Following an election of new executives, three separate media entities have come up to work under same platform of Bhutan Media Society (BMS) and effective information dissemination and advocacy.
Independent journalists, and those associated with the Association of Press Freedom Activists (APFA) Bhutan and Third World Media Network – Bhutan Chapter have re-expressed commitment for working together under the same platform for promoting the Bhutan News Service (BNS), apfanews.com and the Radio Bhutan Online, all functioning as an independent body.
As per the agreement forged, BMS will remain as the governing body for these three media entities.
Vidhyapati Mishra based in Kathmandu has been unanimously elected as Manager of the society that has a five-member executive body. Other executive members included I. P. Adhikari, Buddha Mani Dhakal, Ichha Poudel and Vikram Adhikari.[album id=5 template=extend]
The new team on Friday also decided to promote www.bhutannewsservice.com as a pure news portal with added features and www.apfanews.com as an advocacy site, with separate editorial teams to look after.
Buddha Mani Dhakal based in Kentucky (US) has been given the responsibility of Executive Chief of the Bhutan News Service while T. P. Mishra has been entrusted to the position of Executive Editor.[album id=6 template=extend]
The editorial team of BNS include R. N. Pokhrel (California), Kazi Gautam (New York), Bhakta Ghimirey (New York) and Ramesh Gautam (Norway).
Considering the requirement of the Bhutanese Diaspora, the BNS is also preparing to develop a separate Nepali news site, and is expected to be ready by September.
I. P. Adhikari from Adelaide (Australia) will lead the editorial team of apfanews.com, where Vidhyapati Mishra and Dhakal will remain as Editors.[album id=7 template=extend]
The apfanews.com shall remain as an advocacy portal and forum for intellectual debate on issues concerning Bhutan and Bhutanese people.
Ichha Poudel has been given the responsibility to lead the Radio Bhutan Online team and will be assisted by most members from APFAnews and BNS news team for radio program production.[album id=9 template=extend]
Issuing a press statement from Kathmandu, newly elected Manager Mishra has thanked the Bhutanese Diaspora for supporting the media activities in exile.
“We are proud that our activities have been always encouraged and supported by fellow Bhutanese languishing in various regions of the world,” said Manager Mishra.
According to Mishra, BMS was pleased to announce the historic donation drive in July this year, in which it was able to collect some US $ 16,000 for fire victims of Goldhap and Sanischare camps, making Bhutanese and well wishers participate in the mission.
“People have noticed and accepted our presence in various social activities besides media and publications,” Mishra said, added–”We are committed to partnering with various community based organizations and resettled Diaspora in future for similar programs and events targeting the society.”
Manager Mishra has recalled that when BMS was announced in 2004, it just consisted of few journalists, all stationed either in Kathmandu or the Bhutanese refugee camps in Jhapa and Morang, Nepal.
Now, the network has reached to various western countries where Bhutanese refugees from the UN-administered camps in Nepal have been resettled.
Initially, BMS promoted the publication of a monthly newspaper The Bhutan Reporter and a weekly radio program – Saranarthi Sarokar from Kathmandu. Gradually, the Society expanded its working areas and involved in various community works such as event organization, volunteering, fund raising during emergency hours, and capacity building trainings for young journalists in camps.
“Our struggle, with enough ups and downs, is still alive, but completing the mission without supports from the community and well wishers would be impossible,” said he, adding—“Though the three bodies would work independently in terms of editorial contents, each one of these bodies will continue to cooperate and help each other during the content generating process. We were and are always one.”
congratulations to the team and success ahead.
Congratulations to the Entire Team!
Wish you all the best for the new responsibilities entrusted to you.
I am sure that under your new leadership media will attain new heights and inform the people in a fair and just manner.
congratulations to the team and success ahead and
Trashi Delek
All the best for the team of three publications in exile, which I am sure will be more effective in the publication of our issues and in carrying out advocacy works.
congrats to the newly elected members of the sites.Also lets hope that bns and apfa wouldnt carry same thing together. for many visitors, like me, these two sites had been really confusing since what was in bns was also in apfa. but lately this isnt the situation as the latter was totally dead. well, guys its better to keep apfa dormant and frozen than publish the xerox of bns which is monotonous.
It is a pleasant surprise to know that a compact media team has been made. I hope the new management will give a new impetus to promote the media in the community.
I like to congratulate VP Mishra, IP Adhikari, Buddha Mani Dhakal, Bikram Adhikari and Ichha Ram Poudyel for being in the core committee.
I also like to congratulate, Bhakta Ghimerey, Thakur Mishra, RN Pokhrel (California), Kazi Gautam, (New York) and Ramesh Gautam (Norway)
BNS was pioneering to communicate with the Bhutanese all over the world and I firmly believe this new young and dynamic team will definitely promote the journalism to its climax.
DB Adhikari
Arizona, US
Congratulations to all the BMS Teams
Great! United efforts always bring better impacts and improvement than any solitary endeavor. It would even bring greater results with “Unity in Diversity” which is a suggestive gesture that if BMS can pull in wider representations from different crossections of the diaspora, without compromising quality, capability and voluntarism, it will certainly be more successful. I have already made some of my points before regarding raising the standard and integrity of the media.
Best wishes
Dick Chhetri
It is a good news to hear about the BMS election. Congratulation to the team.Bhutan Media Society has been proved to be an established institution. Over the period of time it has delivered tremendous service to the community.
This institution exists of its own and we the service users have never been able to think of its survival and growth. The selfless and motivated youths in the group have shown their ability and commitment.We are proud of you all, young freinds and leaders of the day.
It is time to question ourselves if we bear some responsibility to support this institution for its development.
I look back and see, had there been such an independent media institution amongst the Bhutanese community in 1989/90 the fate of our movement would have been completely different.We are fortunate to have BMS today which shows ample rays of hope for a better Bhutanese community tomorrow.
Congratulations to the BNS new teams! BNS has been doing already good and great in disseminating information, which are of paramount importance and concern to every visitors of the website on the Bhutanese Diasporas. I hope the new team will continue to discharge such valuable services more effectively in the days to come. I wish you great success in your mission, which has to flourish in the interest of freedom to media and just to the people of Bhutan all over the world.
Congratulation to the entire team of BMS.
Hope your new election has added more energy in your work.
Your contribution for the whole Bhutanese community has been responded by most of your veiwers.
Wish you a great success ahead for keeping the ethics of journalism alive always.
Congratulation to BMS and all the members. I hope this new team will be the true voice of all the Bhutanese in diaspora and even inside Bhutan who have waiting to see true and inclusive democracy in Bhutan.
It would be better if you have members in your committee from all the resettled countries . Now, most of the members are from the USA and Australia . I know , people can’t be forced to do volunteer work like you all have been doing for so long. However, it would be good idea to include at least a person from each country so that all feel included( if there are such interested persons). However, it is not a big deal,just a suggestion.Whatever, you have been doing is all great.Thank you!
Congratulations!
With the manifold growth of BNS, it is indeed encouraging to see the Bhutanese media unfurling. Over the years, I have also noticed the general standard especially of the BNS has cutt an upward trend. Now, with the amalgamation it will surely set a newer precedence. I hope it will not only improve the nicely and subtlety of the language but will bring every event it sets about with honor and dignity. It is very important to choose the best ethics of journalism for a prosperous press for us and I am sure this coalescency can do the work effectively.
First of all I would like to congratulate the new team.I strongly hope that this team will bring the real voice of the bhutanese people inside bhutan and the bhutanese in exile.I strongly support Mr,Raghu Osti that there must be a member from all the resettled countries and if it is possible from the states also.
Congratulations to the entire team ! The work that you people have been doing is of high importance to all the Bhutanese scattered in different parts of the world. Let this new team bring Bhutanese journalism in exile to a newer height.
Bhagirath Khatiwada
Concord, NH, USA
Congrats to the entire team of Bhutan Media Society. Obviously,had there been no web-page as http://www.Bhutannewsservice.com today,we would not have been able to communicate with one another this way. Fortunately,people like Vidhyapathi Mishra,I.P.Adhikari,Ichha Paudel and yet others arose to conceieve with thoughts and to implement their actions by giving birth to BMS which has consequently been enrolled with various icons of mass-medias globally today.Thanks a lot to all of you for your active initiative and unified efforts in fertilizing these platforms currently. Nonetheless,I wish every success in future endeavors too.
Hem Gurung.
Storslett,Norway.
ON THE BEHALF OUR INSTITUTE IFACA – BHUTAN IN EXILE – NEPAL AND IFACAINS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION AROUND THE WORLD (IFACAINS) AND MY OWN BEHALF, WOULD LIKE TO FEELS THE 3 BIG NATURAL CONGRATULATION FOR MEDIA FAMILY’S GREAT JOBS, TO ALL THE BHUTANESE JOURNALIST TEAM AND THEIR UNIFICATION + WISHES ALL FOR BEST FUTURE EVER MOVED*********
NATURE BLESS AND LOVE EVERY LIVING BEING***
PRALHAD GURUNG
CO-FOUNDARS (IIF)
For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well lived, makes yesterday a book of lesson and every tomorrow a dream of hope.
Definitely, the entire Bhutanese community in diaspora has a deep hope that BMS/BNS/APFA would continue to live and serve up to the expectation of the community people and advocate for their just cause.
Congratulation to all the newly elected team in all entities and wish you a success in your every effort ahead.
DJ Khaling
Georgia, US
Dear all in BMS,
You have been doing great jobs. Thanks to you all for your sincere efforts. I believe this new team building will energize your endurance and perseverance to swim against all odds.
1. Do you have any plans for a Peer Revieved Journal on Bhutan?
2. Please include and promote more members from younger generation.
Best of luck for your and BMS’s bright and productive future.
Congratulations and lots of success ahead.
Lakshmi Prasad Dhakal
Amsterdam
Congrats to the up-growing new team of journalists. There would be more nos.of members from all over the world including 50 states in US,major countries in Europe including UK,south-east Asian Nations including India, Nepal,Bhutan and SAARC countries. If this is focused for the political change in Bhutan, we need to include the senior political leaders’ mission statements, plan and determination. The educated circle having access to internet may know well but grassroots level do not know the a b c of this reputed site. To bring and publish high volume of general information and bring consciousness in our community, we must not ignore any nations but give information personally or through organization coz those who were committed and dignified members of the organization are really passive and busy in their own personal business. I would like to say if there is any practical mission or programs likely to be done in future or just sharing incidents in the community? Bhutan govt. is great player and never respond to any questions of immigrated refugees and Nepal and India are well satisfied by having throwing burden to western world. Anyway,still I’m positive and support the media of communication – BNS/APFA/BMA – Jai hos!
Congtratulations BMS.
As usual, let your work always be in the interest of democracy in Bhutan and for community empowerment in the diaspora.
Wish the best.
Rp Subba.
congratulation to al the new core members of BMS and hope for further progress in the days ahead.
Congratulations to the team!!!
Congratulation! and thanks for your contribution. Keep on doing good job, we will be always with you.
Best Regards!
Kafley Lila
Congratulation to the entire members of BMS.Great job.Keep it up!
My hearty congratulations and Best wishes to the team! “Do or die”is old. “Do and die” is cowardice. “Do when everyone dies” is bravery. “Do that will never die” is what you have chosen and it is the right way!
Keep up the mission!
Dhruva Mishra,
Richmond, VA- USA
Congratulations to the new team. I wish the team a grand success.
Good Luck.
congratulation to all the joint Bhutanese media for building the new team and wanna wish good future.let me wish the team success
Good work team. Community services like these working in teams will help not only inform the public what is happening but will steer the community agendas forward. It is also a good tool of disseminating information and connecting people. I would urge younger generation to be more active in managing such organizations, providing moral support and writing articles that are creative and generate new ideas. That is the way we integrated together in these new countries by sharing our ideas and working together.
But for such good work to move ahead we need lot of commitment, dedication and support from the community. I hope we will all help to provide needed moral and other support. The community also needs to be honest and contribute our service together as a team. When we join hands we can do lot of things than working alone or being destructive of others efforts.
Good luck to the team and count on us when you need support.