Samacharpatra closure

Nepal Samacharpatra, a national daily, has suspended its publication for the time being since Wednesday. Its sister publication- Mahanagar- was closed on Tuesday itself. The management of these newspapers has said it was forced to take the harsh decision following the obstructions by the hawkers. This is for the first time that a mainstream national daily has gone out of operation due to rift between the workers and the management. Since continuity is the credibility of a newspaper, this disruption is a huge blow not only to Samacharpatra but also to the free media in Nepal. Even during the draconian rule of King Gyanendra, which tried to gag the independent media, no daily newspaper went out of print for a single day. The closure of Samacharpatra should, therefore, be taken seriously by the media fraternity, civil society and the political parties.

The circumstance under which these two newspapers have been forced to shut down is dubious. Samacharpatra had outsourced its distribution to Customers Solution Pvt Limited. The hawkers, who were actually employees of Customers Solution, created obstructions demanding formation of a trade union in Kamana Prakashan Samuha, the publisher of Samacharpatra. Trade union is the right of employees ensured by the law and no management can - and should - try to trample the right of the workers. But how come the employees of one company demand to form a trade union in another company? The fact that the hawkers are trying to form All Nepal Communication Press and Publications Trade Union, which is affiliated to CPN (Maoist), raises many questions. Is this the tactic of the Maoists to arm-twist the independent media? Are they trying to send a message to the independent media houses that criticism against them will invite dire consequences? Are the Maoists, who have faced the wrath of the media in recent days, making a strategic but indirect move, to cow them into submission?

Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara's comment that "it is an issue to be sorted out between the management and the workers" lends credence to the suspicion that it could be a tactical move of the Maoists. Any media house or an industry is obliged to talk and negotiate with its workers but not with someone who are not even its employees. So, the obstruction by hawkers at Kamana Prakashan is not an issue between the management and the employees. If the Maoists think that they can silence growing media criticism against them by encouraging their trade union to take on the media, this is a strategy completely wrong-headed and could be counter-productive in the long run. The Maoists should not forget that Nepal's media has already demonstrated adequate fighting spirit to defend its freedom.

http://kathmandupost.com/kolnews.php?&nid=113338

Maoists are trying to take control of Nepali media and seems like no one cares.

अब पुष्कर लाल को हुन्, उनको प्रिष्ठभूमि के हो भनेर खोतल्ने हो भने त लामो फेरिहस्त नै लेख्नु पर्ला। पत्रकार होइनन् रे पनि ठुलो मेडिया हाउसको हर्ता कर्ता मात्र होइनन्, प्रधान् सम्पादक हुन्। ज्ञानेको अन्तर्वार्ता लिने शौभाग्य पाएका पुष्कर लाल् लाइ चान्चुन मान्नु भएन।
अब पत्रिका जो बन्द भयो यस भित्र अनेक कारण हुन सक्छ। पहिलो कुरा त समचार पत्र निकै घाटामा चलेको पत्रिका हुन्। माइ बाप ज्ञानेबाट पैसा झरेन। बन्द गर्नै पर्ने भो।
दोस्रो, पुष्कर् र उन्को परिवारको बिगत र बर्तमान लाई अनुसन्धान गर्ने भए सीताराम् प्रसाईंले के गरेका थिए र वाइ सी एल रे झ्याईंकुटि गर्नको लागि? सीता रामका बाप हुन् उनी। तर पनि वाइ सी एल सङ चन्दाको धन्दा मा कुरा मिलुन्जेल सङै एकै थालमा खाए।
मिडिया र पत्रकारिताको बिकास खमेरुज को कम्बोडियामा भएको थियो र अब प्रचण्ड ( क्रिष्ण बहादुर महरा)को नेपाल मा हुनको लागि? न माओको चिनमा थिए न अहिले को चिन मा छन्। मेडिया त के कुरा आम जनतालाई ब्रेडको लोभ देखाएर कैद गर्ने छन्। इतिहासले देखाएको कुरा हो। पोल्पोटका नयाँ संस्करणहरुको हरेको क्रियाकलाप् ले कम्बोडिया को मनव कंकालको कहालीलाग्दो म्युजियमको शाखा नेपालमै शिघ्र खोल्दै छन्।
त्यसैले क्रमश: मेडिया को अबसान स्वाभाबिक छ। फेरि पनि एउटै रातो अखबार् मात्र छापिने छन्, रातो रेडियो बोल्ने छन अनि रातै टेलिभिजन भरि खाकि ड्रेसमा रातो तारा झल्किने छन्। भोलिको रक्तिम नेपाल् को तस्बीर यहि हो। बुझ्नेलाई श्रीखण्ड न बुझ्नेलाई खुर्पाको बींड।

Before Maoists existed in Nepal, Congress labeled Nepal Samacharpatra as a Communist Newspaper (UML).

After Maoists Came, Sher Bahadur Deuba labeled Nepal Samacharpatra as a Maoists Newspaper.

After King Came, Kantipur labeled Nepal Samacharpatra Durbariya newspaper.

In fact, this is the only neutral newspaper that ever existed in Nepal.

During Loktantra movement. Gorkhapatra was all the way to the right. Kantipur was all the way to the left. Nepal Samacharpatra was the only newspaper that stayed neutral.

A newspaper's job is always to stay neutral and report the facts without bending, fabricating and distorting truth. Its job is to let people decide by writing what they see.

About Kamana Group running in loss. Who says so? It has been employing over 300 - 500 employees for many many years.

A wise person will never use money from their pocket to run business. They will use loan and credit from bank.

Which businessperson in Nepal is running their business with their pocket money?

Has any bank blacklisted Kamana Group yet? If banks are happy and have no problem, why this non sense propaganda?

If you are too young to know Kamana's 24 years history, consult with your dad, mom, uncle or aunts. You cannot start history from whenever you want.

See the bigger problem. Maoists are trying to control all the media houses. Do you know what that means?

Open Your Eyes.

हसायो सलमान ले हसायो। कामना प्रकाशनको जागिरे ले पनि यति प्रतिरक्षा गर्दैनन्। पुष्करलाल् कै ठिमाह छोराले पनि यति बिघ्न समर्थन् गर्दैन जो सल्मान् ले गर्दै छन्।
कस्ले कहिले UML र माओबादिको पत्रिका भने? कुनै आधार् छ? कुनै प्रमाण छ?
जन्मिदा देखि नै ज्ञानेको पैसाले चलेको थियो, अहिले पनि चल्दै छ।
सारा नेपाली प्रेस जगत लोकतन्त्रको पक्षमा आन्दोलित भएको बखत राजाको भजन गाउने पत्रिका न्युट्रल हुन्छ? पार्टिको समर्थन नगर्नु बेशै हो तर यसको अर्थ जनताको बिद्रोहलाई पार्टिले हाक्दा तिनै पार्टि र बहुदलिय ब्यबस्थालाई सत्तो सराप्नु न्युट्रलहो? वा रे सल्मान्, वा, बिबेकमा बिर्को लागे सि यस्तै हो बौलाउछन् मान्छेहरु।
कुन चाहि अंकमा जनाअन्दोलन को समर्थन गरेको छ? लुकेर बसेका मन्डले मुसाहरुको भजन बाहेक के छाप्यौ?
About Kamana Group running in loss. Who says so? It has been employing over 300 - 500 employees for many many years.

A wise person will never use money from their pocket to run business. They will use loan and credit from bank.

Which businessperson in Nepal is running their business with their pocket money?
ठिकै हो कुरा त , तर नाफामा भएको हिसाब किताब देखाउन सक्छौ त। कति बिज्ञापन छापिन्छ र कति पत्रिक बिक्री हुन्छ? अन्दाज छ, सलमान्?
पत्रिका को भर भनेको बिज्ञापन हो, नत्र एक् पत्रिका बराबर झन्डै१० रुपैया खर्छ हुन्छ। ४ रु मा बेचेर कति कमाउछौ कि गुमाउछौ?
कान्तिपुर ले ६ हजार् मा न छाप्ने बिज्ञापन म आफैले रु ३ हजार मा छापेको छु। अनि बर्ष भरिको पत्रिका फ्री उपहार् सहित्। यसरि चलेको छ नाफा मा?
घाटा कहाबाट् पूर्ति भै राख्या छ के थाहा सल्मान् जस्ता पाल्तु हरुलाई। पुषकर् लाल् को माइ बाप् ले तिनको भजन गाएको र लोकतन्त्रबादि नेताहरुलाई गाली गरे बापत पाएको हुन्दीको हिसाब के थाह?
बडा प्रति रक्षा गर्दो रैछ।

Here is your proof. I typed www.google.com. Then searched for Pushkar Lal Shrestha and found these results.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/15380/

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=1455

I gave you some proof now. Now it is your turn. Do you have proof that Nepal Samacharpatra published your ad for half the price. Circulationwise Kantipur sells more than Nepal Samacharpatra so NSP's ad rate is little below Kantipur's ad rate.

Can you show the receipt?

In 1996 - Mahanagar evening daily newspaper used to charge a lot more rate than Kantipur, Sagarmatha, Lokpatra and Nepal Samacharpatra. Kantipur would publish the ad for one quarter of Mahanagar's rate.

In 2000 - After change in ownership, Kantipur became number one publication house in Nepal and started charging more than any other publication house.

In 2007 - Nepal Samacharpatra stands very close to Kantipur in terms of circulation and ad rate. Kantipur's circulation and ad rate is still slighty higher but they are close.

Did you publish your ad recently in Nepal Samacharpatra?

Which year are you talking about? Which context are you talking about?

Don't write in bhayeko thiyo, gareko thiyo rey style.

About giving you hisba kitab of profit and loss. Who are you? Kar Mantralaya? Bank provides loan only if business is in good condition. These days it is pretty strict and hard to get away from bankers.

We saw the recent example of Prasain. And what is going on with Amatya Group and others.

Do you see Kamana Group's name in the black list? If not, that means they are obviously doing good, right?

Well its almost 1 am and time to sleep.

Samacharpatra still in suspension; publishers appeal to parties and civil society

As Kamana Publications has halted the publication of Nepal Samacharpatra daily and Mahanagar eveninger since last three days owing to disruption by pro-Maoist workers, publishers of major publication houses have come together to appeal to eight parties, human rights community, civil society and other stakeholders to help create an environment to allow the resumption of the publications.

At a meeting held at the office of Kamana Publications, publishers of Kantipur Publications, APCA House, Utsarga Publications and Himalaya Times expressed concern over the situation in Kamana Publications. "It is gross injustice and an attack on the freedom of the press to so vitiate the atmosphere as to set the stage for the closure of newspapers just for the sake of the fulfillment of undue demands of trade unions," a joint press release issued by the publications said.

The publishers have concluded that the creation of a situation whereby the Publication had to halt the publishing of newspapers was a serious assault to the freedom of press. They said that while they respect the right to form trade union, they find it wrongful to move ahead by flouting legal processes.

The dispute in the Kamana Publications arose after workers affiliated with All Nepal Media, Press and Publications Workers Association – including the distributors and delivery boys – demanded that the Publication register them as trade union even as the latter has said that they are not actually their workers. Pushkar Lal Shrestha, executive chairman of the Publications, has said that he cannot register the union from an independent company. According to him, the distributors and delivery boys of the Publication work on contract through another company called Consumer Solution. nepalnews.com sd Jun 22 07

http://nepalitimes.com/issue/354/Headline/13647

our regular visitor rahulvai thinks himself that he is the owner and he knew how he was functioning his own media house. Rahul are u the owner if nt then shut the fu(k up

u always behave like u know many more than fellow nepali standing with u, its annoying. What salman was telling is maoist are using like bihari style to close down anything they don't like and here u r who won gold medal for singing royal song and u r here turning ur ass agasinst ur father gyane lauja .

rahulvai i respect the logic but the logic which creates social unrest which violates social harmony like urs to tell u the truth we don't need who thinks he knows too much and writes anything blah blah and get gold medal from his step dad haha

people who know many things they need to censor themselves by their own brain, they need to think first abt what they are vommiting.

let the press be free from people like rahul and like prachnde

rahul being board first doesn't make u the leader of free press.

Thopa ji ,
please read my comment completely then comment on it. I am always against the maoist's jungali raaj.

अब पत्रिका जो बन्द भयो यस भित्र अनेक कारण हुन सक्छ। पहिलो कुरा त समचार पत्र निकै घाटामा चलेको पत्रिका हुन्। माइ बाप ज्ञानेबाट पैसा झरेन। बन्द गर्नै पर्ने भो।
दोस्रो, पुष्कर् र उन्को परिवारको बिगत र बर्तमान लाई अनुसन्धान गर्ने भए सीताराम् प्रसाईंले के गरेका थिए र वाइ सी एल रे झ्याईंकुटि गर्नको लागि? सीता रामका बाप हुन् उनी। तर पनि वाइ सी एल सङ चन्दाको धन्दा मा कुरा मिलुन्जेल सङै एकै थालमा खाए।
मिडिया र पत्रकारिताको बिकास खमेरुज को कम्बोडियामा भएको थियो र अब प्रचण्ड ( क्रिष्ण बहादुर महरा)को नेपाल मा हुनको लागि? न माओको चिनमा थिए न अहिले को चिन मा छन्। मेडिया त के कुरा आम जनतालाई ब्रेडको लोभ देखाएर कैद गर्ने छन्। इतिहासले देखाएको कुरा हो। पोल्पोटका नयाँ संस्करणहरुको हरेको क्रियाकलाप् ले कम्बोडिया को मनव कंकालको कहालीलाग्दो म्युजियमको शाखा नेपालमै शिघ्र खोल्दै छन्।
त्यसैले क्रमश: मेडिया को अबसान स्वाभाबिक छ। फेरि पनि एउटै रातो अखबार् मात्र छापिने छन्, रातो रेडियो बोल्ने छन अनि रातै टेलिभिजन भरि खाकि ड्रेसमा रातो तारा झल्किने छन्। भोलिको रक्तिम नेपाल् को तस्बीर यहि हो। बुझ्नेलाई श्रीखण्ड न बुझ्नेलाई खुर्पाको बींड।

About Pushkar lal, if you are from his neighbourhood, then you will know "asali dhandaa ke ho bhanera". Moreover, if you had read the his news paper regulary, then you would have known his relation with Gynaane and how he had run his media empire,

RahulVai,

As much as i respect you and your contribution to enlighten sajah community , i am compelled to point finger at you this point.

i felt like writing something before but i didn't.

Now , you keep on defending here your prespective, You attack the person than the issue.Lets see clear and bigger picture out here rather than who is , what he is.

Puskar lal can be congress, royalist or communist ..that doesn't matter at this time.What matter is the maoist intentions, what matters is the maoist encroachment in the territory of press freedom.

If there was financial crisis in newspaper then it can stop functioning.They don't need to be justified but what is wrong is the forceful closure of leading daily newspaper.

If journalist do not stand together and leave him cause he might have written few articles for royals , then it is not fine!!!!you and intellectuals need to realize that.

who is corrupt and who is not in Nepal is matter of long discussion.Show me one news media who is honestly fair ?We all know , which is run by who so your enlightment (too much extra and personal knowledge ) is appreciated but ignoring and pulling legs at this time is indeed a sad thing for person of your age and caliber.


You pointing finger at characteristics of puskar lal more than Maoist at this time is definately sad thing.

Again, this is just begining of maoist raj!! wait and watch.

may be i have spoken more than i should ..i am sorry

i believe rahul ji we r talking abt press freedom nt how that pushkar gets rice and beer and much more in his plate, when people are thirsty for reform.

so why don't u tell us what he used to do i don't know what his area is i used to live in baneshwor.

rahul ji i was standing for free press and it doesn't matter who owns samacharpatra and whats his character i didn't thought abt that when i saw press freedom being hampered by prachande i cried out loud against it that is it nthing personal

pushkar and samacharpatra they are two different things rahulji