OFF THE RECORD

A sneak peek into a journalist’s life

A room filled with furniture, paper and books lying on  tables, reporters on their toes ready to go reporting, some busy typing on their laptops, others at the phone, everyone rushing to meet the deadline….this is what our newsroom looks like and I am sure other newsrooms look pretty much …

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Clarification from the Ministry of Education

Sir/Madam, The Scholarship and Student Support Division would like to draw your attention to the article “Scholarship students will be sent only to third countries to ease rupee outflow” by Sonam Choki of The Bhutanese in the 2nd May 2012 issue where the information have been misinterpreted and the statistics …

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Three crises that created the Rupee crisis

Over the years I have observed one important character of the Bhutanese people, i.e “artificiality”. Everything is artificial. Look at the land value. Artificial inflation. the land value around the country is being excessively / artificially increased way beyond the actual value. Just as an example, if tomorrow the government …

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Kharang: a sensitive issue

The glaring headlines of the 14 April issue almost elevated unconfirmed toxicity of Kharang to that of “radiation exposure” of radioactive nuclear waste in post-tsunami Japan then. This story comes out as if hurtling with the haste to prove Kharang leads to cancer. We use kharang almost every day in the family menu. It represents a simple staple diet to …

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Motherhood and Journalism

  It must take super-hero powers to handle two of the toughest jobs in the world- being a mother and a journalist, one of my college mates remarked. I took some time to ponder over it at a time when I am not working and my baby is off to …

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For the lack of a name

Last night I and my brother had a discussion regarding the reporters  using anonymous sources in their stories. He was of the opinion that reporters are using fake sources or else putting in their own quotes with attributions like ‘name changed’ or ‘declined to be named’. Even I would have …

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RTI ACT initiative commendable

My appreciations to MP Sangay Khandu for the initiative of persistently taking this bill forward singlehandedly. Why aren’t the other MPs talking or doing anything about it, or have they succumbed to the money and muscle power of a few in politics today? Your efforts will be closely observed by …

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Animal journalism

There are many reporters, who on bended knees and with unyielding spirit want to flag information from the roof tops but the impression that most people have of reporters is that they are more akin to animals than the homo-sapiens. Hello! Let’s talk off the record; we have hides of …

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Rant of the times

(tashi gyeltshen) The Governor of RMA says the country is broke. There is a severe rupee crunch. The national debt is at the highest. The government spending is very high. The housing loan bubble could burst. McKinsey took half a billion ngulturm. Unemployment is on the rise. Big businesses get …

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