FOTP 2013 Full Report

Economic Environment: 20Total Score: 58Survey Edition 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Total Score, Status 61,NF 61,NF 57,PF 57,PF 58,PFThe media environment in Bhutan remained somewhat restricted in 2012, and the governmentcontinued to influence content published by private media. The constitution of the Kingdom ofBhutan, adopted in July 2008, guarantees the right to free speech, opinion, and expression.However, the 1992 National Security Act prohibits criticism of the king and has strict provisionson “words either spoken or written that undermine or attempt to undermine the security andsovereignty of Bhutan by creating or attempting to create hatred and disaffection among thepeople.” Defamation can be treated as either a civil or criminal offense. There were no reportedlegal cases brought against journalists in 2012.The constitution guarantees the right to information, but a Right to Information Billdiscussed by Parliament during 2012 was shelved indefinitely. Government officials citedcaution against “acting in haste,” given the importance of the bill, but media workers expressedconcern that the government was not committed to passing the legislation.The Bhutan InfoCom and Media Authority, the national regulator, sometimes restricts thepublication of or otherwise censures media outlets. The Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB)was revived in February 2012, having been dissolved in 2006 due to a lack of funding and poorcoordination. The organization’s mission is to uphold the interests of journalists across thecountry and protect free expression in the media. However, the JAB is not independent, as itrelies on the government-run Bhutan Media Foundation for funding and support.There were no reports of threats or intimidation directed at journalists in 2012, but thereis a high level of self-censorship. Criticism of the royal family and the Buddhist clergy is notpublished, and topics that are considered sensitive, such as the expulsion of Nepali-speakingresidents in the 1990s, are not covered. The government occasionally restricts certain websitesthat are deemed offensive to the state or pornographic.Bhutan currently has 12 newspapers, six radio stations, and two television channels, bothof which are hosted by Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), the state broadcaster. Internetpenetration remained at 25 percent of the population in 2012. Bhutan’s main print outlet, thestate-owned, biweekly Kuensel, generally portrays the kingdom in a favorable light, but it hasincreasingly been addressing societal problems and carrying stories that are critical of thegovernment. There are four Dzongkha-language newspapers; the remaining print media areEnglish-language publications that carry mandatory Dzongkha-language supplementary inserts.Bhutan’s first broadsheet, The Bhutanese, was launched in February 2012 with a stated intent tofocus on investigative journalism and providing independent views. There are no privatetelevision broadcasters. While the BBS was permitted to start an additional channel in 2012, atleast four applications to launch private television stations remain pending. Cable televisionservices carry foreign programming, albeit with bans on channels that provide “controversialcontent” as well as high sales taxes and regulatory obstacles that render access costs prohibitivefor many citizens. In January 2012, the government decided to streamline the licensing processfor media outlets by requiring them to pay only one license fee rather than two.Almost all media outlets are based in Thimpu, the capital. The weak economic climate inBhutan remains a major challenge for media companies, and most are dependent on advertising91