I admit that the title of this entry is shocking and perhaps 'inaccurate' too. However, I felt dismayed to know that Bhutanese people cannot watch BBC news channel (BBC World) for more than one month simply because cable TV operators in Bhutan cannot afford to pay the fee to get this channel. Since 15 June 2006, BBC World has become an encrypted pay channel in South Asia. In simple terms, you have to pay to the distributor of BBC World if you want to watch it. Of course, it is up to BBC to decide whether they want to make their service encrypted or not. I just feel disappointed over the fact that TV viewers in Bhutan cannot watch BBC World for more than one month.
The distributor for BBC is in India and for Bhutanese cable operators; it is not very easy to be in touch with this distributor. Since Bhutanese cable operators have a very small user base and most users are not rich, the cable operators here are unable to meet the demand of the Indian distributor. Of course, it is a reality that BBC World is not a popular channel in Bhutan and not too many people miss it now. However, for South Asia, BBC is perhaps the most important media service because of its excellent coverage of the region. That is why I feel so much disappointed.
As a person of South Asia, I feel that people of our part of the world should be valued more by BBC as millions of people have been listening and watching the programs of BBC and contributed immensely to the rise of BBC as one of the top media organizations in the world. So, it is heart breaking to me at least, to think that now people of Bhutan should be deprived of watching BBC just because they are poor and unable to pay the fee.
In its website BBC wrote about Bhutan:
"Bhutan was the last nation in the world to introduce television in 1999. Recently they banned a number of channels including international wrestling and MTV, which they felt did little to promote happiness."
Yes, it is true but Bhutan has not banned BBC World and instead it seems that BBC has 'banned' Bhutanese people over money matter. Personally, I am a big fan of BBC and I have remained a BBC fan since 1984. That time, electronic media in every South Asian country was under strict government control. So, BBC was the best resort for people in South Asia to get accurate and neutral news. I know that millions of people in South Asia share the same emotion with me. I hope that BBC would not let us down.
I wish that BBC bosses take this matter seriously and can arrange something for the people of Bhutan.
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