Exploring Political Parallelism in Nepali Press: A Critical Overview of Press Freedom

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between the press and politics in Nepalese society, with the primary aim of providing critical insights into the state of press freedom in Nepal. Specifically, the study pursues two objectives: first, to identify the phenomenon of political parallelism; and second; to assess the influence of state agencies on press freedom in the Nepali press. The study employs desk research to examine the relationship between the press and politics through an analysis of historical artefacts and existing literature on media, journalism, and democracy in Nepal. The literature indicates that political parallelism remains prev0alent, with journalism frequently serving political objectives in the Nepali press. Many journalists enter the profession with an interest in participating in political life, contributing to diverse political loyalties and orientations across media outlets. The state also continues to exert significant influence over public service broadcasting, even within the multi-party democracy that constitutionally guaranteed press freedom after 1990. Nepalese journalists are often expected to maintain partisan alignment, leading to the formation of politically affiliated professional unions. This paper therefore provides an overview of the broader structural influences of the state at the macro level, in the context of advocacy journalism within Nepal’s weak media market.