It's that time of the year, folks, when the dastardly captains of Nepal's private-sector media don their more-Nepali-than-thou hat and start singing the chorus of "Let's denounce the foreigners amidst us" ditty. Last year, it was The Himalayan Times' turn. [At that time, because of my Nepali Times columns, I willingly and with-eyes-wide-open made a few enemies at Kantipur Publications and elsewhere by pointing out the sheer absurdity of the Nepal Media Society's charges against THT. A year later, thank God, THT is still in the market as one of the many newspapers available to readers.] This year, the stage seems to have moved against Nepal-1 TV Channel. And the whole thing is pathetic. I mean, these guys, these supposed protectors of Nepali media, cannot prove a single damn thing against Nepal-1 in a court of law. They obviously have no shred of verifiable evidence against the offending TV Channel. And so what do they do? In a grand Nepali cultural tradition, they resort to the cheapest tricks: hurling accusations, allegations, rumours before coming together to gang up against Nepal-1. Meantime, didn't someone in Europe, to the joy of these media hoodlums, recently say that Nepal's ranks almost last in press freedom? Or was in intra-press freedom? http://www.kantipuronline.com/nepali/kolnews.php?&nid=30144 http://www.kantipuronline.com/nepali/kolnews.php?&nid=30143 oohi ashu