Journalism Ethics, Dabur and Miss Nepal

Posted on by Anand Nepal

kantipur-clip Did you notice Kantipur, the biggest newshouse in Nepal, didn’t publish news about the biggest beauty contest in Nepal, Miss Nepal 2010 ? Nepal Television broadcasted the full event but Kantipur acted as if it hasn’t heard of the grand event. I didn’t see the news about it in Nayapatrika too (I don’t know if I missed it). Kantipur has published a news about a little known ‘Little Miss Nepal’ event, instead.

The reason: Dabur, the sponsor of Miss Nepal, has stopped publishing ads in Kantipur.

Fair enough! But, I have a few questions:

  • Shall I be kept in dark about Miss Nepal (or other news) because Dabur (or anybody else) didn’t advertise in Kantipur?
  • Should a reader care if Kantipur gets advertisement from Dabur or not?
  • If Kantipur writes only of those who provide them with advertisement, why do they charge the subscriber?
  • Are all the news in Kantipur sponsored ?
  • What is a guarantee that any of the news Kantipur publishes is independent ?

It is not the first time Kantipur has stooped low in its responsibility to the general public. A few posts I talked about Kantipur’s ethics were:

Well, the previous two cases might be the matter of debate. But, the current issue on biasness of publishing news is an outright violation of the definition of Journalism.

(My sincere thanks to reputed journalist Dipak Bhattrai for clarifying the issue. Mr. Bhattarai said that there might be advertisement and other issues on not publishing the news in Kantipur.)

12 thoughts on “Journalism Ethics, Dabur and Miss Nepal”

  1. Dabar Industry attempting to presser nepalese media not to publish its wrong doing is just unacceptable. Just look at the behaviour of Rakesh Sud. I am sorry If I have missspelled this clown’s name because I don’t even bother. This fool should have been given marching orders a long time ago. Every nepali of nepaliness in deep heart should pull together regardless of their skin colour, looks, their cultures, shape and sizes and stand against these pests. We nepali where ever we live under any circumstances should voice together and speak in one voice. It is long over due. We also look at their proxies inside nepali political parties. They are the ones who are responsible for current political deadlock. I just imagine if fool like Rakesh Sud was in any western countries and done what he is doing in nepal, he would have been given just enough time to put on his LAGAUTI and DHOTI and sent back to where he came from to eat curry and chapaati. I also fully support a stand taken by xnepali and call true nepalese around the world to do the same.

    Reply

  2. Little knowledge is dangerous as they say. And here I see.
    And there is always a reason, and so there is.

    So there is a reason behind Kantipur or any other daily for not publishing the Miss Nepal news. Of course it is related to Dabur. It is not only about Dabur not giving advertisements to Kantipur.

    I guess my citizens and medias of Nepal are supporting more for their rights, their health and the TRUTH rather than or just for the money.

    Hats off to the medias for the footage they could capture about harmful substances found in Dabur Real Juice.

    Jai Nepal!!

    Reply

  3. Gajendra Budhathoki on Ujjwal Acharya’s wall remark: यो विज्ञापनको लडाइँ समाचारपत्रले पनि झेलेको थियो । युटीएलबारे समाचार छापिएपछि समाचारपत्रलाई भारतीय दूतावासले विज्ञापन नाकाबन्दी गरेको थियो, अहिलेको डाबर प्रकरण पनि विज्ञापन नाकाबन्दीबाट सुरू भएको हो यो त सबैलाई थाह भएकै कुरा हो

    Reply

  4. Hi
    I’ll just add one fact that ekantipur had actually published the ‘fresh’ news of ‘Miss Nepal 2010’ but it was removed quickly. NepalUpclose.com had chance to pull the news snip at that period from the link:
    http://www.ekantipur.com/np/2067/5/16/full-news/317188/
    The link does not work now.
    Here is ekantipur snip. I am posting it as a FYI, and staying neutral.
    सदीक्षा भइन् मिस नेपाल (फोटो फिचरसहित)
    यस वर्षको मिस नेपाल काठमाडौंकी सदीक्षा श्रेष्ठ भएकी छन् । आईएससी अध्ययनरत १९ वर्षिय सदीक्षाले मिस नेपालको ताज पहिरिएकी छन् । आर्मी अफिसर्स क्लवमा बुधबार भएको मिस नेपाल प्रतियोगितामा १७ प्रतिस्पर्धीलाई उछिन्दै सदीक्षाले ताज पहिरिएकी हुन् । उपाधिसँगै सदीक्षाले ५० हजार नगद र चेरी कार हात पारिन् । केही विज्ञापनमा मोडलिङ गरिसकेकी सदीक्षा भ्वाईस अफ उमल म्यागेजिनले आयोजना गरेको मिस ब्युटिफुल लेडीमा छानिसकेकी छन् । यसैगरी यस बर्षको फस्ट रनर अप साहाना बज्राचार्य भइन् भने सेकेण्ड रनर अप संयुक्ता ….

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  6. If we blame than, we can say, The Himalayan Times, Annapurna Post, Nagarik, Republica etc published that because those news and event were sponsored by Dabur Company.

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  8. Well I guess you are being one sided against Kantipur.

    What Kantipur did was wrong, everyone is accepting it, but your way of presentation has shown that you are denying to look on the other side too.

    I wish you elaborate more on your article.

    Reply

    • Thanks Dhruba ji,
      Yes I was one sided.
      That was because, I feel betrayed when I sided with the Nepali newspapers on the Indian Embassy released their press release about real juice.

      If our newspapers can do anything for advertisement, one can’t deny the fabrication of these news.

      Reply
  9. Pingback: Tweets that mention Journalism Ethics, Dabur and Miss Nepal | Weird and Funny World -- Topsy.com

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