Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media. Show all posts

16 October 2010

Business Bhutan?

My friend Ngwang (link to his Business Bhutan profile) writes often for Business Bhutan and he would ask me if I read his stories. But the sad story is that I could never get the paper in Wangdue. I was looking for it since last year when I heard that they have published my article "Freestyle Dance and Bhutanese kids". They didn't ask for permission and I didn't mind even but I wanted to read that paper, especially Ngwang's stories.

Ngwang was in Thimphu a few days ago and visited Business Bhutan office. Though it was his first meeting with the people there he was very happy about their impression about him through his contributions. He took my frustration of not getting the paper to their notice, to which he was told that there is an outlet in Wangdue.

I knew it was the shop which sold the other papers and went straight there. The shop had all the papers except the one I wanted. I bought a copy each of Kuensel, Bhutan Observer, Bhutan Today and Bhutan Times and dared to ask the harsh lady if she sells Business Bhutan. Without even looking at me she announced,
"Business Bhutan?? There is no such paper". As if don't know!
Then I asked, "Is there any other shop that sells papers?"
A costumer quickly answered for her, "this is the only shop that sells all the papers."
Then the shop lady added, "Did you mean 'Business'? I think you are talking about that yellow headed paper, it's not 'Business Bhutan', it is Business".
Then I knew she never saw the small "bhutan" under the big "business". Well whatever, "do you sell that 'business' ?"
She said, "you will never get one because I get only 10 copies and they are all subscribed."

The small 'bhutan' under big 'business'
Today I went to the same shop to buy BMobile's power voucher; unfortunate though but she happens to be the seller for that too and even magazines. She didn't have that but to my surprise I found a Business Bhutan paper on the shelf. I quickly took one. My god, it is the 56th issue and so far this is my first buy. I don't know how it is available today! After I paid her off I couldn't help pointing at the small 'bhutan' to her. She didn't seem happy about that though I enlightened her...

P:S: I couldn't find The Journalist in Wangdue either.

27 October 2009

Why would they want to “kill” the paper(Bhutan Times) they made!


BHUTAN TIMES
This very team walking out today has given Bhutan Times its wings. Who could love the paper more than them? Not at least a man who joined just some days ago. It is a big story now. Of all Business Bhutan must find it ironic to see how their entrance has coincided with an almost-exit of BT. Anyway they got a hot news to print on a cold autumn morning.
I waited outside the shop that sells BT to see if there would be an issue last Sunday. I was playing with a strange probability in my mind; if there is the issue this week then it shall be a history, if there isn’t then it shall really be a history.
The opposition leader Tshering Tobgay is more excited than judgmental about the issue in his blog, “Volume III, Issue 50 of the Bhutan Times could hit the newsstands on 25 October 2009. If it does, treasure it. That issue could mean that private media is much more vibrant than we realize. And that fact is worth celebrating, regardless of who is right – journalists or management.

The second page is full of scanned copies of letters; from employees to the company, from BICMA to company, from CEO to BICMA. The one letter that caught my tail is Wangcha Sangay writing back to BICMA; I (Mr.) Passang Tshering of Haa Yangthang is thoroughly surprised by the degree of confidence and aggression of (Mr.) Sangey of Haa Wangcha. There is no doubt that this senior citizen of 57 (with a track record of proven capabilities and established credentials- look who is saying this) will rescue the company (from what?). However the letter is anything but official. He condemns the move of the team as “shameful” and BICMA’s interference as “threat”. Many lines are as if directly translated from a furious villager’s tongue.
The news is everywhere; criticism is blown in the wind.  Everybody is talking about how bad it was of the seven people to walk out on their company when it needed them so much. They are of the opinion that they left the company because the company is broke. There are plenty of stories from one side and from the other we have just this phrase “editorial interference by management”. What does it mean? What went wrong inside their office that made these seven people give up their jobs? There must be something bigger than a-cup-of-free-tea wrong and nobody is daring enough to speak it up.
As I read this blog “WE ARE NO WRITERS...” there seems to be a matter connected to that solidarity walk, which gave many oldies the fever of their lives, “It seems like some people have never come to terms with the ‘solidarity walk’. They dig shit. The stink returns. If there is any political reason to it…“ However I am far from understanding anything related to this but my concern is rather than condemning these seven people without even listening to their story, we should urge to know what they really meant by “editorial interference by management”? Thimphu is short of jobs, still why did they have to leave theirs, if not for a big reason? For the good of democracy we the normal citizens demand to know the fact of the matter.
25th October Issue of Bhutan Times must have sold the most, for everybody wanted to know what would be in it. Not so bad as we feared. There are many new names of which “Sangey of Ha Wangcha” out stood all the other, not in the style of writing but in the style of writing the name.
Hope we get to know who is right.

30 September 2009

Blogging: the freedom of expression...

I am extremely pleased to read a full page coverage on the rising popularity of Bhutanese blogger in the "techno" page of Bhutan Times. Screen shots of four blogs are presented there and surprisingly all four of them are in my blog roll; why was I left out? Ha ha ha, just being funny. The story covers a lot of aspects through interviews with many blogger, some of them were blogging since 2007; it's sad they didn't know I was blogging since 2006 and not body called me up to get an interview.
The story is all pleasing and could draw new people into the techno-hobby. I didn't know Barack Obama was so positive about it but our opposition leader makes the best use of it to get public opinion on his views. Even companies with big websites are resorting to creating blog version of their websites to dash with the popularity of blogs.

The whole world is into it now, there is no greater gift of democracy. Bhutanese are finally learning to accept the gift from the Constitution of Kingdom of Bhutan- the freedom of expression, with clear vision of limit though. But the closing section of the article talks about "Regulating online content?" and I am shocked by some comments there, which are threatening to question the freedom of expression.

10 August 2009

Crocodile Sighting in Wangdue

Of course the picture of crocodile here is from google and photoshop brought it to Wangdue but there are rumor of sighting of crocodile in the Punatshangchu. I wonder if it can survive in the chilly glacier water but people say once there was a group of them in Punakha, later washed away by the '94 flood. Thus, there is a possibility.
The Indian labourers seem to have seen it.

So far it existence is not confirmed and it has not posed any threat to lives of people and animal but if it is really there then it is necessary for everybody to know. The concern body, perhaps RSPN should confirm it and take necessary precautions to safe the reptile from people and people from the reptile. Meanwhile I am always ready with the camera, let's see if I am lucky enough to be the first to photograph it without being eaten.

10 June 2009

Calling the Media

Media across the world go in search of news but in Bhutan News go in search of Media. Last night I was watching BBS reporting on the road damage caused by rain below Bajo Lhakhang; stating how it has affected the villagers. It was not a farm road over a cliff, it was actually a path among the field and there are hundred other ways for the villager. However since our media goes where they are called there is nothing else we could expect. If the Media is little more sensitive just on their way to that road block lies our school, Bajothang school, where the entire sand from valley above flooded our girls hostel. But it was hardly noticed. That night the whole school didn’t sleep keeping the sandy water from getting into the rooms…the picture will tell more.

29 May 2009

Fire, Water and My Village Yangthang

Yangthang, like phoenix rose from the ashes. Royal Kidu gave us strength and hope to rebuild our homes after the 2002 fire, which burnt down twenty five houses. We lost more than houses in the fire; history and memories. We dread fire, eight years of moving forward we still dread fire.
When my house was burnt down to ashes I was in Gyelposhing, crying over an imaginary picture of my-village-on-fire. Now I am in Wangdue, still having to imagine a picture of my-village-in-flood.
Punatshangchhu grew wild on 26th May, hundreds of logs thundering downstream, touching the heights it never did, and threatening the bold Wangdue Bridge. When the river encroached into our school campus I remembered my village. It lies on bank of the Ha chhu. I called my mother; she was giving me chilling details of the flood. She was planning to take our cow and move to the hills. The rivers, she said, had split into two, forming new course through our fields, washing away Tshering’s sawmill and Lam Dorji’s house.
“The village of Yangthang (52 households) had been cut off from the rest of Haa as, during the flash floods, the river had breached its banks and created a new course between the village and the highway.” Tobgay, T. from(http://www.tsheringtobgay.com/)
I saw the first picture in our Opposition Leader, Tshering Tobgay’s blog, who has visited my village after the disaster. It made me sad, and then made me happy. What if the river has gone the other side? The village still stands and against all geographical justifications we are grateful to Ap Chundu for saving our village.
“Yangthang’s New Bridge” in OL Tshering Tobgay’s blog touched my heart in different corners; People standing in unity against adversity, Dzongkhag’s helping hands, and most significantly Building a Bridge together, which made all the difference. It shall remain in our village history.
“Civil servants. When the dzongkhag staff heard about the efforts of the farmers, they, led by the new Dasho Dzongdag, quickly made their way to Yangthang, and took up their position on the bank opposite the stranded villagers. With farmers working on one side of the river and civil servants on the other, it didn’t take long for the river to be bridged.” Tobgay, T from (http://www.tsheringtobgay.com/villages/2009/yangthangs-new-bridge.html)
Photo Courtesy: Tshering Tobgay