HISTORY OF MAGAZINE IN NEPAL

Magazine

The magazine is a medium of mass communication which encompasses an area so broad as to improve virtually social, political and economic interests of contemporary man. The field is literally all embracing and includes periodicals that cover every phase of man’s social economical and cultural life. There is no doubt that much communication of ideas, information and attitudes among the people is carried on through magazines. There are hundreds of magazines ranging from the slick paper picture weekly with circulations in lakhs down to the small special interest quarterly with a circulation of a few thousand only.

The main aim of the magazine is to inform, entertain and influence its readers editorially. They also put before the readers advertising messages of national or regional scope. Generally, magazines are more national in outlook than local. Usually a magazine never appears more frequently that once a week. For this very reason the magazines have more to dig into problems and events in depth than the daily newspapers. Because of this the magazines have a better opportunity to bring events into focus and interpret their meanings.

There are so many types of magazines like consumer’s magazine, news magazines, business magazines, literary magazines, professional magazines, picture magazines, men’s magazines, women’s magazines, political magazines etc. As a mass medium the magazine is as much a journalistic enterprise as the newspaper, as it’s objective is not to offer hard news but rather entertainment, analysis and interpretations. 

Background

The evolution of magazine can be started in 1741 when Ben Franklin published general magazine. But Andrew Bradford published American magazine three days earlier than him. From mid nineteenth century the trend of specialized magazine is began. The concept of public sphere is developed by the Germany scholar that “magazine is a public sphere”(ordinary people can express their opinion). Magazines help to connect and correlate different aspect of society. Joseph R. Dominick classifies magazines into five main categories. They are general consumer magazine, business magazine, literary review and academic journal , news reader and public relation.

Magazine industry can be divided into three traditional components of manufacturing

a.      Production

b.     Distribution

c.      Retailing

After happening the new trend in magazine can be found. Like the concept new media, ubiquity, transmission and delocatedness. Magazine influence audience, variety and contents. The magazine changes its content as well as performance according to time. Magazine just like a warehouse in which various types of things are stored. Enormously the readerships grow more after the expansion of the railway. In 1828 the book stale are opened. It serves the interest of the people.

HISTORY OF MAGAZINE IN NEPAL

The history of Nepali magazine is begun with literary magazine. Sudhasgar is the first literary magazine of Nepal. Gorkhabharat jeevan is the first media publication in nepali language but it was published from Vanaras. It was a monthly magazine based on literature. It was printed in jeevan press, Banaras. It was owned by Ram K Barma himself. It is said that the result of that magazine is Sudhasagar. Sudhasagar is the second magazine in nepali language which was published in 1955 Bs. It was published and edited by pandit Naradev pandey, printed in pasupati press,thahiti, kathmandu. Inspired by Motiram Bhatta, but he couldn’t saw it due to his untimely demise in 1953 bs at the age of 30. How many issues and copies are published, it is unknown. Media historians Ram Raj Poudel and Grishma Bahadur Devkota also couldn’t see it. According to Shiromani Baburam Acharya, he had 4 or 5 copies of sudhasagar, but it lost in the debris of 1990’s earthquake. Some information adout sudhasagar was published as an ad. at the back cover page of a “Naulopakhyan” a book in 1956 from the same press, by the same person(Naradev and his friends). Then Sharada published in 1991 but it also cannot give new thing because it had literary content. Then in 1992 Udhyog, a business magazine came but it was closed in 1995. In 2004 Gharelu Ilam published which was also business magazine. Kathmandu Municipal published by kathmandu nagar samiti in order to give about the activities of them. Another literary magazine published called Shahitya Shrot. In 2005 Akha magazine was published which give information about eye. Likewise Shikshya magazine published, it was about education.

After 2007 to 2047 magazine weren’t published because of political reason. In 2047 Jana Mancha was published in bi-color. It contents were about political and social thing. The publication of this magazine was successful to bring some manpower. It was a general magazine but closed in 2054. Then in 2053 Kathmandu Today was published by Tikaram Pradhan. It was analytical based on contemporary newspaper it is also a general magazine. It helped to establish professionalism in the field of journalism. In depth reporting based stories were published by it.

Then in 2053 Bishwamitra, a general magazine was published by Shyam Groink who was a share owner of kantipur. In 2056 Himal khabarpatrika was published fortnightly,is that news magazine published by Himal Media. It was the one few news magazine in the northern half of the subcontinent which uses the liberal values of journalism to reach out to a vernacular audience. It has developed the choice following of both of the rural and urban intelligentsia maintaining credibility and an inclusive editorial voice. The publisher of this magazine is Kanak Mani Dixit and editor is Kiran Nepal. Likewise in 2057 Nepal fortnightly published. It was a general magazine. Then in 2060 Samaya Sapthahik was published in 2060. The trend of specialized is growth afther 2047. Before it magazine weren’t in specific topic. So many magazines come in specialized form like sports magazine, woman magazine, religion magazine, health magazine, business magazine and many more. Those magazines came in a particular topic to provide broad information about on specific subject. Like Nari magazine published those matter only related to women.

Restoration of democracy in Nepal 2046 BS was a landmark development creating a favorable environment for Nepalese magazine to grow. Journalists then were free to write article, news and views without any interference from the government. The constitution of 2047 guaranteed press and publication right under Article 13. According to provision no news item, article or other reading material shall be censored, no press a shall be closed or seized for printing any news item, article or other reading materials and the registration of newspaper or periodical shall not be canceled merely for publishing any news item article or other reading material. It was the first time, the right of press was guaranteed in the constitution in the history of Nepal. The provision made the press powerful than ever before. It created a conductive environment for investment in media and encouraged many young people to enter journalism. Before 2046, many journalists had been involved in mission journalism. They had no priority to publish magazines. But after 2046, it was easy to make huge investment because of financial security and journalist got opportunity to develop professionalism.

There was rapid increase of magazine during the decade it was the good symbol for Nepalese journalism. But there were other negative aspects in nepali journalism. Some publication stopped their papers due to lack of money and coordination among publishers. Patrica Satdine, Lokpatra, Spacetime etc were closed because of financial crisis. Shree Sagarmatha and Everest herald, Nayasadak were closed because of conflict among investors.