Nepali blogosphere has just been created as a year ago, there was merely one or two blogs run by Nepalis. Blogs was a new word of technology. But now, the scene is changing with many, specially journalists, jumping into blogging. And, the journalist bloggers are not only blogging, they are looking to use mainstream media (MSM) to spread the words about blogging in Nepal.
The story of MSM publishing blog article begins with Kantipur daily when something encouraged the most popular Nepali daily to publish an article by Dinesh Wagle as the main piece in the expression page. Dinesh, who is co-founder of United We Blog!, the pioneering blogging site in Nepal, wrote a story about blogging which was much on international scenario. It was published on February 16, 2005.
I myself then wrote an article for Nepal weekly, the popular newsmagazine by Kantipur Publications in March, 2005. It was one-page write-up titled ‘Internet’s Open Diary’. The article attracted Martin Chautari, a forum of discussions, and asked us to give a session on blogging.
The next was by Anbika Giri, who still contribute to United We Blog! in Samaya Weekly newsmagazine in July, 2005. It was a two-page write-up with photos of some of United We Blog! bloggers with black band on mouth to protest the media ordinance. Titled New Source of News, the article dealt mainly with United We Blog! and how it rose to limelight establishing itself as a freer media during the time of press censorship.
KP Dhungana, the co-founder of BloggerNepal, then wrote a half-page article on Rajdhani daily. It was all about Nepal’s blogs with a little history of blogging. I don’t quite remember the date and sadly I could not find it Rajdhani’s website.
The latest in the line is Umesh Shrestha, the MeroSansar blogger. He has written a two-page article on Himal fortnightly – a very popular newsmagazine. Titled, Alternative Journalism: Blog, it is about history of blogging, Nepali language in blogs and has a list of freehosts and Nepali blogging sites. Although, it has prominently mentioned United We Blog! as a pioneering site, it has however missed to put the URL in the article.
In between, when United We Blog! organized a dinner program to celebrate its anniversary, Kantipur Television made a feature news on blogging with interviews of Dinesh, me and Umesh. Also, there was a good coverage about ‘blogging basics’ in Nepali Times weekly titled Why You Can’t Ignore Blogs Anymore by Aarati Basynat.
It looks like Nepali MSM are helping Nepali Blogosphere grow.
