Nations's Trailblazing Media

Today (Baisakh 24) is a historic day in terms of the development of journalism in Nepal. It was the same day in 1958 BS (Monday, 6 May 1901) when Gorkhapatra was launched as a weekly newspaper. This is the nation’s oldest broadsheet daily in Nepali language. The state-owned newspaper became bi-weekly in 2000 BS and tri-weekly in 2003 BS. It turned out to be daily from Falgun 7, 2017 B.S. One hundred and twenty-two long years have passed since the start of this publication. The 123rd anniversary of the newspaper is being celebrated with much fanfare today. Recognising the significant role played by Gorkhapatra in the advancement of journalism, the country marks this occasion as the National Journalism Day as well. This is the 8th National Journalism Day and the 61st anniversary of the Gorkhapatra Corporation as well. 

Launched at the initiative of the then Rana prime minister Dev Shumsher, Gorkhapatra has been disseminating information, news and views to its readers. The liberal Rana ruler had wanted to serve the people through providing necessary information on a variety of issues like agriculture, education and health. In the beginning, the publication also used to cover corruption and other forms of irregularities taking place in public offices and courts. Through this publication, the rulers used to get the people’s response.  Being a living witness to the country’s political, economic, social and cultural changes, Gorkhapatra has been providing official and impartial information to the readers. The publication is praised for its vital role in raising the people’s socio-cultural consciousness. During the establishment of this newspaper, the literacy rate and the level of consciousness of the people were very low. This is indeed an outstanding achievement in the media sector in the entire South Asian region. 

Gorkhapatra has come a long way when it comes to catering services to diverse communities speaking different languages. Currently, the publication brings out special pages in 38 various national languages. Thus, Gorkhapatra has helped protect and promote numerous languages from being disappeared. There is no doubt that the daily has transformed itself into a vigorous public media. The publication is striving to move with pace of time when it comes to content quality, diversity, layout and designing, technological adoption and market outreach. Besides the Gorkhapatra, the corporation’s other publications -- The Rising Nepal English daily, and three monthly periodicals Madhupark, a literary magazine, Yuva Manch, which is focussed on youths, and Muna, the children’s magazine, are available in digital version on the website. It means that these publications can be read in both in print and digital versions. 

Despite being established during the despotic Rana regime, Gorkhapatra tried to adopt pro-public approach as guided by the Sanad (decree) issued by its founder and reformist Rana Prime Minister Dev Sumsher. Rana had issued an ethical guideline to editor and staff of Gorkhapatra that it should not publish the praises of him or those in power. In fact, the publication has been trying to emulate the professional mantra of its founder. Gorkhapatra has to deal with the new challenges created by technological advancements, market dynamism and shifting interests of the readers only when everybody associated with it works in tandem. The present management has taken various initiatives for its quality growth. It has imparted training to its technical staff on the latest use of press technology. Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal have begun to come out in attractive new look, which has received positive feedback from the readers. Works have also begun seriously to digitally archive the historical copies of the publications of the corporation.