Kathmandu, July 2

Nepal Sports Journalists Forum organised an interaction programme on Sports Journalism in Nepal and its Challenges to celebrate the 23rd International Sports Journalists Day here today.

The Himalayan Times Editor Prakash Rimal, Chief Editor of Barakhari.com Prateek Pradhan and Janata Television’s General Manager Laxman Humagain shed lights on the trend and challenges of sports journalism in Nepal.

Rimal said Nepal’s sports journalism was in good state but there were rooms for improvement. “It’s high time that sports journalists focus on analytical aspect of the game and help in attracting audience to the venue through their stories,” said Rimal. “As our reporting is mostly based on daily events, the journalists need to focus on analytical stories. Journalists should go to depth and bring out details before filing their stories,” said Rimal. “Nepali sports journalism also lack the art of presentation.”

Similarly, Pradhan said that the sports journalists should establish credibility and focus on different dimensions of the discipline. “Sports journalists should pose analytical power and should understand the politics of the sports as well as social dynamics,” said Pradhan.

Janata TV’s GM Humagain said the sports journalism sector was yet to get institutionalised. “The grounds for sports sector is yet to be established. At the same time, the economy of the country is also not strong and that has been hindering the progress of sports journalism,” said Humagain.

NSJF Senior Vice-president Durga Nath Subedi read out the message sent by International Sports Press Association President Gianni Merlo. “In recent years, our profession has been experiencing a crisis of identity and we are still unable to clearly see the end of the tunnel which new technologies have squeezed us into. Those who have created this artificial freedom, that is the online world, knew exactly in which direction it would go, and certainly not towards full freedom, indeed,” said Merlo.

“The gurus of social media are celebrated by the world, as men with a “vision” that is about manipulating reality, but instead of being seen as heroes, what they have produced should be used with caution. Today journalism is in the hands of hackers and fake news. Presidents tweet, people read less and are increasingly distracted and lap up any kind of news they come across,” the AIPS President added. “...Journalism has not died out as some had hoped, but it is wounded. It is up to us to give it real life again. It is still far more dignified to be a journalist than a hacker.”