Especially relevant to the FM radio sector, Nepal has witnessed a nation-wide networking or syndication of radio stations in recent years, primarily based on two factors:
Their categorization as commercial or community radio stations, and Their political affiliation.
As discussed elsewhere in this thesis, the state does not make a distinction between community and commercial FM radio stations with regard to licensing and other requirements. Hence, from a legal standpoint, there are no community or commercial FM radio stations. However, the distinction is made by the FM radio sector itself in terms of whether these FM stations are run by a private enterprises, NGOs, cooperatives, local governments and lately, educational enterprises. Apart from the first, all others are considered community radios serving a certain community of local people, farmers, small-scale entrepreneurs or educational institutions. The other distinction made is in terms of the profit motive – while commercial enterprises operate with a profit motive, the community enterprises operate to serve their community without a profit motive.
Opinion at the media managers’ workshop was that Kathmandu-centered networks were culpable for centralization of resources for the media. Interview participants saw both the benefits and disadvantages of central level media networking. Both views will be discussed here to explain these benefits and disadvantages. However, the concept of networking needs to be explained before moving into the discussion. Networking as a concept took root among the FM radio stations in Nepal around 2003 for the purpose of sharing content, exchanging programming and for sharing training and other resources among members in the network. The initial concept of networking
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was based on altruistic intentions. It encouraged members with a common purpose to become part of a network with the promise of a supply and exchange of quality content, frequent training opportunities and shared revenue.
However, with the growth in the number of FM radio stations coming into operation, networking presented itself as a viable business model. Centered in the capital city Kathmandu, network operators presented advertisers and radio programme producers with an easy and cost-effective way of contracting with radio stations – through a single contract with the network operator. It was up to the network operator to manage individual contracts with members within the network, and these, according to respondents, were usually done on a bulk, time-bound contract. Networking usually also entailed the technical connection between the network operator and its members through satellite transmission and reception. Different models of transmission and reception are employed by the different networks; however, this thesis will not discuss these in detail.
To discuss the views as expressed by research participants for and against networking, the discussion will be initiated by first discussing the views against networking. The main concern for these respondents was the tendency for networks to be politically aligned. They assert that although it is not publicly announced that a certain network is aligned with a certain political party, it often is common knowledge. They add that the news broadcasts or some of their programs are good indicators of which political party or ideology they are aligned with or support. Political influence on such networks can be discerned from the views and opinions broadcast, quantity of airtime given for leaders of parties they are close to or even the flow of political party funds for such networks, they assert. The Nepal FM Network, the Ujyalo National Network (UNN) and the Community Information Network (CIN) are cited as the most prominent networks with the largest numbers of members. The Nepal Bani Network and the Mirmire Network were among those that were primed to enter the networking arena. According to one interview participant, the Madhesvani or TheVoice of Madhesh was another media group primed to network FM radio stations affiliated with the Madheshi political groups. Respondents ascribe the tendency for local FM radio stations to align with one or the other network to the benefits that they see in being part of such networks.
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Most local stations see the benefit of aligning with a network based in Kathmandu as it saves them the effort and cost of making a trip to Kathmandu to look for funds from donors or advertising agencies. Most of these networks are operated by organizations or companies who themselves produce news and other programs. While networks allow such news and program producers easy reach and access to audiences located in different corners of the nation, they provide local radio station members with high quality news and other content, which they would otherwise not be able to produce on their own. It helps them fill up their airtime which otherwise, they would fill up playing music and songs. However, what this does is also fill up about 70% of local airtime (Pringle & Subba 2007) with Kathmandu produced content, which may not be completely relevant to the local population. Such a practice defeats the idea of indigenous media, localism, diversity and pluralism – all-important in the promotion of deliberation and democracy. Such a practice would make the local media and audiences passive participants within a media system. This was an issue raised by participants that were against networking.
Seeing the benefits of garnering a large national audience for their programs and increasing revenue generation, even big media groups like Kantipur and Image have resorted to rebroadcasts from 8 and 7 locations respectively, utilising their own rebroadcast networks. These large groups like Kantipur and Image have the capacity to draw very large audiences with their programming. Also, respondents assert, groups like Kantipur have a brand image, which can lead to the standardisation of media output. Standardisation refers to the homogenization of content output to an extent that people do not seem to notice or acknowledge other views or opinions available in the media. This is considered by respondents who are critical of networking as the start of a very dangerous trend against pluralism and democracy. There is also the fear that many local radio stations may be co-opted within larger networks. Research participants asserted that such a trend had already begun. There is the trend for Kathmandu based networks to buy a substantial stake in ailing local FM radio stations. They provide local management and administrative control to the local stakeholders while at the national level they represent the local station. While the local stakeholders feel relieved of financial responsibilities and the need to maintain a steady stream of revenue, the Kathmandu based network finds access to the remote
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local market. The purpose of localism is again defeated, assert respondents and it creates a situation of dependency among local radio stations.
For proponents of the networking trend, the primary benefit they cite for local radio stations is building of capacity through interaction and sharing. Gopal Guragain, the Executive Director for Ujyalo National Network mentions an example where the flow of content is not only one way or from top to bottom. He cites examples where programming or content produced by network partners are also shared through the network providing a platform for sharing of content and issues with listeners in another part of the country. Likewise, he mentions a trend for annual interaction between member stations at regional levels with the aim of training and building capacity of local members on areas related to program production, content, technology and other related matters.
The most obvious advantage of networking, as articulated by research participants, is the financial benefit. An example given was that even an FM radio station in Darchula (a geographically remote district in the far-western region of Nepal with a population of about 133,000 people) would incur a monthly operational expense of 1.5 to 2 lakhs Rupees (approximately about 1,700 to 2,200 US$), which would include salaries, electricity, repairs, equipment and other costs. Without an effective business plan, it may be extremely hard for such a radio station to raise that amount locally. The sharing of revenues through networking provide the local station with those costs and even some profit, assert respondents; although it comes at a price where they compromise autonomy and localism.
Pringle and Subba (2007, p. 21) contend that while networking has many benefits for the different stakeholders, syndicated content and networking of the type that is trending in Nepal needs to be closely examined and regulated to mitigate associated risks.