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Pro-people Media (English)
AIRWAVES: For Profit or For
Development?
-Vinaya Kasajoo
Democracy Day, i.e. 19th February was
remarkable at least in one sense the Nepalese audience was liberated
from all the advertisements of Alcohol and Tobacco products broadcast
from all the electronic media from that day. This has raised concerns
to the emerging-commercial FM broadcasters and some of the advertising
agencies. The state-owned TV and Radio also will be deprived of
the huge amount of revenue earned from such advertisements.
It is notable because half a dozen of FM broadcasters
have got license in the capital recently. This number is quite enough
for the one million inhabitants of the Kathmandu valley. Among five
FM broadcasters of the valley Radio Sagarmatha is the only non-profit
making broadcaster.
Since the role of print media is limited because of
the mass illiteracy, over politicization, adverse geographical condition
and poverty the electronic media, i.e. FM radio broadcasting is
ultimately the most effective media to reach the majority of the
people living in the remote areas. Because of the popularity of
the FM broadcasting in the valley quite a number of commercial broadcasters
have applied for license in the urban centers like Biratnagar, Pokhara,
Butwal etc. At the same time a few applicants are seeking license
for community broadcasting. Among them Madanpokhara Village Development
Commi9ttee of Palpa district has got license.
There are distinctly two types of applicants who want
to broadcast either with commercial motive or social service motive.
The second group of broadcasters wants to use airwave for enhancing
development and strengthening democracy. But since the commercial
broadcasters are emerging in a considerable number the expectation
of the development practitioners regarding the use of FM air waves
to change the fate of the people is hindered. Liberalization, privatization
and globalization are going to create challenges to the emerging
community/ social service broadcasters.
Concentration of media power in organizations dependent
on advertisers and their responsibility primarily to the owners
and shareholders is posing danger to utilize airwave for the benefit
of the common people. It prevents citizen's participation in public
affairs, understanding of public issues, and thus to the effective
working of democracy. Increasing commercialization and concentration
of private media ownership is not in favor of development and democracy.
The National Broadcasting Act and Regulation, which
were formulated after the restoration of democracy in Nepal, do
not differentiate between the commercial broadcasters and social
service broadcasters. It applies same rule and fees for both of
them, which is quite unusual in other countries. It is quite appreciable
that airwaves belong to the people just as water and air. Now it
is high time that the act and regulation were changed accordingly.
Published in EkChhin, MS Nepal Newsletter, June 1999.
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