The Tweeting Editors

Popular microblogging platform Twitter has become popular among the editors in Nepal.

Although the level of impact by the editors’ tweets is yet to be analyzed, they are expressing their opinions and debating on national issues on Twitter.

I follow as many tweeting editors as I could find with my Twitter account (@UjjwalAcharya) and it all went interesting last week when the editors exchanged views on system of governance (especially on directly-elected president).

Sudheer Sharma, the editor of Nepal’s largest daily Kantipur, tweeted supporting directly elected president a day before his article on the same appeared in his newspaper.

1. If we want stable Nepal, we must adopt a direct-elected presidential system. Parliamentary system is a proven uneffective in our context

— Sudheer Sharma (@sudheerktm) January 3, 2012

And, there were counter-opinions from other editors. Nagarik’s editor Narayan Wagle tweeted saying that the parliamentary system is not faulty:

it wasn’t fault of parliamentery system to change government so frequently, look at the level of intraparty debate

— narayan wagle (@narayanwagle) January 3, 2012

Kanak Mani Dixit, publisher of Himan Khabarpatrika and editor of Himal Southasia too expressed his opposition to what Sharma argued:

Why should federalists agree to a centrallised directly-elected presidency?? Idea was to destroy Kathmandu-centricism, but apparently not!!

— Kanak Mani Dixit (@KanakManiDixit) January 7, 2012

Support for Sharma’s arguments came from Jhalak Subedi, the editor of Mulyankan opinion-based monthly magazine:

Stable Govt and single power center is most for Nepal. For this we need directly elected head of the state, that’s why i prefer president.

— jhalak subedi (@makaikhole) January 8, 2012

Looking at those tweets and some other, it wasn’t hard for anyone to evaluate what the editors are supporting and what’s not. Is it good that editors expressed their opinions (biased towards a point of view) so publicly? I am not sure but it gives a level of transparency to any newspaper and honesty to the audience.

It’s interesting to see the editors debating issues of national interest – and using Twitter as a platform for that. And, here is a list of editors who tweets with a personal note on the bracket.

@sudheerktm – Sudheer Sharma, Kantipur (tweets regularly, sharing links to his newspaper content, some opinion and some personal sharing)

@AkhileshU – Akhilesh Upadyay, The Kathmandu Post (tweets/retwets frequently, shares opinions on politics, cricket/football, links to his newspaper contents)

@NarayanWagle – Narayan Wagle, Nagarik (tweets frequently, mostly his opinions and a few links to stories)

@AmeetDhakal – Ameet Dhakal, Republica (has an account, 4 tweets / 1 retweet in four months)

@gunaraj – Gunaraj Luitel, executive editor, Annapurna Post (actively tweets/retweets, sharing opinions/links)

@akhanal – Ajaya Bhadra Khanal, The Himalayan Times (has an account, tweets his opinions sometimes )

@kishorenepal – Kishore Nepal, Sukrabar (tweets regularly – always his opinions, personal stuffs)

@Makaikhole – Jhalak Subedi, Mulyankan (tweets frequently, mostly his opinions and replies)

@kundadixit – Kunda Dixit, Nepali Times (actively tweets using hashtags, retweets actively, shares links and opinions all all subjects, including updates on aviation sector)

@kanakmanidixit – Kanak Mani Dixit, Himal Southasia (tweets irregularly, shares his opinions