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Indigenous people: Media biased
KATHMANDU, JAN 19 -
Indigenous leaders on Tuesday accused the mainstream media of being biased in covering issues of the indigenous people.
Speaking at a consultation programme on Communication for Empowerment (C4E) of Indigenous People in Nepal, the leaders said under-representation of indigenous people in the editorial staff of mainstream media has resulted in low coverage of their issues.
“Instead of being a voice of the downtrodden community, the media has discriminated against indigenous people,” said Pasang Sherpa, Constituent Assembly member and President of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN). “We urge media houses to devise a mechanism to ensure equal participation of the indigenous peoples in the media and better coverage of their issues.”
According to the Census of 2001, indigenous people constitute 36.2 percent of the country’s total population. A recent study entitled C4E of Indigenous Peoples in Nepal shows they have dismal access to and participation in the media.
The study was conducted by the Association of Nepali Indigenous Journalists with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme.
“Issues of indigenous people will find little space unless their access to media is increased and the perception of non-indigenous people at the decision-making level changed,” said former minister Prithvi Subba Gurung. Information Minister Shankar Pokharel said the government is making efforts to make the media inclusive.
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