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In the age of Tik Tok and other numerous social media platforms, how strong and vibrant is the traditional media? There are reports from Nepal and other countries showing shifts in information consumption patterns, with people migrating to digital platforms. Researches have also shown that people don't read news in full and make their opinion based on headlines. In Nepal, we continue to hear issues of journalists not being paid for months, media houses slashing their staff, or stopping to produce print editions. More recently, there was news that said journalists, like other professionals, were migrating to other countries. Is the traditional media dying?

There was a time when becoming a reporter was my dream. Even though I was studying computer science, I found my passion lay not in coding but in writing. Eventually, I interned at a television and learnt the basics of reporting. I never knew that watching your own stories and listening to your voice could be so encouraging. With time, writing became a habit and sharing stories of people a culture. Fortunately, I was selected to study journalism in India and also got national and international experience in media. Social media had not penetrated general lives then so people were still following traditional media. People’s comments in person about my stories uplifted me.

In 2008, Nepal had many stories to cover—the Maoists had ended their armed rebellion, centuries’ old monarchy had exited, and a dream of new Nepal was envisioned by everyone. Nepali journalists were writing for international media. I was also one of them. I was among a few women journalists covering political news in Kathmandu. Although I was proud, I also realized that I needed to know the theories of political science and international relations to be a better journalist. So, I enrolled at the Tribhuvan University in the hope of being guided by the great professors on the subject. However, student politics had infiltrated so much that they would shut our classes down. Tired of the frequent class closures, I dropped out and later studied international affairs in the United States. I focused more on development and conflict than reporting. When I returned, I chose to give rest to my journalistic career. Nevertheless, I’ve continuously followed Nepali media and I must say it doesn’t have the same charm as it had even until ten years ago.  

As it was bound to happen, digital media have sprung up all over. Fewer people are buying newspapers to read news; even radio and television contents are now being migrated to the internet. The media business that thrived for so long on an ad-centric model is now facing challenges. Setopati has experimented by monetizing their content. It remains to be seen how successful that approach would be in Nepal.

On the other hand, those with language proficiency find jobs as public relations officers where they are better paid with wellbeing packages, medical insurance for the family, national and international exposure, and even have chances of landing international jobs. What about a career in journalism then?

A friend recently told me that she cannot convince her journalism students that they will have a great career in the media industry in Nepal. I think she is right. Many journalists that I know have either switched careers or have left the country for PhD programs. However, there are those who cannot quit the profession and tolerate the delayed salaries.

If there is a declining consumption of the traditional news contents and difficulties to manage resources, why should media continue with the same model of media business? If the media sector cannot be vibrant, neutral, and uplifting, it could even be a challenge to democracy. We have seen enough politically-biased online content. In order to bring traffic, clickbaits are used that can erode the trust of news consumers. Additionally, misinformation and disinformation, declining trust in journalism, information overload, and financial sustainability among others are serious challenges to journalism. It’s high time government and media stakeholders started efforts to prevent the slow death of journalism.

Bollywood is big in Nepal as in the rest of the world. Language, culture, social composition, values, and norms are more or less the same so it’s natural for Nepalis to enjoy Indian cinema. However, in recent years, I’ve watched less Indian than Nepali as I thought the quality of Indian movies was going down. Maybe I wasn’t watching the right movies as the ones I watched glamorized violence and unrealistic male machismo. On the internet, I came across a word called hyper-masculinity which has been defined as ‘a psychological and sociological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behavior, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and human male sexuality.’

Animal was one such movie that I despised. I should have watched the trailer before making it to the cinema hall but since I read some reviews that spoke highly of Ranbir Kapoor’s acting and Bobby Deol’s comeback, I went in. In the movie, women were portrayed as submissive, lacking a voice and opinion of their own while men succeeded at the regular money-making business or the business of breaking bones. It contradicts with the vision of the world we aspire to live in. The world has seen enough violence and endless cases of gender-based violence, yet this movie tried to validate all the wrongs in the quest of producing a big Box Office collector.

However, amidst all these movies where men are portrayed larger than life—sometimes even stronger than Marvel Superheroes—I watched a simple but powerful movie that reinforces the message of not giving up and restarting until you get the desired results. The story revolves around a poor man who wants to live a dignified life, supporting his family members without being corrupt, and dreams of serving his country as a civil servant. The hurdles he faces in the process to buy his two meals and send some money home and prepare for the civil service exam is so realistically presented. It could be relatable with those who sit for Loksewa exams in Nepal who spend years preparing for and excelling at the exam.

While every aspect of the movie is really well done, a lot can be said particularly about how the lead character is selected by the interview panel. He does not have strong English language or a foreign degree to flash on the CV; he does not tell impromptu stories to impress the interview panel either. The hiring team consists of a mix of people with an openly critical hiring manager who sums up the interview as a ‘waste of time.’

How often do the HR teams consider giving a chance to someone who admits not having good command of the English language and other shortcomings, and dares to challenge the interviewers? From a pool of shortlisted candidates who pass the same tough written exams and who present themselves in a likable manner, what is the probability of someone like Manoj from the movie being selected as the finalist?

In my professional life, I have played the role of both the interviewer and the interviewee. In my experience, mostly the hiring managers make the final call. The other members of the hiring team seldom give a special chance to express their views like Manoj gets in the movie. This could be seen as ‘overstepping’ in real life scenarios. The general tendency is to select the one who is better suited for the job than others.

The movie 12th Fail has done a great job at giving hope to people who do not give up on their dreams and see failures as a new way of restarting.  Organizations can draw some lessons from the movie to give hardworking people like Manoj a chance.

In 2003, a song by the Black Eyed Peas called Where Is the Love won people’s hearts as it resonated with what they were seeing globally. The song was about the prevalent racism, terrorism, killings, discrimination, animosity, and hatred. Through their song, the band urged for greater unity and solidarity among people and nations. Twenty years have passed since the release of the song but has the world become any better? 

Just on Saturday, reports of aerial attacks by Hamas on Israel shocked the world. More than 350 people have been killed so far with some Nepalis seriously injured. A week before that, more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians from Azerbaijan were reported fleeing to Armenia because of what has been termed as ethnic cleansing launched by Azerbaijan. The Russia-Ukraine war does not seem to end any time sooner, and people on both sides continue to be killed and important infrastructures continue to fall. Tensions between our immediate neighbor India and Canada have also risen and each country has asked the other’s diplomats to return from their duty stations. India has even suspended visa issuance to Canadians.  

Whether in the name of religion, economy, natural resources, or ethnic cleansing, the global citizens are seeing rising levels of tensions and unrest. These result in death, displacement of people, separation from family members, mental trauma, disconnect from one's culture and so on. After the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out, people left their countries in millions as reported by media and international organizations.  The issue of managing refugees is not just complex but also sensitive. Not all countries have the capacity or the resources needed to take care of the displaced population. And, not all refugees or immigrants are welcome by the citizens of the host countries. 

Even then, fighting between groups, government atrocities, and other issues force people to leave their home and embark on dangerous journeys such as traveling by boats in the vast oceans that often meet with accidents. They don’t fear the illicit movement and walk the road-less jungles and rainforests of Panama to enter the US for instance. Reports said 400,000 migrants were heading to the US from Panama’s Darien jungle. US President Joe Biden who earlier opposed the idea of building a wall is actually building a section of it. 

Why is this happening and will this ever end? Failing economies, lack of security, and threats to lives are rampant. Our world that has faced two big wars is continuing to see scattered wars. While some people are becoming more vulnerable, others are being less tolerant. Humanitarian organizations and the United Nations have more responsibilities than ever to protect the citizens of the world.  There was a time when we would hear mostly terrorist groups inflicting the damage. Now, we are seeing countries and their head of states taking the lead. Their ego and their display of military strength has taken lives of the innocent. It also seems that the societies are being hostile. 

The shootings in a gay club in the US; targeted activities against religious groups in India, Pakistan, or Israel-Palestine; and military coups in Africa are only a handful examples of how divided the societies are.  It may be hard to change the minds of indoctrinated people but it should be possible to use diplomacy tactfully to maintain amicable relations with fellow countries and make peace but that unfortunately seems to be a distant possibility! 

Exactly one year ago, a news article regarding Nepal’s young achiever drew national and international attention. Nepal’s star cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane was accused of sexual coercion and a police case was filed against him. It was a shock to many as the then captain of the national cricket team who had represented in international cricket matches had been alleged for a serious crime. People who had already followed Paul Shah’s almost similar case speculated two possible scenarios. Some believed the celebrities were abusing their stardom to make women/adolescent girls their victims while others believed the stars were being framed. 

Paul Shah served a jail sentence for a year and was released only when the accuser changed her statement but in Lamichhane’s case, nothing seems to be moving. When the police case was filed against him, he did not immediately return to Nepal. Nepal Police had to seek Interpol’s support to track him. The Cricket Association of Nepal did suspend him after the allegations surfaced, but it didn’t take them long to welcome him after he was released on bail. He continues to take part in national and international matches, and we don’t know yet if he is guilty or innocent. In fact, a pattern is noticeable in his case. 

Before any cricket event approaches, the media come up with reports predicting the possibility of Lamichhane joining or not joining the match. First, the media report that Lamichhane may not be able to take part in so and so game. Second, the headlines change and mention CAN requesting authorities to allow him to play in the tournament. The Supreme Court also lifted a travel ban on him so he could play abroad. Finally, the news of Lamichhane leaving for that game appears in the media. Hearings on his case continue to be delayed. Sometimes, they cite lack of time or even judges, and at other times, there are alleged stories of fake documents. One year on, there’s no verdict. Are these attempts to delay the process so that there is less attention or is our judicial system indeed slow? 

If we all believe in the justice system, the truth has to be told in a fair and timely manner. His cricket skills should not be considered more important than the truth. If he committed a crime, he should be punished; if he is innocent, that needs to be shared soon. 

Just a month ago, Spain won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. As the world was watching Spanish footballers being congratulated at the trophy ceremony, a man was seen hugging and kissing the women footballers rather uncomfortably. This was being broadcast live on television around the world. Even I felt the hugs did not have to be that tight and the kisses could have been on cheeks. As the commentators mentioned who he was, I thought they shared a journey together and their closeness permitted that level of affection. 

But it didn’t take long for Jenni Hermoso to talk about the unwanted kiss in the media and termed it ‘not consensual’. Then, the drama unfolded when Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Federation, refused to acknowledge his act and refused to back down. There were widespread criticisms of what was named as the kissgate scandal. Even the manager of England’s women’s football team dedicated her Coach of the Year Award to the World Cup winning Spanish team in solidarity with the issues raised by the team. Rubiales resigned, eventually. 

Spain did the right thing by taking timely actions against the complaints. They have even tried to address issues of inequalities and misogyny existing in the football sector in a month’s time. And here in Nepal, we have already waited for a year to see the conclusion of an alleged rape case involving a high-level cricketer and a minor. Let’s hope the newly-elected team of the Cricket Association of Nepal takes the credibility and morality of its players seriously. Let us also hope that judges will be “available” for the hearings and justice delivered equally to everyone, be it a popular player or an ordinary citizen.  

They looked charismatic! One represented educated urban youth, the other represented a down-to-earth local passionate to bring a change. Their lifestyle and apolitical background ignited hopes in people. Balendra Shah and Harka Sampang were new faces in the old lot who did not promise to turn their cities into Switzerland or Singapore. Ultimately, they won the hearts and the votes of their supporters to become the mayors of Kathmandu and Dharan. And now, both are shooting themselves in their feet by weaponizing social media.

Balen Shah who rapped about the government’s malfunctions and shortsightedness in his songs was expected to be the savior of the capital city. His supporters believed that this structural engineer would indeed restructure the city.  There’s no denying that he has been effective in getting the daily waste out of Kathmandu, although challenges remain at the dumping site. His efforts to get pavements cleared have been successful in many areas of Kathmandu, although there are still roads with large potholes, and roadside vendors still complain of being displaced.

Balen has nevertheless enjoyed the fame of becoming a young mayor who comes from an ethnically diverse family and exhibits high regards to the local culture of the city. He has also tried to establish himself as the bold one. He canceled his trip to China recently after China used Nepal’s old map instead of the new one endorsed by the Parliament. He banned an Indian movie which reportedly contained controversial statements about Nepal’s history. Back in December last year, he said he rejected the US Ambassador’s proposal of financial support. These gestures are important indicators for the common Nepalis.

He has not spared Nepal’s Supreme Court either or Singhadurbar. And he uses social media to vent his anger bluntly. The recent post about a policeman performing his duty got him so furious that he threatened to burn down Singhadurbar. His staunch supporters expressed their solidarity and even offered to light the fire without questioning the reasons for the police stoppage. Some media confused people if they were doing journalism or sensationalizing the issue. One of the famous Nepali Facebook pages, Routine of Nepal Banda that had been Balen’s sincere supporter from the beginning posted the news of Balen becoming a father.

The hardcore fans then started blaming the police and the media for being insensitive toward Balen’s wife. The truth unfolded later and Mr Mayor removed his status. Did he need to become so impatient and blunt in the first place? He who decried political leaders’ highhandedness in his songs had become no different.

The Mayor of Dharan seems to be even more aggressive and arrogant. His choice of words are worse than Balen’s. One can easily see how obsessed he is with himself by looking at his social media posts. He has faced a lot of backlash on the comments he has made about people’s faith, which is why he has slightly softened his social media tone these days. What I fail to understand however is the amount of time he is spending on the plantation. There is no question that preserving greenery is vital, but it looks like he has taken it as an obsession. He must have other things to do. Since I am not from Dharan, I may not be able to comment on all his works but his social media definitely needs to be sensibly run.

Both Shah and Sampang are more popular than many other leaders. A huge population still thinks they will be able to change the face of their cities. What is alarming about both of them is the lack of respect for institutions and the selection of undiplomatic words.  Both the mayors should respect people’s faith in them and not turn the masses into mobs who are easily provoked by their social media posts. 

If there were beliefs that Donald Trump could feel weak and powerless because of the many charges he has faced, then he has certainly proved everyone wrong. Overturning the mugshot released recently into a political campaign shows he’s still a topic of interest for people around the world.

The historic mugshot where he has reflected his personality as an angry man thinking of a revenge soon turned into a different merchandise to promote his election campaign. What is ironic yet creative for his campaign is to use the same picture of him as a protagonist who can make America great again.

He is back on Twitter/X, the platform he overused to spread hatred and misinformation to the extent that he had to be banned, posting the same mugshot with the message ‘election interference’ and ‘never surrender’. It has been viewed over 240 million times and has 1.6 million likes. It is interesting to note that his ultra-loyal fans and voters overlook all the allegations Trump has faced and instead promote him as the fearless leader who can transform America. 

The difference between most American leaders and Trump is that he lacks diplomacy, which his followers admire as being a straightforward person. And despite 91 felony charges against him, Trump has been able to use his victim card so well to convince his party and followers that they dismiss what he did on January 6, 2021.

When he was in power, he banned Muslims from certain countries from visiting the US. His relationship with the ‘rocket man’ or the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un became controversial, the decision to separate families at the US-Mexico border was widely condemned, and the revelation of paying hush money to a porn star put a question mark on his character. During the pandemic, he made it clear that he did not believe in scientists. Same is his opinion on climate change. He paved the way for white supremacy to surface and divide people. Thanks to him, the world supported the Black Lives Matter campaign that began later.

As a Nepali, I sometimes try to see if there are similarities between him and our Nepali leaders. Our current Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal once publicly took responsibility for the 5000 lives lost in the Maoist rebellion. As with powerful leaders, no action was taken against him. The transitional justice system has been mocked as the truth and reconciliation commission never gets a shape.  However, the difference between us and them is that they were able to bring the former President to a local jail where he surrendered too whereas our high-level leaders have mostly been protected.  

I also find Trump’s vocabularies to be similar with Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang’s. Both use/d indecent language to vent out on social media, and glorify their arrogance. He too is on a mission to make Dharan great again but has already faced backlash. Prohibitory orders to keep Dharan safe and calm are not a good sign of what could lie ahead in maintaining religious solidarity. He should be mindful before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, as a distant observer, I feel that Trump has sharply divided the American people. There are Americans who think the image of their country has tarnished while others think he is better than his contemporaries. As a leading Republican Party candidate, Trump definitely has challenges to face, not just with the indictments but also to be selected as the final candidate. However, the way he is trying to create his image of a fearless leader ready to take revenge has ignited curiosity to what happens next. As the largest economy of the world and a superpower, it is all but natural for the world to be interested in learning political developments in the United States. And the world is amazed to see how his popularity does not decline.