Dealing with business

October 7, 2009Posted inMedia
Two months ago, on the 6th of August, I was invited to hold an interesting press conference. About a dozen journalists, all belonging to one newspaper, grilled me for a good two hours. After my brief statement on the opposition party, they fired away rapid questions ranging from politics and business to media, my blog and my nickname, Massive. Our discussions that day were never published – the press conference was, in fact, a practice session. I suppose that was why we had so much fun. But by last week, those very same journalists were no longer practicing. And…

Stop press!

August 16, 2009Posted inMedia22 Comments
On 30th July, the media received a much-needed shot in the arm when, at the concluding ceremony of the third session of the Parliament, His Majesty the King underscored the importance of the media and commanded: “I appreciate that while some of the media agencies are young and lack adequate resources they have strived to perform their duties with complete commitment. Hereafter, media will be vital in keeping people well informed and in encouraging debate and participation - key to a vibrant democracy. Therefore, I have decided that through the exercise of my Royal Prerogative of Kidu, to strengthen…

Double vision

July 14, 2009Posted inMedia
The editorial in the Dzongkha edition of the Kuensel this morning confused me. The editorial denounced the National Council’s decision to legalize the sale of tobacco through high taxes. And, it called on the National Assembly to overturn the Council’s decision and endorse the Tobacco Control Bill. Why was I confused? Because yesterday’s English edition of the Kuensel carried an editorial applauding the National Council’s decision to legalize the sale of tobacco products through high taxation policies. Editorials represent a newspaper’s stand – their point of view – on important issues. So, obviously, a newspaper’s opinion on a particular…

Turn on that switch!

July 10, 2009Posted inLegislature, Media6 Comments
It’s been one week since the National Assembly discontinued live TV coverage of its proceedings. And most of us have now resigned to the fact that the National Assembly’s discussions are not broadcast on live TV. Not our villagers though. I still receive calls to appeal, on their behalf, for resumption of live coverage – on radio and TV – of the Assembly’s proceedings. Today, for instance, Tashi Gyeltshen telephoned me. Tashi is from remote Merak in Trashigang. And he’s a yak herder. He called to tell me that he wants to listen to the Assembly sessions on his…

Wanted: live TV

June 28, 2009Posted inMedia
The poll on the National Assembly’s decision to ban live TV coverage for most of its proceedings attracted considerable interest. But with 292 of the 315 participants (that’s 90% of them) disagreeing on the National Assembly’s recent decision, our readers’ views are clear. Only 23 voters (7%) supported the ban. And 10 people admitted that they really didn’t care. The public outcry against the National Assembly’s decision is obvious. And I’m not just referring to our poll. BBS has shown many people, from various walks of life, all denouncing the restrictions imposed on BBS TV’s live broadcast. Yet, the…

Breaking news

June 24, 2009Posted inMedia
The National Council has decided that their proceedings will continue to be telecast live on BBS. I’m hopeful that the National Assembly members will reverse their earlier decision to ban live TV broadcast for most of their sessions.

No middle path for live TV broadcast

June 23, 2009Posted inMedia
Middlepath (very good nickname) had this to say on my last entry about the National Assembly’s decision to discontinue live TV broadcast for most of its proceedings: “OL and others, please do not abuse the provisions of the Constitution to suit your position on the live telecast. The Constitution says that the proceedings of the NA should be conducted in public but the speaker has the discretion to exclude the press and the pubic from all or any part of the proceedings….(Art 10,15). Public should not be understood as live coverage – it should be understood as open for…

Live TV poll

June 22, 2009Posted inMedia
Our last poll, on the PCS, has been up for hardly four days. But it generated 51 votes. Almost three-fourths of them were cast against the position classification system. And only 14 voters supported the PCS. Several of the commentators, however, clarified that the PCS is actually a useful system, but that its flaws come from poor implementation. I agree with them. If the RCSC wants to continue with the PCS, it should implement the system completely. In particular, it should put into practice the dual principles of “right person for the right job” and “equal money for equal…

Reporter’s right

June 20, 2009Posted inGovernment, Media
Article 7.3 of our Constitution guarantees that “A Bhutanese shall have the right to information”. But read what Kuensel has to say about one reporter’s experience with Lyonpo Wangdi Norbu. If what Kuensel reports is even partially true, we should be seriously concerned .After all, this is not the first time that our government has yelled at and intimidated journalists. The DPT promised a “friendly and accessible government” and a “strong and independent media”. We cannot settle for less.

Broadcasting bad news

June 20, 2009Posted inMedia34 Comments
During a recent meeting to discuss the agenda for the next session of the National Assembly, MPs decided that live TV broadcast would be allowed only for the opening and closing ceremonies, the PM’s address, and for discussions related to public accounts and anticorruption. Only two MPs, both from the opposition, argued that the proceedings of the National Assembly should continue to be broadcast live on TV. I cannot understand why anyone would want to discontinue the live broadcast of the National Assembly proceedings. Consider that: the Constitution requires that “The proceedings of Parliament shall be conducted in public”;…

New TV centre

June 2, 2009Posted inMedia
In 1973 the National Youth Association of Bhutan, consisting of fifty to sixty young women and men, decided that Thimphu needed a radio station. So they asked if they could use the government's radio transmitter on Sundays when the wireless station in Taba normally closed and freed up a 400-watt transmitter. The Royal Government obliged. And Radio NYAB, which later became BBS, was born. Today, 35 years later, HRH Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck inaugurated BBS's new TV Centre. The Centre, financed by GOI, cost Nu 200 million and is fitted with state-of-the-art broadcast equipment. This will allow BBS to…

Drawing from cartoons

May 21, 2009Posted inMedia
I quite enjoyed Kuensel's cartoon yesterday. Wangchuk, the artist, drew our eleven cabinet ministers huddled together, all of them smug and happy, and each clutching his Nu 2 million Constituency Development Grant. The caricatures are so accurate that all eleven ministers are immediately recognizable, even at a first quick glance. And readers are already talking about which minister is most faithfully represented in the cartoon. In my opinion, almost all the ministers are drawn well. But five are simply outstanding. They are Lyonpo Nandalal, Lyonpo Minjur, Lyonpo Thakur Singh, and Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering. Yes, even Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering though…

The importance of being heard

May 12, 2009Posted inMedia
I've just learned that our oldest newpaper, Kuensel, declined to publish a letter concerning the recent media awards. The letter was from Tashi P. Wangdi, popularly called "Tosh", a former editor-in-chief of Bhutan Observer and one of the senior-most journalists in our country. I've also learned that the letter was posted on Kuensel's online discussion forum, but all twelve comments to the post were removed the next day. I am, therefore, happy to reproduce Tashi P. Wangdi's letter here. The right honorable prime minister underscored the importance of principle and moral high ground when it came to media during…

Cribbing right

May 7, 2009Posted inMedia
Responding to "Government awards media awards" kikisoso called me a cribber. This is what kikisoso wrote: The easiest job in the world is to crib. The task at hand is to provide beter and viable alternatives. OL, let us hear your alternative plans that are more well thought out than just wishful thinking. media people judging themselves will be a bloody melee …. I think we should learn the lessons of this award and make it more credible next time around - you know, no jury winners (what a balony), better and more broadbased jury selection, awards for ‘body…

Investigating rewards?

May 4, 2009Posted inMedia
The First Annual Media Award’s prize for Investigative Report of the Year, the award’s most prestigious category, went to Kuensel’s Phuntsho Choden. This came as no surprise. Phuntsho is good. Well done.But what did come as a surprise was Tenzing Lamsang. I dare say that Tenzing has contributed significantly to the development of a free media in our country since returning to Bhutan after a stint with the Indian Express, one of India’s biggest and most respected newspapers. From politics and government to the civil service and business, he’s covered a lot of ground. And he’s done his share…