Kantipur Publications
Encyclopedia
Kantipur Publications, Ltd. is a media firm based in Kathmandu, Nepal
. The company operates five widely circulated print publications, a national television network, and a radio station. It is the first media organization in Nepal to gain membership to the World Association of Newspapers
. Its chairman is Kailash Shiroya.
The massacre of the royal family in June 2001 prompted the first crisis between Kantipur Publications and the government. Three directors of Kantipur were arrested and charged with "sedition" after publishing comments by a Maoist leader about the death of King Birendra.
The proclamation of a state of emergency
on November 26, 2001, by King Gynanendra under the direction of then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba
suspended the press freedom guaranteed by the country’s Constitution a decade earlier. Police began a wave of repression: more than fifty journalists were arrested, many publications were banned outright.
Following a February 1, 2005 royal coup by Gyanendra, Kantipur Publications operated under tighter restrictions. Journalists throughout Nepal were subject to imprisonment and beatings by the Royal Nepal Army. Nevertheless, Kantipur Publications continued to criticize the regime despite the royal proclamation and the ongoing civil war
.
In March 2005, Narayan Wagle
, editor in chief of Kantipur, was held for questioning by police on suspicion of criticizing the king in print.
During the 2006 uprising, Kantipur Publications continued operations despite increased crackdowns by the monarchy on private media.
Press freedom has been restored since the restoration of democracy in Nepal in May 2006, allowing Kantipur Publications to operate without fear of reprisal by the state.
and the All Nepal Trade Union Federation. However, an agreement was reached between Kantipur and the Federation.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The company operates five widely circulated print publications, a national television network, and a radio station. It is the first media organization in Nepal to gain membership to the World Association of Newspapers
World Association of Newspapers
The World Association of Newspapers is a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations and individual newspaper executives in 100 countries...
. Its chairman is Kailash Shiroya.
History
In February 1993, exactly two years after Nepal’s constitution was amended to permit a free press, Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post were launched. Its founder is Shyam Goenka who at barely 29 years of age had a vision of a free press and institutionalisation of journalism in Nepal. He had a setback from the fact that despite the two newspapers registering leadership in circulation against the backdrop of the fact that there is hardly any example of a newspaper becoming country's largest in such a short span of time anywhere in the world; it did not receive government advertisements, and was forced to transfer his shares to Namaste Group (then jointly owned by Binod Gyawali and Kailash Sirohiya) due to financial crunch. "Kantipur" and "The Kathmandu Post" became the first private newspapers in Nepal's history. The two publications quickly found a large audience with the public - as well as contentious relationship with the ruling regime. The two publications have in fact been amongst the strongest pillars in institutionalising and strengthening democracy in Nepal, and have brought about a host of initiatives in the media sector, till February 93 not thronged by any broadsheet endeavor till Shyam Goenka, the visionary, gave Nepal a literal 'food for thought' in the form of the aforesaid newspapers for academicians, intellectuals, thinkers, policy makers, political leaders and the rest to delve on issues of development and take the nascent democracy forward towards a reinforced one. Indeed, a deja vu from the year 1990 when democracy was re-established in Nepal would show as to how these two newspapers have shaped and moulded Nepal's democratic dstiny. With the initiatives of Shyam Goenka, journalism in Nepal today happens to be one of the most cherished professions for the young literate milieu to opt for and a much respected domain. After Kantipur, at least half a dozen broadsheet dailies sprang up in Nepal over the course of time and the sector has moved towards an organised one since then. The success of Kantipur from the very onset will always stand as a strong case study for the media domain across the world. It was promoted at the same time as the two dailies promoted by Ambanis and Thapars in India with large investments, but with limited success, going on to prove that newspaper readership is dtiven by a very strong bond of loyalty - and making inroads therein, remains an exemplary act. The leadership of Hindustan Times in Delhi, Times of India in Mumbai, Deccan Chronicle in Hyderabad, The Hindu in Chennai, The Indian Express in Kerala, Deccan Herald in Bangalore have been there for several decades and in none of these places may you find the most read newspaper having relegated to the second slot, despite very strong marketing endeavors, e.g., by Times of India in Delhi and Bangalore and in more southern centres of late, by Hindustan Times in Mumbai or by Deccan Chronicle in Chennai, The Hindu in Kerala and so on. The list s endless but the suggestion is that of a poise of an absolute inelasticity in one's newspaper loyalty - much different from how it is in case of other products, where you find an ever changing leadership pattern. This suggests the unparalleled success of "Kantipur" and "The Kathmandu Post".The massacre of the royal family in June 2001 prompted the first crisis between Kantipur Publications and the government. Three directors of Kantipur were arrested and charged with "sedition" after publishing comments by a Maoist leader about the death of King Birendra.
The proclamation of a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
on November 26, 2001, by King Gynanendra under the direction of then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister. He is the second senior most leader of the Nepali Congress. He has twice been elected as the leader of parliamentary party of the Nepali Congress, thus enabling him to be elected twice as the Prime Minister of Nepal.He has...
suspended the press freedom guaranteed by the country’s Constitution a decade earlier. Police began a wave of repression: more than fifty journalists were arrested, many publications were banned outright.
Following a February 1, 2005 royal coup by Gyanendra, Kantipur Publications operated under tighter restrictions. Journalists throughout Nepal were subject to imprisonment and beatings by the Royal Nepal Army. Nevertheless, Kantipur Publications continued to criticize the regime despite the royal proclamation and the ongoing civil war
Nepal Civil War
The Nepali Civil War was a conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels in Nepal which lasted from 1996 until 2006...
.
In March 2005, Narayan Wagle
Narayan Wagle
Narayan Wagle is a Nepalese journalist and novelist. He was the editor of Kantipur Daily, one of Nepal's largest circulating newspapers, until 2008, and is currently the editor of Nagarik News...
, editor in chief of Kantipur, was held for questioning by police on suspicion of criticizing the king in print.
During the 2006 uprising, Kantipur Publications continued operations despite increased crackdowns by the monarchy on private media.
Press freedom has been restored since the restoration of democracy in Nepal in May 2006, allowing Kantipur Publications to operate without fear of reprisal by the state.
Trouble with Maoists
In 2007, Kantipur Publications faced pressure from Maoist-aligned organizations such as Young Communist League, NepalYoung Communist League, Nepal
"Youth Of All Communist Countries Unite"Young Communist League, Nepal is the youth wing of Communist Party of Nepal . The president of YCL is Ganeshman Pun and the general secretary of YCL is Dilip Kumar Prajapati...
and the All Nepal Trade Union Federation. However, an agreement was reached between Kantipur and the Federation.
Newspapers and magazines
- KantipurKantipur (daily)Kantipur is a Nepali language daily newspaper, published from Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, and Bharatpur of Nepal simultaneously.Kantipur's publishers report that the circulation of this newspaper is just above 250,000 copies per day...
- Daily newspaper, circulation 250,000 - the most widely read newspaper in Nepal. - The Kathmandu PostThe Kathmandu PostThe Kathmandu Post is a major daily newspaper published in Nepal. Centred in the capital Kathmandu, it is one of the largest English-language newspapers in the country. The Kathmandu Post is independently owned, and is published by Kantipur Publications, the owners of Nepal's largest selling...
- An English language daily newspaper, circulation 50,000 - Saptahik - A weekly entertainment tabloid, circulation 100,000
- Nepal Weekly - Magazine focusing on politics and society, circulation 37,000
- Nari - Women’s magazine, monthly circulation 36,000
Broadcasting
- Kantipur Television Network - Popularly known as “KTV”, provides news and original entertainment. It is an affiliate channel to CNN.
- Kantipur FMKantipur FMKantipur FM is a Nepalese FM radio station established in October 1998 as a first private fm station in Nepal and is currently operating in the east, central and mid western development regions. But, it is most popular in eastern region of Nepal and it is most listened station in Kathmandu, capital...
- Provides news and original entertainment throughout the Kathmandu Valley on channel 96.1. The first privately owned and operated FM radio station in Nepal. Established in 1998.
External links
- eKantipur.com Official site of Kantipur Publications.
- Phalano.com A "photoblog" of work by Kantipur photojournalists.
- RajeshKC.com Kantipur journalist, photographer and political cartoonist.
- Todd Krainin Kathmandu Post photojournalist.