“...We intensely believe in the ideals of the United Nations and such questions as understanding between the East and West. Within such a general outlook, we are interested in telling about our country and the people...,” reads the first editorial of The Rising Nepal that saw the light of day on Thursday, December 16, 1965. As it turns 56 years today, the nation’s oldest existing broadsheet continues to live up to its original motto - ‘Pro Bono Publico’ (for the public good) -, which was printed along with the masthead for many years. The time when the TRN was born, the domestic and international scenarios were marked by flux of unprecedented changes. Many Asian and African nations, which were liberated from the colonial rules, had embarked on the arduous path of modernisation. Nepal, on her part, was struggling to chart her own destiny amidst the complex geopolitical milieu. The Cold War was at its height, and maintaining proactive neutrality was not merely a choice but a necessity for the country to protect her core interest.
Moreover, Nepal used to face routine propaganda of Indian newspapers hell-bent on denigrating her nationalistic credentials and people’s perennial aspirations for a life of dignity and affluence. Just imagine how vulnerable Nepal was 55 years ago when she occasionally suffers the misleading media blitz from the outside even today. Thus, the principle philosophy of TRN, then and now, is to defend the national interest and wellbeing of citizens no matter which dispensation is in place. It was imperative for the Himalayan nation to shed its survival strategy and assert its role in the changed context. The launch of TRN sent a clear message to the world: Nepal has woken up from her slumbers. She is rising.
In addition, TRN sought to fill the void of quality journalism and balance the imbalanced media market. It quickly became the official means of connecting the foreign missions and international organisations operating inside the country. For them, it served as the information gateway to the word. In it, the elite and English speaking readers found a new taste. It enabled them to keep abreast of developments around the globe. First and foremost, TRN has been telling its readers about genuine stories of nation and people as outlined in its first editorial. Its tag as the state-owned media has not precluded it from exercising the basic values of journalism –fairness, truthfulness, objectivity, credibility and professionalism. It has always refrained itself from the practice of yellow and sensational journalism. In an era marked by the rise of fake news churned out by ever growing digital and social media, TRN does not prefer to sit on the fence but often strives to sift fact from fiction.
It does not only inform the public about official views and state’s policy but also the accurate and fact-based news and analyses on the burning issues. With the nation passing through political upheavals and structural changes, it has also undergone a shifting role. Guided by the vision and provisions of new constitution, TRN is effortful to contribute to consolidating the federal democratic republic. Now it bears the adage - ‘all be happy, all be well,’ which well synchronises the nation’s slogan – Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali. As we are celebrating its 55th anniversary today, the moment further inspires the TRN staff to hone their professional skills, explore innovative ideas and adhere to ethical norms so that the pioneering daily will match up to its ideals and be able to cope with new challenges facing the media realm globally.