Bhutan’s controlled media in ‘Annual report 2007’

Kathmandu, February 02: Reporters without Borders has recently released ‘Annual Report 2007’ based on the state of media.

According to the report, Bhutan’s existing media houses, particularly the media, only one of which is privately-owned, are obliged to speak about the king in the most respectful terms.

Full text of Annual Report- 2007

Area: 47,000 sq. km.
Population: 2,163,000.
Language: Dzongka.
Head of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk.

Bhutan – Annual report 2007

Bhutan’s first privately-owned newspaper made its appearance in the country in 2006. Controlled by a new press law, this cautious media development is an encouraging sign, even if most news remains highly favorable to the authorities.

The kingdom’s first privately-owned newspaper the Bhutan Times was first published in April. At his inauguration, Prime Minister Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup said that press freedom could only be achieved with journalists showing responsibility. On its first front page, Bhutan Times, carried an article setting out the vision for democratic transition of Prince Jigme Kesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who is due to accede to the throne in 2008.

Despite King Jigme Wangchuck’s policy of openness, including the introduction of universal suffrage, the monarchy makes few allowances for pluralist news. Almost all the media, including the weekly Kuensel and BBS radio and television are controlled by the state. The few owners of televisions connected to the only cable operator can get Indian channels. The only criticism of the monarch’s policies can be found on discussion forums on the website kuenselonline.com. Internet-users sometimes raise the thorny question of the tens of thousands of Bhutanese refugees, particularly from the Lhotshampa minority, who are being held in camps in Nepal after being expelled from the kingdom at the beginning of the 1990s. Bhutan News Service