| ashu |
Posted
on 28-Nov-01 11:25 PM
Trailokya,
Two points:
First, it's all right if you are wondering whether The Himalyan Times is making a profit. That is, because, if they don't start making it after some point, they'll go bankrupt or downsize their operations at their own cost -- that is, at no cost to you, me or to other Nepali tax payers. We just have to wait and see, and let the market take its course.
I defended the existence of The Himalyan Times in Nepal on grounds that the newspaper is just another business that has to ultimately attract and retain Nepali readers and advertizers. If it doesn't do that successfully, then, well, I would not feel sorry to see it fold up and go away. It's as simple as that.
And it's hard for me to believe that -- given the fierce competition that exists in Nepal's print media sector, and given the general anti-India feelings in Nepal --
any newspaper would make money by 'offending' the very senstiments of its potential readers and advertizers. There are able competitions to THT, and, I, as a reader in a democracy, would rather have than too many news sources than
too few.
Right now, THT has BOTH Nepali investors (Ravin Lama, Bhawana Maskey, etc) and Indian investors. As such, it's a joint-venture deal, providing jobs and skills
to Nepalis and taxes to the government.
Second, it's perfectly all right if you do not have high opinions of Pratyoush Onta.
But having known Pratyoush for a number of years (he is six to seven years my senior), I happen to have a very high opinion of Pratyoush, and, like I said before, despite my personal and intellectual differences with him, I regard him as one of the most remarkable and one of the most intellectually honest Nepalis I have ever met.
Like I said before, there is much I have learnt from him, and an hour spent
guffing intensely with him is like, to me anyway, being in a graduate-level
seminar. Given my own, in general, 'free-market' orientation, it was natural for me to agree with Pratyoush when he wrote that article in The Nepali Times arguing why the media sector in Nepal needs to be opened up to foreign investment. And foreign investment here means Indian, Chinese, American, KOrean, French, German and so on.
Keep the discussions going.
It's vital for our democracy and openness.
oohi
ashu
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| Trailokya Aryal |
Posted
on 29-Nov-01 11:42 PM
Dear Ashu dai,
Let's agree to Disagree on this whole topic. You did bring forth some very INTRESTING, VALID points, but k garney, I am not convinced. Not your fault, the fault lies in me. And because of that fault somewhere in my mind, I still bel;ieve that THT is here for some other reasons than for competition and profit. BUt, let's not talk about it because our feelings re: this are so SET that we just don't want to hear each otehr's opinion on this. And I feel that people are getting bored by you and me posting the same thing again and again on this board. So, let's resolve this at Mike's, what do you say? I will be away next week, but the week after that will work.
Re: Pratysh ji, dai, you are FREE to take him as whatever you want, and I am really GLAD to know that he serves as a mentor/professor/guide to you. BUt, I am yet to find all his qualities in his pieces. When I find that, I will be more than happy to know that a credible social sicentist/journalist exists in nepal. So much on this too.
Have a nice day.
Trailokya
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