Wavering between profit-making and change-making

Private media companies in conflicts in Nepal

Bibliographic Data

ID12904603
AuthorsSafal Ghimire (0000-0001-6370-6527, University of New England, corresponding author), Bishnu Raj Upreti (0000-0001-5213-7373, Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research)
Year2014
Volume7
Issue2
Pages187-200
Publication date2014-07-16
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedia War & Conflict (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1750-6352 • E-ISSN: 1750-6360
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1750635214530315
OpenAlexW2320028833
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited8

Post-1990 Nepal is remarkable, not only for democratic political change but also for its mushrooming media industry; media companies have been influential actors in conflicts. To analyse their role and motives as private business actors in conflicts, this article explores the dynamics of media engagement, the implications of media companies’ actions and needs, and their motives as corporate actors. The authors focus on two conflicts – the anti-monarchy movement and the internal labour disputes in media companies – and the companies’ response to different conflict situations. Using a qualitative case study approach, the article concludes that media companies in conflict situations have inevitable social as well as commercial obligations. Balancing these two interests and maintaining political neutrality become challenges to media in conflict contexts. Evidence shows that media companies can either manipulate situations or be manipulated themselves by various actors’ interests, leading to unintended and sometimes undesirable conflicts

Advertising · Business · Democracy · Economics · Mass media · Neutrality · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Profit (economics · Public relations · Social media · Sociology · Unintended consequences · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Peacebuilding and International Security

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