying to introduce Information Act to establish the coherent application of laws.

3.5 Media and Rule of Law in Nepal

The Nepalese media have boldly criticized prevailing discrimination among the Nepalese people of various geographical regions, socio-economic and political strata on the grounds of religion, race, sex, caste, income, status, ideology/political colour and encouraging the constitutional right of the rule of law as guaranteed in the Preamble and Art 11 and right to equality including the equal protection of law, equality before law and equal opportunity of all (Art. 11)

3.6 Media and Systemic Legitimacy in Nepal

The media continue to educate the people about the electoral malpractices, fraud, rigging (during the time of elections) and reelection in Nuwakot, and have raised several questions regarding the legitimacy of the polity and the realization of good governance. They have also reported about the illegitimate behavour of the elected representatives; provided political education to the voters, stressed on the holding of free, fair and impartial election; advocated for the strengthening of the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) thereby discouraging the role of money, muscle and Mafia and encouraging the obedience to the election code of conduct by political parties, candidates, Security agencies and government officials. In the long-run, such an approach helps to minimize the credibility gap between promise and performance.

3.7 Media and Independent and Competent System of Justice

The media have tried to encourage and promote the constitutionally recognized independent and competent system of justice during 1990-2000. A study has, however, pointed out various weaknesses of the court system in Nepal including corruption, mismanagement; poor court management, and delay in imparting justice (Shrestha, Sigdel and K.C., 1998: 19).

3.8 Media and Effective and Efficient Public Sector Management in Nepal

The media have encouraged the effective and efficient public sector management in Nepal, though the 1990 Constitution does not specifically mention about it and has no separate law to govern this sector. The media have tried to stress the effective implementation of the socio-economic vision of the Nepalese state as outlines in Art. 24-26 of the 1990 constitution. Private media often question the efficacy of privatization of public enterprises in Nepal and court's indecision regarding these cases.

3.9 Media and the Information about Challenges to Good Governance

The Nepalese media have educated people about good governance and its various challenges including constitutional and legal, party, political and governmental (legislative, executive administrative and judicial) politics of alienation, socio-economic and environmental, non-governmental, electoral, educational, domestic and global challenges prevailing in Nepalese society.

The Weaknesses and Challenges of Nepalese Media in the Realization of Good Governance

The Nepalese media both print and electronic in today's globalized world is marching towards negative trends and is facing dozens of problems. They are facing the problem of autonomy either from the government or from the vested interest groups of soceity. They are concentrated, either in the capital city or in the urban centers virtually leaving the rest of the areas without such facilities. Twenty two Himalayan districts out of the total 75 recorded no newspaper registration while the Himalayan zone of Karnali recorded only one. Thus, there is great regional imbalance in the circulation, distribution and registration of newspapers in Nepal. Even in the urban centers, it has not developed professionalism. These media only report the urban activities than giving priority to rural problems. There is neither the system of scientific reporting nor its proper verification before news flows. As most of the newspapers are politically affiliated and have become the victim of partisan-politics and as patrakarita (journalism) in most cases, as one journalist called it, has turned into patikarita (party-run media), they do not operate independently. They thus facilitate flow of biased and one-sided news and views which suits to their political interest and thus terribly mis-inform people about the matters of crucial public importance. Most newspapers are run, owned, controlled and financed by ministers, factional and influential leaders, businessmen and industrialists. This situation of extreme polarization has weakened democracy and good governance. The quick money earning tendencies and lack of professional journalism existing during the Panchayat period unfortunately still linger and the media even today have failed to form independent and impartial public opinion. This condition disabled them to rise above the financial and other allurements. As there is the lack of professional journalism, there is the lack of in-depth study about pressing issues faced by the society and the nation among the media persons. One cannot get accurate information about the issues by studying a single paper make concrete generalization. The professionals involved in the media are not properly trained to capture the complexity of issues and events. Though the state has resource and power, it has not undertaken any constructive measures to promote journalism, even though it has realized that the media as the fourth estate. Moreover, the government uses official newspapers to project its viewpoints/stands on certain issues and force them to speak on its behalf instead of respecting media pluralism. The rest of the media get second rate behavior from the government in respect to the utilization of resources, financial support and in enjoying other facilities. Some of the Nepalese media have encouraged or advocated parochial socio-cultural loyalties (towards caste, class, ethnic groups/minorities) thus challenging the state and making government relatively powerless. As media is politically divided, it has become weak and has lost much of its power. The quality of the media has not improved due to a number of factors including the lack of trained and educated manpower in the production of news. Though institutions like Nepal Press Institute (NPI) provide education and training in the field of journalism, the political biasness of the coachers/trainers/tutors, their inability to impart proper and scientific training based on the national needs; limited opportunities for such training and a number of factors have complicated training mechanism in this direction. In a democratic country, the media is not generally owned and controlled by the government. But Gorkhapatra, as some people believe, should not be privatized and should be owned by the government to preserve its long identity. The government media in Nepal, both electronic and print one, are also charged of failing to provide accurate information to the people and encouraging to hide the truth.

Yellow journalism (YJ) has become one of the major challenges in this direction. But what may be a YJ for one may not be so for others. Moreover, there is a lack of standard measure to evaluate the YJ. The government in most cases have shown non-transparent behavior in transmitting its views. Transparency however, does not mean providing half/inadequate information, exaggeration, underinformation/misinformation, false-information and distortion. There is divided opinion among the journalists regarding the issue of Kamaiya abolition system, Maoist issue (e.g. NC considers it as terrorist activity whereas other communist and non-communist forces as the expression of dissatisfactions caused by poverty, unemployment, deprivation, weak economy etc.) The current practice of giving almost 80% space to political news, though non-important, and giving less priority to national issues (economic, foreign policy, women, Janajatis, backward, environment etc.) have decreased the credibility of Nepalese media. This had happened mainly due to the political instability prevailing in the country. If the media persons, with pens in their hands, feel that they can write what they like, it would certainly encourage anarchism in this sector. Most media even during 1990-99 are found involved in character assassination, quick money earning business by immoral deeds and such other activities. The media are also blamed for starting unnecessary rumours for easy selling. They are also charged of not giving wide coverage of the burning events, except the dirty political ones. The financial challenges faced by private media are acute. If the government does not provide adequate financial support to them, there is the greater possibility of influencing them by the foreign powers thus articulating their interests instead of the Nepalese ones. The research and investigation base of the Nepalese media is very weak. Some newspapers have given the actual names of kidnapped girls which a highly qualified media person generally does not do. It has negatively affected their character and accordingly, it has become difficult for them to get married in future. Newspapers have become a field of giving employment opportunities to the unqualified persons which naturally have degraded the quality of journalism in the country. Due to the low importance to independent media by the government, the media in most cases have failed to project true and clear picture to the people thereby serving as a mirror of society. The media mainly concentrated on the inter and intra party conflicts (near 70% of the news coverage) and people's problems remain mostly unadressed. The excrement of the tendencies of the blunt criticism among most of the newspapers against some personalities, mostly political ones, without some proper evidence has decreased their credibility among the people. These negative trends have undoubtedly discouraged the concept of good governance in Nepal. The information revolution to some extent have, as Ian Angell thinks, contributed the death of the nation state.

Recommendations

Since the dispensation of pluralistic democracy in 1990, the partisan media could not play a constructive role in the realization of good governance and strengthening democratic order as it has been expected by the people though the role played by them during 1990-2000 is far better than in pre 1990 period. In order to meet the above mentioned challenges and create a favourable environment for the systematic and sound growth of media in Nepal, a number of recommendations could be furnished. Communication, as Schramm views, must "work as mover"; must be used to "contribute the feeling of nation-ness"; "as the voice of national planning"; to help teach the necessary skills"; to help extend "the effective market" and "prepare people to play their new parts"; "to prepare the people to play their role as a nation among nations" (Schramm, 1972: 30-43). The constitutional rights- the right to information and the press and publication right as mentioned in Art. 16 and 13 must be respected by the government, by the courts, political parties, governmental agencies and civil societies and no news items or other reading materials should be closed and seized nor their registration be cancelled merely for publishing some news. Maximum freedom should be given to the media by the government and there should be no government controlled electronic media. The newsprint facilities given earlier by the government to the newspapers have recently been cancelled and the media persons now opine that the government should give advertisement to the newspapers and assist them with cash subsidy so that they can become financially sustainable. The formation of the Nepal Press Council (NPC)from among media persons should be made strictly on non-political basis or/and the current or retired judges should be appointed as its chairman because the people at least have trust on them.

The current practice of running newspapers by unqualified/undereducated editors both in the government or private level must be discouraged. Moreover, if possible minimum level qualifications for them (as recommended by NPC) should be prescribed. The yellow journalism in Nepal has been caused due to their inefficiencies and under education. If the state, government and media become weak, there would be greater possibilities of the influence of the international agencies. The independent media (politically neutral ones) should be protected and enough economic assistance, in particular, be given to them. If the government does not realize their economic problems, particularly of the independent ones, and does not make attempts to protect them by providing economic assistance, the independent and the financially weak media would, within few years, go into the pockets of the foreigners which would undoubtedly serve their own interests rather than serving the Nepalese ones. Thus, the media should be given several facilities including the communication one e.g. e-mail, fax, telephone, internet, in order to raise their quality and standard. The media, instead of accepting outside control, should be made self-accountable and encourage self-control mechanism. As the readers are the judges and the evaluators of the media, the media persons should be made accountable to them in respect to writing. As most of the media persons, have become the Jhole (the bag carriers) and the Bhats (the blind praisers and supporters) of political leaders of various tastes, dispensing impartial news to the people have become a serious problem. Until they boldly dare to speak the truth to power and raise national issues and promote national interests, the strengthening of democratic process and good governance would only be an ideal. Media in Nepal should serve as a means of social transformation, encourage national integration and national consensus, national integrity and make rural people aware of modern development and technology. The media should try to raise the voices of the Jana Jaties, Dalits Pidits, women and disadvantaged people and try to empower them.

Conclusion

The Nepalese media under the present changed political context has to play key role in the strengthening of democratic order, good governance and public welfare by providing impartial and non-partisan information.

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