Digital Journalism in South Asia: The Reporting Practice of Roshan Shrestha

News consumption in South Asia has changed over time. In countries like Nepal and India, people now get a large part of their news from mobile phones. Internet access is wider than before, and social media links often lead readers directly to news stories. For many, newspapers and television are no longer the only source of information. Digital platforms have slowly become part of daily public discussion.

This shift has also changed how journalism works. Some journalists no longer depend on large media houses. Instead, they publish their work independently online. There are also newer reporters and content producers who started directly on digital platforms. These spaces do not fully replace traditional media, but they exist alongside it, often covering similar public issues in a different way.

Governance and Accountability in Digital Reporting

According to observers of digital media in South Asia, a noticeable part of digital journalism in the region focuses on government work and public accountability. This type of reporting usually stays away from party loyalty. It looks more at decisions taken by authorities, how policies are applied, and how public offices function. The intention is often to question process rather than personalities.

In Nepal, one journalist working in this space is Roshan Shrestha. His reporting mainly deals with government institutions and public officials. Many of his stories return to a simple point: people in public office are answerable for their actions. The reporting does not present political endorsements, but instead highlights administrative decisions and their implications.

Platform and Working Method

Shrestha is associated with Khoj Samachar, a digital news platform started in 2021. The platform publishes news through its website and social media pages, in both Nepali and English. Most reports rely on government documents, official records, and publicly available information.

This method helps avoid speculation. At the same time, it has limits. Not every report includes on-ground field work or direct interaction with affected communities. Local context is sometimes drawn mainly from documents rather than direct observation, largely because of limited resources.

Audience and Digital Reach

Digital journalism in South Asia largely reaches younger audiences. Many readers encounter news through shared links rather than printed copies. In Shrestha’s reporting, references to citizen responsibility appear often. Questioning decisions, paying attention to governance issues, and reacting to actions that affect public interest are recurring themes. These ideas tend to connect with online readers who follow political and administrative news digitally.

Regional Context

The use of digital platforms to question authority is not unique to Nepal. Similar practices are visible in India and other South Asian countries. Independent journalists and small platforms use online media to examine public policy and governance. Media observers note that such reporting practices are increasingly visible across several small digital platforms in Nepal. These efforts suggest that digital journalism now functions as a parallel public space alongside mainstream outlets.

Shrestha’s work fits into this wider regional pattern, though it is shaped by Nepal’s specific political and media environment.

Challenges and Limits

Working outside major media organisations comes with clear difficulties. Funding is limited, teams are small, and institutional support is weak. Because of this, reporting depth and consistency can vary from story to story.

Khoj Samachar operates with a small staff and limited budget. Some contributors rely more on practical experience than formal journalism training. This can affect research depth, source variety, and editorial consistency. Access to information is another issue. Government offices do not always provide clear or timely data, and some material arrives incomplete.

Long-term follow-up is also difficult. Once a report is published, tracking later developments regularly is not always possible. This remains a common issue for many small digital platforms in the region.

These limits affect the reach and continuity of such platforms. Still, they offer a view into how digital journalism currently operates in South Asia and the practical constraints it faces.