South Asia Dialogue 2016[INDEX]
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Priyanka Singh is Associate Fellow at the This book collates a wide spectrum of views Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses across South Asia, including Myanmar, and (IDSA), New Delhi. She joined IDSA in 2007 debates the role of media in forging regional and is associated with the South Asia Centre. understanding and goodwill. The media's role She is also part of the project team on Pakistan. in South Asia is essentially conceived as state- T She holds an Honours degree in Political HE centric, adhering to the standard templates of Science from Lady Shri Ram College for CONTRIBUTORS R nationalism. This inherent tendency has, at Women, University of Delhi and a Ph.D. from OLE times, cost neutral and balanced coverage of University of Lucknow. Her Ph.D. thesis was OF events and issues. The contributors to this SMRUTI S. PATTANAIK titled: “Indo-US Relations in the Last Decade - M volume acknowledge the potential of the 1990-2000: Shifting Paradigms”. Her broader ASHOK K. BEHURIA EDIA media as an institution which could/should, in research interests include: Indo-US relations RASUL BAKHSH RAIS addition to its routine reportage, focus on and US engagement in Pakistan; Cross Line of IN regional issues of common interest and P HE OLE OF EDIA YED ADRUL HSAN T R M S B A Control Confidence Building Measures ROMOTING promote regional understanding. between India and Pakistan. She has travelled AMRULLAH SALEH extensively across the state of Jammu and KUNDA DIXIT The book consists of 16 chapters attempted by IN PROMOTING scholars from all SAARC countries including Kashmir. DILRUKSHI HANDUNNETTI R Myanmar. They focus on a range of issues She is the co-editor of Proliferation and IBRAHIM WAHEED EGIONAL relating to media—ownership, impact of social Emerging Nuclear Order in the Twenty First KABERI GAYEN REGIONAL UNDERSTANDING IN media, media narrative, nationalist bias, state Century (Academic Foundation, New Delhi, control, envelope-journalism, threat from non- TENZING LAMSANG 2009) and Saving Afghanistan (Academic U state actors, and a host of other such issues. Foundation, New Delhi, 2009). She is the author MYO LWIN NDERSTANDING SOUTH ASIA There is a consensus that the media has vastly of a monograph titled Gilgit Baltistan: Between DANISH KAROKHEL enhanced its capability to mould and shape Hope and Despair. During June-August 2009, SHRUTI PANDALAI public perception and opinion with the she undertook a postgraduate course in Peace revolution in communication technology in Research at the University of Oslo conducted by LAKSHMAN F.B. GUNASEKARA recent decades. They strongly endorse the view the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo KHIN MAUNG SOE IN that the media should play its due role in (PRIO). Her select publications include: S promoting regional understanding and DAWA PENJOR OUTH American Strategy in Afghanistan: Dilemmas, cooperation. DEEPAK ADHIKARI Miscalculations and Outcomes, Strategic A Analysis 38 (3) May/June 2014; Whither Aid? SIA Future of US Assistance to Pakistan, Journal of Defence Studies, 5 (4) October 2011; Army: The be-all or end-all of Pakistan Politics, Strategic Analysis, 39(3) May/ June 2015. Singh (Ed.) Rs. 995/- ISBN 978-81-8274-868-2 EDITOR www.pentagonpress.in 9 788182 748682 PRIYANKA SINGH The Role of Media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia The Role of Media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia Editor Priyanka Singh INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES & ANALYSES NEW DELHI PENTAGON PRESS The Role of Media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia Editor: Priyanka Singh First Published in 2016 Copyright © Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi ISBN 978-81-8274-868-2 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without first obtaining written permission of the copyright owner. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, or the Government of India. Published by PENTAGON PRESS 206, Peacock Lane, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049 Phones: 011-64706243, 26491568 Telefax: 011-26490600 email: [email protected] website: www.pentagonpress.in Branch Flat No.213, Athena-2, Clover Acropolis, Viman Nagar, Pune-411014 Email: [email protected] In association with Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses No. 1, Development Enclave, New Delhi-110010 Phone: +91-11-26717983 Website: www.idsa.in Printed at Avantika Printers Private Limited. Contents Foreword ix Acknowledgements xi Abbreviations xiii About the Contributors xv Map of South Asia xxiii Opening Remarks by Brigadier Rumel Dahiya (Retd.) xxv Inaugural Address by Shri Prakash Javadekar xxix Introduction 1 Priyanka Singh PART I THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN SHAPING PUBLIC DISCOURSE IN SOUTH ASIA 1. Media-scape in South Asia and the Issue of Regional Cooperation 13 Smruti S. Pattanaik and Ashok K. Behuria 2. The Media and Foreign Policy Discourses in Pakistan 31 Rasul Bakhsh Rais 3. Impact of Media Ownership on Reporting: When Journalism is Prey to Predatory Instincts 44 Syed Badrul Ahsan 4. Media in Post 9/11 Afghanistan 52 Amrullah Saleh 5. Media in the Age of Intolerance and Terrorism 60 Kunda Dixit vi The Role of Media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia PART II THE STATE OF MEDIA IN SOUTH ASIA: COUNTRY PERSPECTIVES 6. Promotion of Jingoism in the Region by the Media: The Case of Sri Lanka 71 Dilrukshi Handunnetti 7. Maldivian Media: Ownership, Orientation and Trends 84 Ibrahim Waheed 8. Regional Understanding: Does Media Ownership Really Matter? 92 Kaberi Gayen 9. The Role of the Bhutanese Media in Bhutan’s Democratic Evolution and Governance 111 Tenzing Lamsang 10. The Role of Media in Myanmar 127 Myo Lwin 11. Evolution of Afghan Media: Role in Promoting Regional Understanding 137 Danish Karokhel 12. Truth vs Hype: Media, Hyper-nationalism and Impact on Perceptions in India-South Asia Relations 154 Shruti Pandalai PART III INFLUENCE OF MEDIA ON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICIES OF STATES 13. News Media Re-Presentation and Agenda-Setting in Public Discourse on Foreign Relations: The Case of Sri Lankan Popular Attitudes Towards India 177 Lakshman F.B. Gunasekara 14. The Role of Media in Shaping Foreign Policy Discourse in Myanmar 185 Khin Maung Soe Contents vii 15. The Role of Bhutanese Media in Amalgamating South Asia: Quest for a Happy South Asian Society 194 Dawa Penjor 16. The Role of Media in Shaping Foreign Policy Discourse in Nepal 209 Deepak Adhikari ANNEXURE Can Media Play a Role in Promoting Regional Understanding? 221 Index 251 Foreword The Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses has been hosting South Asia Conference aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and understanding, for the last eight years. The conference (also called dialogue) has received overwhelming response over the years and has evolved into an effective platform for healthy exchange of ideas and alternatives at the Track II level. The last seven dialogues focussed on issues such as economic integration, regional understanding on terrorism, evolving a framework of cooperative security, stability and growth, perceptions on India’s role, etc. The 8th South Asia Dialogue was held on October 28-29, 2014 on the theme: “The Role of Media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia”. Eminent experts and scholars from the South Asian countries including Myanmar participated in this Dialogue. The Dialogue provided an opportunity to deliberate on the significant role played by the media in shaping public opinion in different countries of South Asia and explored the ways in which it can strengthen regional integration efforts. The present book edited by Dr. Priyanka Singh, Associate Fellow at IDSA, is a collection of papers presented at the 8th South Asia Dialogue. It draws upon in-depth understanding and well-researched narratives from a cross- section of policy makers, academics, civil society actors and young media professionals from the whole of South Asian Region and Myanmar. The book endeavours to put across a confluence of ideas and shared reflection on issues of common interest. Today, the media has a crucial role to play in shaping as well as influencing national and international affairs. It has the power to create disharmony as well as dispel disharmony. Through balanced reporting, media has the ability x The Role of Media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia to impact interstate relations to a great extent. In the South Asian context, where interstate relations have been a hostage of historical prejudices, media has even greater role to play in creating an atmosphere of trust and understanding among people and governments across the frontiers of the state. In this context, it is timely to explore the role media can play in enabling the process of regional cooperation, which has not been exploited for common good. The deliberations in the conference opened up a new vista of understanding pertaining to the way media is operating in different countries of the region, and the way it can be harnessed for promoting trust and understanding at the regional level. It is hoped that besides serving the academia and policy makers, the book will be of immense interest to media community. It would help policy makers to understand the positive role media can play in strengthening inter-state relationship given its reach and power to shape public discourse. At the same time, it will also be useful to the media persons in the region to analyse and introspect their role in creating positive or negative impact on interstate relations. The final message that the book conveys is unexceptionable—the media can, and must, play its due role in enhancing interstate trust and creating the conditions for enhanced regional cooperation in South Asia.