By Tendar Tsering
Because of over cautious officials at the top, and untrained press people on the field, journalism in our Tibetan community is already dead, so criticizing among our own media is like dancing on the grave of our own dead journalism.
The only Tibetan Television (Tv) funded by the United States, Kunleng under the aegis of Voice of America on last Friday literally attacked the only independent news website in our exile community Phayul, and being the most read news site, Phayul can attack Kunleng back too but then, it will take both no where! It will be just a dance party at the graveyard of our dead journalism.
"Phayul is supposed to be the best news website in our community, but nowadays, many people used to criticize that Phayul is serving as an individual's forum to serve one's own interest," said a Kunleng anchor while anchoring a discussion "Social Media and Tibetans" on Kuleng TV.
Apparently it is a big attack on the only independent Tibetan website and Phayul can sue the anchor for the defamation. It might not be a plot to attack Phayul by inviting two guest of speakers, both who own two rising websites but attacking Phayul by an anchor of the only and best Television in our community seems either lack of the anchor's journalism skill or stupidity.
Being a democratic government in a host country, everybody is equal and unlike in Chinese occupied Tibet, Tibetans in exile can enjoy the freedom of speech. Individually criticizing each other or criticizing government in the forums and opinion sections of the news sites is sign of democracy and freedom of speech.
However, a media organizing a discussion and officially criticizing an another media is not a healthy discussion, and Tibetan media should avoid such unhealthy discussions if the Tibetan media wants its journalism to be reborn from its graveyard.
Amidst high readership, Mangtso newspaper suddenly got to be closed and only god knows the reason.
If not the oldest, one of the oldest English magazine in our community 'Tibetan Review' with its highly experienced and educated editor at the back, Tibetan Review is definitely the best English magazine in our community but due to financial problem, the magazine is unable to grow up as it is supposed to.
There is a hope with the change of leadership in our community- a hope for our Tibetan journalism to grow is appearing nowadays. Dr. Lobsang Sangay, our prime minister weeks back while speaking to some foreign reporters, expressed his wish to improve the media in our exile community.
As time goes on, everything is becoming techno based, even the media-we can see trends of media turning from newspapers to new media, and from new media to the multimedia.
Besides organizing the world media submit, the Beijing government last month announced that its propaganda channels-CCTV (Chinese Communist Television) and Xinhua newspaper will tie up with other foreign media companies, obviously to gain a wider audience of its propaganda to wipe out the unwanted controversial issues like Tibet, Uyghurs, inner Mongolia or democracy, whatever..
So, its high time not only for our government in exile, but our media in exile to be alert, focused and united to challenge the Chinese media instead of criticizing each other.
Phayul can attack Kunleng back-from the way the television hire its reporters to the way that the Tv presents its shows, but hopefully, Phayul will keep its dignity and journalism ethics not to bark back like a dog.
After all, all are supposed to be the real watch dogs of our society!
Stay tuned to TIBET TELEGRAPH for more news and analytical articles related to Tibet and Tibetan life
Because of over cautious officials at the top, and untrained press people on the field, journalism in our Tibetan community is already dead, so criticizing among our own media is like dancing on the grave of our own dead journalism.
The only Tibetan Television (Tv) funded by the United States, Kunleng under the aegis of Voice of America on last Friday literally attacked the only independent news website in our exile community Phayul, and being the most read news site, Phayul can attack Kunleng back too but then, it will take both no where! It will be just a dance party at the graveyard of our dead journalism.
"Phayul is supposed to be the best news website in our community, but nowadays, many people used to criticize that Phayul is serving as an individual's forum to serve one's own interest," said a Kunleng anchor while anchoring a discussion "Social Media and Tibetans" on Kuleng TV.
Apparently it is a big attack on the only independent Tibetan website and Phayul can sue the anchor for the defamation. It might not be a plot to attack Phayul by inviting two guest of speakers, both who own two rising websites but attacking Phayul by an anchor of the only and best Television in our community seems either lack of the anchor's journalism skill or stupidity.
Being a democratic government in a host country, everybody is equal and unlike in Chinese occupied Tibet, Tibetans in exile can enjoy the freedom of speech. Individually criticizing each other or criticizing government in the forums and opinion sections of the news sites is sign of democracy and freedom of speech.
However, a media organizing a discussion and officially criticizing an another media is not a healthy discussion, and Tibetan media should avoid such unhealthy discussions if the Tibetan media wants its journalism to be reborn from its graveyard.
Amidst high readership, Mangtso newspaper suddenly got to be closed and only god knows the reason.
If not the oldest, one of the oldest English magazine in our community 'Tibetan Review' with its highly experienced and educated editor at the back, Tibetan Review is definitely the best English magazine in our community but due to financial problem, the magazine is unable to grow up as it is supposed to.
There is a hope with the change of leadership in our community- a hope for our Tibetan journalism to grow is appearing nowadays. Dr. Lobsang Sangay, our prime minister weeks back while speaking to some foreign reporters, expressed his wish to improve the media in our exile community.
As time goes on, everything is becoming techno based, even the media-we can see trends of media turning from newspapers to new media, and from new media to the multimedia.
Besides organizing the world media submit, the Beijing government last month announced that its propaganda channels-CCTV (Chinese Communist Television) and Xinhua newspaper will tie up with other foreign media companies, obviously to gain a wider audience of its propaganda to wipe out the unwanted controversial issues like Tibet, Uyghurs, inner Mongolia or democracy, whatever..
So, its high time not only for our government in exile, but our media in exile to be alert, focused and united to challenge the Chinese media instead of criticizing each other.
Phayul can attack Kunleng back-from the way the television hire its reporters to the way that the Tv presents its shows, but hopefully, Phayul will keep its dignity and journalism ethics not to bark back like a dog.
After all, all are supposed to be the real watch dogs of our society!
Stay tuned to TIBET TELEGRAPH for more news and analytical articles related to Tibet and Tibetan life
Please practice genuine freedom of expression and apply democracy. Free Press is most important in our society everything else is a shame. Every year we are shouting."We want Freedom!" Are we not able to give each other freedom? This infighting on many levels in our society will brake us the neck someday ... We have to learn from our past and progress
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ReplyDeleteWell, it's true that phayul is most widely read website and it kind of serves the best role of media coverage in Tibetan society. And if someone is pulling it's leg or criticizing it,they must be definitely feeling threatened. It's healthy to criticize each other.If you are not ready to take these criticisms, then like you said journalism in our society will be surely crashed before it starts blooming!!
ReplyDeleteGood to have a Tibetan Blogger!
ReplyDeletehttp://silenceriver.blogspot.com/
Well Criticism is like the daily dose if he or she is into media...
ReplyDeleteEveryone has the right to say anything, so therefore listening to an explanation is and clearing doubt about any issue is important!
and there is always a Space to say anything when it is about Media!
Thanks for this illuminating piece but I wonder if we can ever hold the ground due to sort of such shallow internal strife, our backwardness. :(
ReplyDeleteTendar la,
ReplyDeleteI was reflecting certain points on our medias available in Tibetan community.I heard what was happening to BOD GYALO, and some magazines are are vanished certainly.I also felt that phayul has insufficient number of coverage and man power because you were actively writing alone and may be that's the reason why Kunling commented on. As of me, i was about to tell something about this to you but now i could have written which i really meant to be progressed. The only problems lies behind news medias are of lack of sufficient fund and need restructuring news medias are extremely important being fact the world is seen within minutes of media powers.
I honestly agree your stand point that this is the crucial time to get involved with well established media organization specially in English language. we have enough medias in Tibetan language though may not be level up to time to time working space.
The journalists are very important in any state, Tibetan journalists are struggling for good, objective journalism. The online publication founded by a group of Tibetan journalists, and the initial goals of Tibetan journalist are promoting the democracy through freedom of expression within Mass communication Tibetan communities.
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