Some Indian media outlets got a little too carried away by dramatics while covering former Nepali king Gyanendra Shah's departure from Narayanhiti Palace in mid-June. Star News, for example, devoted many minutes to flashing pictures of the former royal couple, while Waqt ne Kiya and Na Raja Rahega na Rani Rahegi (talk about stating the obvious) solemnly played in the background. Chhetria Patrakar was thus provided with yet more proof that Bollywood's vast song repertoire truly affords something for every occasion. Amidst all of the sensationalism, CNN-IBN framed the issue in a way that Southasians can relate to: now a commoner, the former king has to pay his own electricity bills.
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Congratulations to DhiTV, the very first private television channel in the Maldives, on successfully broadcasting its test transmissions! Barring last-minute technical glitches, the station should be fully operational within the coming months, just in time for the much-anticipated presidential elections. Now, Maldivians can hope for independent, non-biased reporting, after having endured a lifetime of blind pro-Gayoom coverage by state-owned media outlets.
Knowing that a freer media will actually report the facts, however, the Male government already has a plan to prevent journalists from criticising it. To ensure "greater freedom to the press", Information Minister Mohamed Nasheed is currently seeking to push through a defamation bill that would allow 'victims' to sue for any remarks perceived to be 'defaming'. As befitting its purpose, the proposed bill defines defamation broadly and vaguely. Maybe CP is just a cynic, but does the governing party's haste to ram the bill through the Majlis have anything to do with President Gayoom's soon-to-be-launched electoral campaign?