Schoolgirl call girl, ABC TV and journalism ethics

In a latest news about a couple of schoolgirls being arrested for prostitution in Kathmandu, a local TV has been criticized for divulging too much information of the girl while dramatizing the issue.

On October 2, 2010 police arrested two girls from Town Plazza in Naxal. Two pimps named Sanjiv Lama and Som Bahadur Tamang were also arrested with the girls. It is told that they used to charge Rs. 50,000 for a night to customers, however, the girls got only Rs. 10,000. But, the issue is not about prostitution or, cheating the prostitutes, it is about how our journalist cover the news.

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Kantipur, you owe me (us) an explanation

[Update: I had written the original post in a hurry so, I have changed some wordings. I hope Kantipur editors will come up with some valid arguments.]

Some people thought that my previous article, Journalism Ethics, Dabur and Miss Nepal, was biased. I want to make myself clear, by telling that, I still believe in the spirit of the article, Indian Embassy – Real Juice – Real motive, and Indian Media, I wrote on August 28. A few points:

  1. Kantipur owes me an explanation. Why didn’t they cover the Miss Nepal event? I am still not convinced Kantipur did something ethical.
  2. Not publishing major news based on one’s personal problem (or, organizational dispute) implies that the Indian Embassy was right in telling our journalists are unethical (even if, it is still baseless).
  3. Am I baised ? Yes, a little bit. Previously, Kantipur writers simply ignored my enquiries through previous articles and emails (on Maya Bazin and Smita Thapa issues). The article was targeted to thick skinned, writers there.

My friend Aakar argued that he thinks Kantipur publication is doing what it should. Dipak Bhattarai and Aakar sent me the link to The Hindu article. It was a very detailed and in-depth analysis of the background of the current problem. I have summarized the articles below:

Excerpts from Nepali Times article.

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Analysis – Journalist Code of Conduct 2003 (2060)

I had raised the issue of ethics and code of conduct of Nepali journalists more than once. As promised previously, I went through the Nepali Journalis’ Federation (FNJ) website, in the quest of journalist code of ethics and conduct.

According to FNJ website, apart from the National Broadcasting Act, 1993 there is no legal provision to define the journalism practice in Nepal. FNJ has posted a very crude Code of Conduct in the same page.

The Code of Conduct doesn’t talk about copyright (oh my!), has a lot of obvious mistakes, and is in English (not in Nepali).

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Journalism Ethics, Maya Bazin, Smita Thapa, and Kantipur

UPDATE: One of the admins of the site hosting Maya’s video has replied to our question about the background of Maya Bazin. Here is what they have to say:

She’s a |**rn girl. That’s why she’s lying. Most girls don’t want to give away their real background so she made something up. ….

I hope the editors in Saptahik have learned the lesson.


Last time, when the infamous sex tape of Namrata Shrestha was covered in various media, BBC Nepali initiated a discussion on the Journalist ethics and responsibility. At that time many media houses, including Kantipur publication, choose to ignore the issue and acted as if the scandal didn’t happen.

The time has changed. It seems, Kantipur is regretting the noble decision it made at that time.

When Kantipur published an interview of an intoxicated and sexually aggressive model/actress, Smita Thapa, we questioned its real purpose. A latest front-page article about a sex film actress, Maya Bazin, has made the interview of Smita Thapa insignificant to talk about.

As far as I know, it is illegal to make or sell sex films in Nepal. Such act is punishable by law. Does that make it illegal to create undue interest on such films in general public? I hope, the law pundits will answer the question in comment.

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