Media's Arm-Twisting Ways

As if the political instability in Nepal was not causing enough harm to the business environment already, a section of the media, recently, further aggravated the situation by frustrating business ventures through negative reporting. Dish Nepal, a DTH (direct-to-home) service provider; Real Juice, a Dabur Nepal brand; and Blackberry Services from Ncell, a cellular phone giant are among the businesses that were the targets of negative reporting by certain media outlets.




Some of these companies faced the media wrath because they allegedly did not yield to intimidating tactics toâ gift advertisement contracts, while others were reported against because their market rivals sponsored spiteful information in an attempt to kill the competition. In at least one of these cases, the issue even managed political overtone.
The relationship between a section of the corporate houses and some media outlets has hit an abysmal low. Businesses need the media to launch and promote their brands and products in the marketplace. In turn, the media depends on advertisement contracts which are the major source of revenue for them. Thus, businesses and media establishments complement each other and it is absolutely essential for them to learn to co-exist.


The media seems to be losing its focus of late, believe some media observers. They say that this could have a huge impact on the corporatepress relationship in the long run. Advertisers are indeed circumspect while giving business to the media of their choice lest they invite the attention of media establishments that they are not interested to advertise in, says an official from the Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN).

There has been a paradigm shift in the functioning of the media during the last few years due to various reasons, including corporatisation. The media, an important and vibrant partner in the economic growth of Nepal, must be eternally vigilant to the wrongdoings, if any. The press is, of course, a watchdog of society but that does not allow it to launch smear campaigns against businesses and poison the consumers minds. This, in no way, means that the business sector can make any kind of compromise with its obligation to produce and distribute quality products. If a media report questioning the quality of its product is printed or aired, the business house, instead of immediately issuing a refuting press release, should launch an investigation into the matter first. If the media reports are true, it must have the courage to withdraw the products from the market, and then issue an apology and compensate the consumers. It is a kind of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and is practiced everywhere in a civilised  society.
Nowadays, news is no more just news; it has become  a management issue  as well. Increasingly, the managers seem to be more important than the editors themselves. They dictate which news should go and which should not. A reporter with a daily confessed on the condition of anonymity, There are times when we are instructed to report on certain issues which we neither understand, nor do we necessarily agree with. If a journalist continuously refuses to adhere, then his/her job is at stake.

Manoj Neupane, Brand Officer of Dish Nepal admits to having received calls from a section of the media asking for advertisements or else get prepared to face adversity. It is an extortion of sorts.Sanju

Koirala, Corporate Communications Manager of Spice Nepal Pvt Ltd that is now changed to Ncell Pvt Ltd., says, It is not possible for us to give advertisements to all and sundry. We choose media outlets depending on their reach and the target audience they cater to. Neupane reasons, My choice of media depends on its impact analysis and I am the one who approaches the media with advertisement contracts. It's not the other way round.


The media has become more interested in earning profit at the cost of its role as the fourth estate. Market forces have dictated its role at the cost of the valued principles and wellaccepted ethics of journalism. The over aggressive marketing strategies have done more harm to the media sector than it comprehends. This is the age of conscious consumers. It is a consumer's prerogative to choose and rate a product or service in the market. Brainwashing the consumers and misleading them is the least that the media or market rivals can do. If a brand/product fails to live up to the expectations and promises it made, the consumers themselves will raise a hue and cry.
The smear campaigns in the media, coupled with political instability, will have an adverse impact on prospective investments. The unjustified adverse publicity against the products and services of such important ventures will not only hit the Nepali economy and exports hard but will also deter new foreign direct investments into Nepal. These issues could always be resolved amicably in a business-like manner.


Having said that, one must understand that establishing a media enterprise does not guarantee that advertisements will come automatically. There are several factors such as subscription figures, a strong readership/ viewership base and popularity of a television channel/newspaper etc that determine the inflow of advertisements to a particular media. After all, a Rs 3.5 billion advertising industry does not have enough in its kitty to help survive all the existing newspapers and magazines, radio stations and scores of television channels in Nepal. Bullying does not ensure advertisement contracts, the popularity of the media does. An advertiser is free to choose his preferred media tools for the promotion of his products. A media house, on the other hand, is free, too, to publish a news report, irrespective of the instructions from the corporate houses providing the advertisements. So it's a two-way story.

Businesses thrive in competition and not in isolation. To try and end competition in an unethical manner by sponsoring misleading news is bound to backfire. Once the market determines the truth, what will happen to the credibility of the people who engineer such controversies? questions Neupane. At the same time, negative reporting will take its toll, sooner or later, on the media's credibility, too.



Lastly, if it is proven that a business has cheated or confused the consumers, it is the media's responsibility to present the truth to the audience. However, when the media reports negatively against a business venture with a vicious intent, it is bound to leave a bad taste in the mouth. The media and the business sector must strongly support each other as both need to depend on each other for continued existence. Let there be journalism of hope and let the consumers decide for themselves what is right for them. Sanity must prevail.