The 'artificial alliance' of the big media owner is only to suppress the journalist

September 27, Kathmandu

With the rise of democracy in the country, the undeclared grandeur of some limited Nepali media started in such a way that the competition of new media against it was termed as 'daring'. The reason given was that competing with the monopoly media was like 'pre-announced ashes'. But, now times have changed, the competition is intensifying day by day with the entry of new media houses.

There was a time when the background of working in BigMedia House was required to be a candidate for the vital post of the Federation of Nepali Journalists. It happens when you understand an example or a reflection.

The world that stands in the big owner's monotony:
Recently, with the rise of many media outlets, some media outlets have tried to stand united for the collective interest and co-existence of an organization called Media Alliance Nepal.

An organization called Media Alliance Nepal has been established through a program on Wednesday, October 22 to solve the common problems in the media enterprise.

Although the alliance was set up as a joint venture of media entrepreneurs with the objective of keeping the media entrepreneur's point of view in media policy and law making, making him accountable to the people and protecting the rights and interests of journalists, employees and workers working in the media sector.

As the organization is in the process of registration, an ad hoc committee has been formed under the coordination of Avenues Television owner Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar.

The Alliance has stated that it will take initiative to repeal or amend the old and obsolete laws in the media sector. It is said that the organization aims to take initiative to regulate itself by providing the right to self-regulation in the media.

Similarly, the organization has stated that it will take initiative to blacklist the person, organization or body who does business in another media house without paying the amount in one media house and does not pay the amount due to the media house for a long time. The aim of the Alliance is to pursue its own interests and to put pressure on the journalist, in which one media house is silent or unresponsive while the other is silent on the issue. To do

The ad hoc committee is chaired by Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar, chairman of Avenues Television, Mahendra Sherchan, chairman of Rajdhani and Raju Kandel of Mountain Television, Laxman Humagain, CEO of Image Channel and Ujwal Sharma, CEO of Impression Publications. The chairperson of the ad hoc committee is the same character who had beaten the working journalist for six months without asking for his salary.

Similarly, the working journalist of Rajdhani Daily has to knock on the door of the court to get his salary.
 
Among the members are Dr. Vijay Poudel, Rishi Dhamala of Prime Television, Rajendra Shakya of Epiwan Television and Samvrdhi Gyawali of Nepal Republic Media.

Similarly, Binod Raj Gyawali, Chairman of Nepal Republic Media and Captain Rameshwar Thapa, Chairman of Annapurna Network are the advisors of the committee.

The existence of one is unacceptable to the other:
Whatever the purpose, within the alliance of big media owners, one is not easily able to accept the other. For them, the formation of an ad hoc committee shows that the stone has already been laid. Republic Media Chairman Binod Raj Gyawali and Annapurna Network Chairman Captain Rameshwar Thapa could not sit in the committee as they could not accept the coordinator of the committee Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikarkai. He even sat as an advisor in a situation where he had to laugh with a stone on his heart to give a message of advice to the committee.

Similarly, some media owners have sent their employees to the sitting committee as they could not accept Rajjarnikar.

Cold War between owners:
No matter how strong the alliance is, whether it has been formed or is about to be formed, the situation of big media owners has become more tense since the past. There are only two main reasons for the bitter relationship between them, one is economic transactions and the other is 'meekness' and importance.

Not only is there no dialogue between Kantipur Media Chief Kailash Shirohiya and Annapurna Media Chief Captain Rameshwar Thapa, but the situation is tense. Among them, the absence of one is mandatory in one event, like night and sun. Similarly, Kailash Shirohiya and Republic Media Chief Binod Raj Gyawali are in a similar situation. Shirohiya's bitter relationship with Thapa and Gyawali is not new. There is a 'family rift' between them. Whether it is when a citizen leaves Kantipur or when Annapurna leaves.

Similarly, the relationship between Kailash Shirohiya and Ajay Raj Sumargi, the head of Thaha Sanchar, was like a rift. However, in recent times, there is not the same level of rift between them. The reason for the rift between the two is different, that is economic transactions. At one point, the two had gone to the police station to seek protection against each other.

Therefore, not all media houses are included in the ad hoc committee:
Televisions including Sagarmatha, ABC, Kantipur and News 24 have not been included in the ad hoc committee of the alliance formed on Wednesday. The reason is the presence of Gyawali and Thapa, the owners of Republic and Annapurna. In the presence of these two, even though he was not present in the committee, these two tremendous effects have been taken into account.

The big media in the battle for survival:
The media owners who have not had to unite for so many years have been forced to form a coalition. The direct effect of which is to reduce the impact of the economic crisis on the government.

Newspapers are shrinking day by day, claiming that the corona virus is transmitted from paper all over the world. Printing of world-renowned magazines such as the New York Times from the United States has also declined by a million. Newspapers like Nepal and Saptahik, which have been published by Kantipur Media, have been shut down. As the world continues to grow rapidly with the rapid development of online and digitization, traditional media outlets are slowly declining, with the direct effect of diminishing the impact on the people and in response, the government and the state.

When a separate coalition of unexplored people is formed:
There is a strong possibility that other big media outlets that were not included in the alliance formed on Wednesday will form another organization of the same nature. There is a possibility that this may happen to 'show' the existing organization. If such a situation arises, the atmosphere of 'wholesale dealing' with the media by the state bodies as before will be broken. The government will also share goodwill towards the press. At the same time, there will be confusion as to which media the government will trust.

More unity needed among journalists:
When there is no declared alliance between the media owners, the situation of the journalists is amazing, but when the owners are declared as one, there will be more pressure on the professional security of the journalists. Therefore, the end of the tendency to divide on the basis of political beliefs and against each other is a natural and time consuming demand.

The government needs to have goodwill towards all media, big and small:
In recent times, small and medium media houses have been set up on a large scale, large media outlets have been forcibly countered, large media outlets continue to shrink in public, and small media outlets continue to spread aggressively.
As democracy is complementary to freedom of the press, it is now necessary for the government to have more goodwill towards the press in order to keep democracy alive. For this, it is necessary to say that it is the duty of the democratic state to create an environment where the small media, which has been falling under the category of 'second class', can live in a dignified manner by organizing or regulating it.