The need and relevance of news agencies has remained intact despite a string of new mediums of mass communications popping up. More than 80 percent of media houses across the globe are dependent on news supplied by world's major news agencies like AP, AFP, Reuters and Xinhua, it has been found.
However, news agencies have to go through service diversification to make them more timely and competent.
Approximately 125 years after the operation of news agencies in the world, Nepal witnessed its first news agency on the initiatives of the private sector.
Various institutional structures related to journalism have been established in Nepal at the recommendation of the Press Commission formed in 2014 BS. No effective initiatives were there from the private sector in publishing newspapers and magazines during the 104 years of Rana regime.
The governance system of then the government was to blame for this being a main cause. The private sector was encouraged to publish newspapers and magazines following the establishment of democracy in 2007 BS.
In the run up to 2017 BS following the establishment of democracy for the first time in Nepal, more than 170 newspapers and magazines including the first daily newspaper were published. In view of these political and social upheavals it has gone through as of now, democracy is indispensable for the growth and development of media and press. Keeping this in mind, the State then had to do something for the growth and development of the press, and the formation of the Press Commission was its result.
A report of the Commission had recommended the need for the establishment of an impartial, autonomous and effective Sambad Samiti (meaning news agency) with its nation-wide network as a semi-government organisation in Nepal as it was, according to the report, impractical to run a news agency alone by either the private sector or the government.
As per the report of the Commission, Nepal Sambad Samiti (NSS) was established on 16 December, 1959 becoming the first news agency in the journalism history of Nepal. Founders of NSS were Gopal Das Shrestha, Madan Sharma, Govinda Biyogi and Ganesh Manandhar.
Shrestha from ‘The Commoner’ English daily, Sharma from ‘Swatantra Samachar’ daily, Biyogi from ‘Matribhumi’ and Manandhar from ‘Janata’ daily were associated with NSS.
Sagarmatha Sambad Samiti (SSS) was established on 12 May, 1960 with the involvement of journalists including Pashupati Dev Pandey (Naya Samaj daily), Manindra Raj Shrestha (The Motherland), and Shankar Nath Sharma (Nepal Samachar Patra), five months after the operation of NSS.
Voices from the political level rose to assist both the news agencies that were going through economic problems. So, the government led by BP Koirala had decided to purchase news from the news agencies for Rs 300 each per month.
On 17 December, 1960, the party-less Panchayat system was imposed. The Panchayati doctrine stated that all important State organs should come under the direct surveillance and control of the government. As per this doctrine, both the news agencies merged, becoming ‘Rastriya Sambad Samiti (RSS)’ on 18 February, 1962. The RSS Board of Director members were Biyogi from the NSS, Manindra Raj from the SSS and Ramraj Paudyal from the government.
Then Minister for National Directorate Bishwa Bandhu Thapa inaugurated RSS in Kathmandu, then capital of Nepal (now federal capital), on 18 February, 1962. On 14 December, 1962, ‘Rastriya Sambad Samiti Act, 2019 BS’ was introduced.
Now Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) is operating as per the Act. In 2028 BS, Rastriya Sambad Samiti was renamed Rastriya Samachar Samiti after 10 years. In the beginning, RSS disseminated its bulletins once a day.
After some years, it started publishing many times a day. It disseminated its bulletins five times a day in the morning, noon, afternoon, evening and at night for long time. Its bulletins were disseminated each hour 17 times a day from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm.
News bulletins would be typed on stencil sheets in a typewriter and printed out using manually operated 'litho machine' before distributing to the subscribers. Bulletins were produced through the litho from the RSS central office, Kathmandu, the eastern region office, Biratnagar and the western regional office, Pokhara.
These bulletins were provided to the RSS central office through the telex method and Akashbani, a medium of tele-communication. Having adopted this technology for long, the only news agency of the country switched to the computer technology in 2052 BS.
This ended the traditional system of publishing news through a litho and distributing news manually by people who would travel by bicycle to distribute the news bulletins to the subscribers.
Now, the RSS has been providing service to its subscribers through its own website. It has provided user IDs and passwords to them to access news on its website.
Started with production of news only in Nepali, RSS started giving news also in English from 1 March, 1964.
It started the dissemination of feature news since Baisakh, 2055 BS. The feature news are on economy, society, health, tourism and environment.
RSS after political change of 2006/07
Nepal saw a new political change following the 2062/63 BS historic people’s movements and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement after the Maoist decade-long insurgency. The Interim Constitution of Nepal was issued in 2063 BS.
On the back of the constitution, Nepal held the first Constituent Assembly election building a foundation for the country to turn into the federal democratic republic.
RSS diversified and expanded its service following the issuance of the interim constitution. It launched photo service nationally and internationally since 2064 BS, and audio service from 19 February, 2010.
In diversification in its service, it launched video service and opinion column from 17 July, 2022.
Similarly, it has been disseminating interviews. Prioritising investigative journalism, it has been providing investigative news by establishing a research and investigation bureau.
Following the declaration of republic, it has fulfilled its responsibility to the government of Nepal and people. It has accorded high priorities to the government’s policies, programmes and the issues of people’s concerns.
It was forced to be much accountable to then the Palace and the government during the Panchayat system. However, its role has changed following the declaration of the democratic republic system.
Now, it has been providing its service every day from 6 am to 11 pm.
It has established its role as a news agency by providing its service 24 hours a day for around 10 days during the elections to the House of Representatives and the Province Assembly, 2079 BS.
Presently, it has been providing news in Nepali and English, national and international news, feature news, opinion, interview, photo service, audio and video service.
RSS is at work to provide 24 service a day, and disseminate news in 'Rastriya Bhasa' (language of nation). It has been providing international news from AP, AFP, Xinhua, PTI and Kyodo by reaching an agreement with them.
RSS is a member of the Organisation of Asian-Pacific News Agencies (OANA). It has stringers in all 77 districts, has opened offices in districts in all seven provinces. District news makes up around 70 percent of the total news disseminated by RSS.
RSS' physical infrastructures
RSS was operating from a ranted building when it was established. It operated from a house of Aadityadhoj Joshi, its former employee, at New Road in Kathmandu. After finding it difficult to operate from the congested building, it shifted to a new house belonging to one Indra Narayan Manandhar at Pako of New Road.
It operated from the building for five or six years. Again, it shifted to the house of one Thakur Lal Manandhar at Ganabahal. Now two buildings have been constructed in the same area at Bhadrakali Plaza where RSS building was erected after RSS old building was damaged in the 2015 earthquake.
Now, RSS has been operating from these buildings. On 26 October, 2017, then the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba laid the foundation stone for the buildings, and he himself inaugurated them on 27 July, 2022.
Now, RSS has opened province offices in all seven provinces, and 11 district offices. Its province offices in Surkhet district in Karnali Province, and in Hetauda in Bagmati Province are operating from rented buildings.
Land acquisition is underway to construct buildings for the two offices. The construction process of well-equipped international standards building for the residential national training centre in Bharatpur in Chitwan district has moved ahead with financial assistances from the Ministry of Urban Development.
Repair of eight RSS office buildings has been over, and repair of some others is underway. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology funded for the repair.
Management of RSS reporting and news desks is underway. The process to prepare the detailed project report has moved ahead to rent out RSS land in Pokhara in Kaski district and Kakadbhitta in Jhapa district.
The government of Nepal directed Nepali media to keep up with the federal setup following the declaration of the democratic republic. Following this, the RSS Board of Directors meeting chaired by then RSS Chair Harihar Adhikari 'Shymal' decided to operate RSS in line with the federal setup and open federal offices.
Besides, the process to open a mini library at the ground floor of the RSS building has moved ahead. The library will have ancient documents, historic pictures, news and their materials. As per the concept of smart office, it has a plan to go digital and make news and administration technology friendly. [The writer is General Manager of RSS]
Source: National News Agency-Nepal