| Username |
Post |
| ashu |
Posted
on 09-Feb-04 10:19 PM
I post this email here to share THT's version of the story.
Kantipur Publications and the Nepal Media Society are WELCOME to post their thoughts
IN THEIR OWN NAMES.
I take no-sides in this particular debate, except to say that more FDI in ALL sectors (print-media, telecom, hydropower, legal services, tourism, TV and what not) is in Nepal's long-term interests.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
***************
Hi Everyone,
For the past several days I have been overwhelmed by the support and encouragement given to me and our organisations by the public, especially from wondrous people like you.
I normally do not believe in spam but since circumstances are different here, I would just like to set the record straight especially in the wake of all the mis-information churned out by all the members of the so-called Nepal Media Society who have taken on the 'holy' mantle of protecting our nationalism and 'safe-guarding' the public's interest against people like us!!!
The Companies
APCA (Asia Pacific Communication Associates) Nepal Pvt. Ltd. is an FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) Company approved by HMG (His Majesty's Government) as per the rules of HMG. It is a joint venture Company between APCA India and Ravin Lama and Bhawana Maskey. APCA Nepal is a company whose basic function is to look after circulation and collect advertising for both The Himalayan Times (THT) and the Annapurna Post (AP).
APCA is not at all in the publishing business, although it has permission from the CDO to publish an English daily called the Nepal Guardian. FYI, Thompson Nepal, one of the leading ad agencies in the country is also an HMG approved FDI company.
International Media Network Nepal Pvt. Ltd. (IMN) is a 100% Nepali Company and owns and publishes The Himalayan Times. Bhawana & Ravin own 76% shares.There is no foreign investment in the Company.
SAMA Printers Pvt Ltd is again an FDI company. 98% shares are owned by APCA India and 2% by Bhawana & Ravin. SAMA prints both THT and AP.
News Media Pvt. Ltd. is again a 100% Nepali Company owned by Bhawana & Ravin. It owns the title and publishes the Annapurna Post.
The Truth
All the four companies put together employ over 300 people directly. Out of this over 96% are Nepalis.
We have absolutely nothing to do with the TOI (Times of India) Group. Nor do they have any investment in our Company. My partners in APCA Nepal did work in The Times of India but that was nearly 10 years ago. The only current link with TOI is Dileep Padgaonkar, the Chairman of APCA India who is also Consulting Editor of TOI, which is a purely advisory position.
There is absolutely no law or regulation we have broken or not adhered to since we started .
Come to think of it, over the last two years 6 broadsheet dailies (Kantipur, The Kathmandu Post, Samachar Patra, Rajdhani, Space Time Dainik, Space Time Today (now defunct) and Himalaya Times have been attacking us consistently - nowhere in the world has anything like this happened.
Strange also is the fact that even with over 300 journalists on their payrolls and the above information freely available at the Industry Dept. none of the above facts have come to light. What is printed is what they choose/decide to publish. Neither have they been able to 'uncover' anything on or about us.
What started the recent developments was when The Kathmandu Post slashed their price from Rs 4 to Rs 1.50. We just followed suit. At the end of the day, who benefitted? The readers.
With over 22 years experience in the media and advertising, it was I who launched Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post on the behest of Shyam Goenka.
While working on THT in mid 2001, I was approached by Kailash Sirhoiya (at that time he was not aware of my involvement) and offered the post of Consultant. I was even told that I would be given access to all their internal papers so that I could work out a strategy to revamp the two newspapers. Since it was against my professional ethics, I disclosed the truth and declined his offer.
If anybody cares to check with the Dept. of Industry, Foreign Investment in the media is NOT on the "Negative List" - this implies that any foreigner can invest in the media here. The outcry on Foreign Investment in the media is all bunkum. I do believe that there should be transparencyin the investments. If this was not the case we wouldn't have hired KPMG as our auditors.
Unlike an institution like Kantipur which has sought to incite people into violence and which has encouraged anti-social elements to burn copies of THT & AP, we have refrained from doing so and also persuaded student groups supporting us not to indulge in such activities - it does not serve any purpose.
By using their dailies Kantipur and Kathmandu Post (both print), Kantipur FM (Radio) and Kantipur Television (TV) for complete mis-information against us, Kantipur has shown how dangerous "cross media" ownership can be.
In fact, what is shocking is that Kantipur used its radio, television and print products to highlight a news item on the birthplace of Buddha that was published in The Himalayan Times as a clear sign of our anti national (anti Nepali) behaviour. What they did not say was that they (Kantipur, Sep 4, 2002) had published a similar article where the debate on Buddha's birthplace was much more provocative and aggressive. This is far more serious threat to Nepal's interests than FDI.
I am sorry this email has become longer than I had anticipated, simply because I lack the time to make it shorter. As the lawyer who was having his tooth pulled out said to the dentist, "Will you pull out the tooth, only the tooth and nothing but the tooth?"
This is the truth. So help me God.
Ravin Lama
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| dada |
Posted
on 09-Feb-04 11:05 PM
Ashu ji,
It's quite obvious that u lean towards THT in this battle of broadsheets. But it's alright. When you are passionate about an issue, it's quite impossible to remain totally impartial. And you surely have expended some time and effort on this matter.
I find this "battle" interesting. And I like the fact that it's happening. From what I can gather, it is the readers who will benefit......and that's a good thing :)
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| dada |
Posted
on 09-Feb-04 11:25 PM
PS. Mr Tiwari, you DO NOT have to respond to that with a long witty message. It's just a casual commet toatally NOt menat to trigger a chain reaction.
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| ashu |
Posted
on 10-Feb-04 01:17 AM
dada wrote:"
"It's quite obvious that u lean towards THT in this battle of broadsheets."
No.
What is quite obvious is that I lean towards FDI in print-media, and FDI in general,
even if its means the end of privately-supported THT, TKP or The Nepali Times.
My loyalty is to the IDEA of FDI so as to help make Nepal and Nepalis stronger, richer, and more prosperous and with more choices.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| ashu |
Posted
on 10-Feb-04 01:19 AM
dada wrote:"
"It's quite obvious that u lean towards THT in this battle of broadsheets."
No.
What is quite obvious is that I lean towards FDI in print-media, and FDI in general,
even if its means the end of privately-supported THT, TKP or The Nepali Times.
My loyalty is to the IDEA of FDI so as to help make Nepal and Nepalis stronger, \
richer, and more prosperous through more choices in their daily lives.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| senor |
Posted
on 10-Feb-04 03:25 AM
Come on ASHU, admit already. Go through all of the postings you have put up so far on this issue. And as you yourself say--you are posting THT's version of the story. Now why would you want to do that. Is there a TKP's version of the story? Is there anyone who would volunteer to post that?
BTW, has there been any discussion ever that you (ASHU) hasn't had the last say?
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| ashu |
Posted
on 10-Feb-04 05:51 AM
Senor,
Relax.
Take a deep breath.
Don't lose your patience.
Please feel free to attack my ideas with reason anytime anywhere, and I'll be more
than happy to revise my opinions in light of stronger arguments from you or anyone
else.
But sorry.
I am NOT one of those guys who comes back to Nepal with a fancy foreign education, and then sits pretty in a well-paying job only to spend his life either remaining aloof
from Nepal's issues or forever privately complaining about how khattam Nepal and Nepali societies are.
I am here.
I am involved.
I give a damn to this FDI issue.
And I am prepared to make a difference in this debate, however SMALL and insignificant my contribution might be.
My worry is that: If the NMS cartel succeeds in shutting down THT and TAP . . . NOT through market-based competition but through pressure or force or violence, then, I worry that that will set Nepal back by several more years on top of the havoc the Maoists have already wreaked.
We have a great country with a tremendous potential, presently going through some bad times? Why the hell are we so intent on messing it up all the more?
Foreign investors IN ANYTHING (whether in telecom, hydropower, legal services, etc)
take their cues from all sorts of things, and, in the meantime, we simply can't afford to let these NMS jokers mess up our nation's future for their NARROW private gains.
These guys have to be defeated -- not through violence but in this sort of OPEN marketplace of ideas.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
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| dada |
Posted
on 10-Feb-04 10:20 PM
Ashu ji,
You've proved your point, again. But what is the harm is saying I take THT's side on this issue because of the very convincing reasons I have mentioned above. You have more than proved your point, but why do you insist on saying you are NOT taking sides!!!
YOU ARE DUDE!!! And you have do have good reasons for doing so.
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