Press freedom and responsibilities

Within a year of his being public, Prachanda has lost his sheen. His hobnobbing with all and sundry has made him look like a petty politician who wants to grab headlines all the time. At the same time, he did not reject invitations of sinister Mandales like Suresh Raj Sharma to visit Kathmandu University. This is an example of what kind of person he is chatting with and socializing with. Whom to meet and not meet is Prachanda’s prerogatives, but people can see that the same old bunch of thieves have always gheraoed new leaders. And this shatters expectation of people that new leaders would do something new.

Apart from hobnobbing with unscrupulous people like Suresh Raj Sharma, Prachanda has made another mistake. If we look at the latest trends of attack by the affiliates of the Maoists, we can see that they are resorting to arm-twisting of independent medias. Media persons and editors are not free from prejudices. Some of them openly praised Gyanendra and even accepted money from his regime. Some of them are involved in all kinds of thuggery like blackmailing, hobnobbing with criminals and publishing slanderous news. Recently we have witnessed how Prateek Pradhan, editor of TKP, exchanged his ideas with notorious sidekick of Suresh Raj Sharma in KU. This is a pointer to the fact that editors are not as honest and moralistic as they preach.

But, for all the shortcomings of the media men and the editors, nobody holds the right to hold them at ransom. Basic tenets of democracy demand that they be given their rights to function independently without any hindrance and attack from any trade union. It is true that most of the media houses treat workers and journalists like bonded labor. Like in KU, they apply rules haphazardly to punish righteous voices in their own organizations. Many a time, they have sacked journalists on flimsy grounds also. All these actions on the part of media houses and editors are condemnable. But condemnation should be confined to editors’/managements’ actions not to the functioning of the publication.

We here at ChangeinKU disagree with certain viewpoints, as highlighted by Mr. Prateek Pradhan in his editorial Journalists Act, that hawkers are not part of the journalistic fraternity. I think Prateek Pradhan must read what Shekhar Gupta has to say about this industry called media. Everybody who is involved in creation to delivery matters in media. So, if somebody is not happy, then it is likely that the concerned paper/publication may function very badly.

In view of so many Newspapers (both broadsheets and weeklies) in a small country like Nepal, it is natural that there is a great competition for advertisements. Journalists have history of fighting over advertisements. They were deeply divided when King’s regime segregated them for dole outs on the basis of the support to the regime. So, it has been a practice with our media to curry favor with the establishment to seek patronage. Similarly, some of them might have sought patronages of ill-reputed industrialists and businessmen also. All this clearly point out that there is not a healthy competition at all. Had it been so and had everything been decided by the popularity of the broadsheets and their impartiality, many of them would have already shut down. In gist, except few, most of the broadsheets are not in healthy operational mode and because of this they have not been able to do justice with their employees.

The editors know the best what should be operational mode of the newspapers. If revenue is not really favoring them, they should take concrete steps like closing down the newspaper or downsizing the operation/publication. In that case, it is natural that some of the employees would be laid off. But, it is not necessary that brunt of this should be borne by the hawkers and lower rank employees only. Why not editors take a cut in their privileges, why not management forgo some of benefits as suggested by Shekhar Gupta?

Complementing the hawkish one-sided view of the editors, labor organizations have complicated the issues by raising impractical issues. If these labor/trade unions were really interested in real issues, they should rather highlight mismanagement, and inefficiency of other sections in media. Similarly, they should press hard their contributions in respective newspapers and inform all how much revenue is being generated with their efforts. This way, they would have morally pressurized the media houses to listen to their demands.

In lack of all these real issues dealing with respective publications, one-sided protests of trade unions, mainly affiliating to the Maoists smacks of, some deep rooted conspiracy. It appears that these trade unions are acting at the behest of their party bosses who are put at inconvenient position by recent spate of media coverage on the Maoists highhandedness. This is where Prachanda needs to explain his position. Prachanda, after coming out of hibernation, should adapt to criticisms and complaints in media. Prachanda must sincerely control his party men lest there are wrong coverage of the Maoists in media. Instead of gagging the free press, Prachanda needs to make his cadre aware of indispensability of free media. If Prachanda feels that the press should only praise him, then he must know that he is no different from Gyanendra. People write and express not to grab power like the politicians. People do it because they want to express them. When faced with trauma and emotional scar left by highhandedness of certain political outfit, people are bound to react.

These reactions can be reflected in media and these reactions may build up public opinion against the Maoists. So, to stop the bad news, the good way is to behave well and stop wayward dealings. Prachanda and the Maoists must know that many of us prefer not licking the boots. We appreciate all who are real democratic and behaving in that manner also. So, despite shortcoming on the part of media and publications, we strongly believe that they have their rights to expression and publication. Editors’ alliance under the leadership of Prateek Pradhan, a tainted editor, may unleash new series of attack against the Maoists. But, if the Maoists, too, retaliate in forceful manner, things are likely to take nastier turn. Media houses may close down, but waning public support to the Maoist will also shatter its dream of becoming a leading political organization.

We, at ChangeinKU, request both parties to soften their position and make practical judgments. It is time to point out real criminals of society like Suresh Raj Sharma of KU. Both the Maoists and media houses have not been able to flush out the Mandale and criminal elements from the position of their influences. Without their efforts in transforming the face of Nepali by taking concrete actions against Mandales/vigilantes/royalist, new Nepal would never be possible. So, this is an opportune moment that they shift their priorities towards highlighting crimes and sacking people like Suresh Raj Sharma of KU instead of bickering.