Kuensel
Encyclopedia
Kuensel is the national newspaper of Bhutan. It was the only local newspaper available in Bhutan until 2006 when two more newspapers were launched. The government of Bhutan owns 51 percent of Kuensel while 49 percent is held by the public.
In 1986 it was reformatted and published weekly as Bhutan's only newspaper by the Ministry of Communications' Department of Information.
Kinley Dorji
, who graduated from Columbia University
, New York with a masters degree in journalism, served as editor of Kuensel, and later as both editor-in-chief and managing director, between 1986 and 2009.
Kuensel had a total circulation in 1988 of 12,500 and was published in Dzongkha, Nepali, and English.
In 1992, a royal edict de-linked Kuensel from the government and made it an autonomous corporation to allow for the professional growth of the media. It stopped receiving government subsidy in 1998. Today, the newspaper is subsidized by commercial printing and advertisements.
It had a total circulation in 1988 of 12,500 and was published in Dzongkha, Nepali, and English.
In 1996 the size of the paper was expanded from 12 to 16 pages in Dzongkha and English and to 20 pages in 1999. In February 2005 Kuensel began publishing a 12-page edition twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In 2006 the Wednesday edition was increased to 14 pages and the Saturday edition to 18 pages with a colour pull-out lifestyle section called CityBytes.
Kuensel Corporation Limited., started an online version of the paper in 1999 (kuenselonline.com) the year internet first came to Bhutan. It has grown to become the most popular site on Bhutan with daily news updates on the happenings in the kingdom and an equally active discussion forum. In 2006, kuenselonline.com had an average of 3,000 visitors a day with more than 15,000 registered members.
Kuensel is published from the capital, Thimphu
, and Kanglung
, Trashigang
, in eastern Bhutan where a press was set up in 2005. This has ensured that the paper is available in all districts on the day of publication.
Kuensel was the sole newspaper in Bhutan
up until April 2006 when it was joined by the Bhutan Times
(and by the Bhutan Observer
in June 2006).
Kuensel is published in two language editions: Dzongkha (the national language) and English
, on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a total weekly circulation of more than 30,000 copies and an average weekly readership of 130,000.
The setting up of a press in Kanglung in December 2005 has ensured that the paper is available in all the dzongkhags on the day of publication.
The paper is distributed throughout the country by a string of sales agents appointed in all the dzongkhags, dungkhags and towns, while subscribers overseas are fed through mail service/e-mail. Subscribers also get a PDF version of the paper.
, Phuentsholing, Zhemgang
and Bumthang
and reporters in Thimphu
.
Most of the reporters have basic training with Strait Times of Singapore and the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai
, India
. Some reporters have done internships with papers in the Philippines and with the mainstream newspapers in India. Two of the present staff have received international postgraduate degrees in journalism.
While radio has the widest reach in Bhutan and international cable television has become a staple in many Bhutanese homes, Kuensel is read by the literate population and decision-makers. It has continued to see a gradual increase in circulation over the years.
in Bhutan on April 18 2001. The website and publishing system was initially developed by Neil Herdegen, who was employed as the Webmaster
of The Nation (Thailand)
. Neil Herdegen visited Bhutan in 2001 and worked with the new Kuensel webmaster, Chencho Tshering, to develop and integrate a Content management system
that allowed reporters to edit and publish stories online, enabling them to post stories from any remote location in the country. Kuensel Online also published an Internet forum
which has attracted more than 100,000 members and has given Bhutanese people the opportunity to discuss important topics that have shaped Bhutanese society.
The site is hosted and maintained by Neil Herdegen and Webexa. The site is the most visited site in the country, currently responsible for most of the internet traffic in Bhutan and uses a dedicated server located in a secure U.S. Data center
.
History
Kuensel (which loosely means clarity) was founded in 1967 as an internal government bulletin. In 1974 a press machine was bought from India and installed in Thimphu. Soon Dzongkha letter blocks were prepared by Japanese technicians and the bulletin was published in Dzongkha as well.In 1986 it was reformatted and published weekly as Bhutan's only newspaper by the Ministry of Communications' Department of Information.
Kinley Dorji
Kinley Dorji
Dasho Kinley Dorji is the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications in Bhutan. His former post was as Managing Director and Editor in Chief of Kuensel, Bhutan's national newspaper...
, who graduated from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, New York with a masters degree in journalism, served as editor of Kuensel, and later as both editor-in-chief and managing director, between 1986 and 2009.
Kuensel had a total circulation in 1988 of 12,500 and was published in Dzongkha, Nepali, and English.
In 1992, a royal edict de-linked Kuensel from the government and made it an autonomous corporation to allow for the professional growth of the media. It stopped receiving government subsidy in 1998. Today, the newspaper is subsidized by commercial printing and advertisements.
It had a total circulation in 1988 of 12,500 and was published in Dzongkha, Nepali, and English.
In 1996 the size of the paper was expanded from 12 to 16 pages in Dzongkha and English and to 20 pages in 1999. In February 2005 Kuensel began publishing a 12-page edition twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In 2006 the Wednesday edition was increased to 14 pages and the Saturday edition to 18 pages with a colour pull-out lifestyle section called CityBytes.
Kuensel Corporation Limited., started an online version of the paper in 1999 (kuenselonline.com) the year internet first came to Bhutan. It has grown to become the most popular site on Bhutan with daily news updates on the happenings in the kingdom and an equally active discussion forum. In 2006, kuenselonline.com had an average of 3,000 visitors a day with more than 15,000 registered members.
Kuensel is published from the capital, Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
, and Kanglung
Kanglung
Kanglung is a town in eastern Bhutan. It is located in Trashigang District and is home to Sherubtse College, one of the Royal University of Bhutan's academic institutes.Population 1,717 .-References:...
, Trashigang
Trashigang
Trashigang District is Bhutan's easternmost dzongkhag .-Culture:...
, in eastern Bhutan where a press was set up in 2005. This has ensured that the paper is available in all districts on the day of publication.
Kuensel was the sole newspaper in Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
up until April 2006 when it was joined by the Bhutan Times
Bhutan Times
The Bhutan Times is Bhutan's first privately owned newspaper, and only the second in the country after the government owned and autonomous Kuensel...
(and by the Bhutan Observer
Bhutan Observer
The Bhutan Observer is Bhutan's first private bilingual newspaper. It was launched as a private limited company by parent company Bhutan Media Services , and began publishing on June 2, 2006, in Thimphu...
in June 2006).
Kuensel is published in two language editions: Dzongkha (the national language) and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a total weekly circulation of more than 30,000 copies and an average weekly readership of 130,000.
The setting up of a press in Kanglung in December 2005 has ensured that the paper is available in all the dzongkhags on the day of publication.
The paper is distributed throughout the country by a string of sales agents appointed in all the dzongkhags, dungkhags and towns, while subscribers overseas are fed through mail service/e-mail. Subscribers also get a PDF version of the paper.
Ownership
In 2006 Kuensel Corporation ltd., divested 245,000 shares of a face value of Nu. 100 a share, constituting 49 percent of the paid up capital, to the public. 51 percent of the corporation is held by the government. In May 2007, Kuensel Corporation Limited., held its first annual general meeting with its shareholders. Two members from the public shareholders were elected to the five-member board of directors. The other three members are government appointees.Personnel
The corporation has an editorial team headed by a chief editor, a dzongkha language editor, a news editor, a managing editor, a chief reporter and bureau correspondents in TrashigangTrashigang
Trashigang District is Bhutan's easternmost dzongkhag .-Culture:...
, Phuentsholing, Zhemgang
Zhemgang
Zhemgang District , is one of the 20 dzongkhags comprising Bhutan. It is bordered by Sarpang, Trongsa, Bumthang, Mongar and Samdrup Jongkhar Districts, and borders Assam in India to the south...
and Bumthang
Bumthang
Bumthang may refer to:* Bumthang , officially Jakar* Bumthang District* Bumthang River* Bumthang Kingdom* Bumthang language* Bumthang Province* Bumthang Valley...
and reporters in Thimphu
Thimphu
Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961...
.
Most of the reporters have basic training with Strait Times of Singapore and the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Some reporters have done internships with papers in the Philippines and with the mainstream newspapers in India. Two of the present staff have received international postgraduate degrees in journalism.
While radio has the widest reach in Bhutan and international cable television has become a staple in many Bhutanese homes, Kuensel is read by the literate population and decision-makers. It has continued to see a gradual increase in circulation over the years.
Online Media
Kuensel Online became the first Online newspaperOnline newspaper
An online newspaper, also known as a web newspaper, is a newspaper that exists on the World Wide Web or Internet, either separately or as an online version of a printed periodical....
in Bhutan on April 18 2001. The website and publishing system was initially developed by Neil Herdegen, who was employed as the Webmaster
Webmaster
A webmaster , also called a web architect, web developer, site author, or website administrator is a person responsible for maintaining one or many websites...
of The Nation (Thailand)
The Nation (Thailand)
The Nation is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper founded in 1971 and published in Bangkok, Thailand, and is owned by the Nation Multimedia Group.The Nation is a member of the Asia News Network...
. Neil Herdegen visited Bhutan in 2001 and worked with the new Kuensel webmaster, Chencho Tshering, to develop and integrate a Content management system
Content management system
A content management system is a system providing a collection of procedures used to manage work flow in a collaborative environment. These procedures can be manual or computer-based...
that allowed reporters to edit and publish stories online, enabling them to post stories from any remote location in the country. Kuensel Online also published an Internet forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
which has attracted more than 100,000 members and has given Bhutanese people the opportunity to discuss important topics that have shaped Bhutanese society.
The site is hosted and maintained by Neil Herdegen and Webexa. The site is the most visited site in the country, currently responsible for most of the internet traffic in Bhutan and uses a dedicated server located in a secure U.S. Data center
Data center
A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems...
.