Khasokhas, a leading Nepali community media outlet in New York, marked its 13th anniversary with a roundtable discussion titled “Local Journalism Matters.” The event, held in Jackson Heights, New York, featured two sessions focusing on the role of local journalism in empowering communities and strengthening democracy.
The first session gathered more than 30 representatives from various local community organizations across New York. The second session brought together prominent journalism leaders, stakeholders, and local business owners to discuss the significance of local media.
Speakers at the event emphasized the importance of community journalism in ensuring that local stories are told, challenges are addressed, and diverse voices are heard.
Kishor Panthi, Editor-in-Chief of Khasokhas, underscored the role of local journalism in preserving community identity and fostering trust. “Local journalism is more than just news; it is the voice of our communities. It tells the stories of our people, our challenges, and our achievements. Community journalism matters for democracy. It matters for our community because it brings us together. It celebrates our culture, our traditions, and the hard work of everyday people. Without local journalism, these stories may remain untold,” said Panthi.
Michelle Watson, Region 1 Coordinator of the Society of Professional Journalists, echoed this sentiment, highlighting how every major story originates at the local level. “At the end of the day, I think all news is local news. At some point, it always starts off as a local story. So many stories come from just that one little local news story. I always had a passion for local news. That was how it started for me,” Watson stated.
Nick Hirshon, President of the Deadline Club, the largest SPJ chapter in the country, emphasized the need to support local journalism. “Local journalism is at the core of what we do. I try to explain to students that, although a lot of the focus is on national news, what really matters to us are the streets that we drive on, the parks that we play in. Having strong community journalism is just critical to a democracy. We need to encourage local media organizations even more because what they’re doing is courageous,” he noted.
Sree Sreenivasan, President of the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), shared his personal experience, stating that local journalism fosters unparalleled connections with communities. “Local and community journalism is the ultimate service journalism. The connection you make with people is incredible. I’ve worked in national media, but the experience of doing local journalism was more special than almost anything else I’ve done.”
Jehangir Khattak, Director of Communications at The Center for Community Media, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, stressed the need to support community journalism amidst growing news deserts. “Our communities make it to the mainstream when something terrible happens or something great happens. But local communities want to see their success stories as well, their human stories as well. This country needs journalism that goes beyond the surface, and anyone from a community can better tell that story,” he stated.
Other speakers at the event also emphasized the need for stronger community media representation.
Tehsin Pala, Associate Editor at Central Desi, remarked that local journalism helps communities share their struggles beyond immigration narratives. “There’s so much more beyond that that is happening, and these local journalists are telling those stories.”
Dolma Lama, District Director for Assembly Member Steven Raga, acknowledged the role of local journalism in bridging the gap between government offices and communities. “We send out newsletters and updates, but to truly reach the local communities, we need to connect through local news,” she said.
The discussion was moderated by Khasokhas Editor Suresh Shahi, while Khasokhas Editor Deepak Pariyar extended a warm welcome to all attendees. Several other speakers also underscored the critical role of local and community media, reinforcing the collective commitment to strengthening local and community journalism.
As part of its 13th-anniversary celebrations, Khasokhas successfully raised over $15,000 through a fundraising initiative. To commemorate this milestone, Khasokhas honored 13 individuals with the title of ‘Khasokhas Champion’ in recognition of their outstanding contributions to local and Nepali community media in the United States through Khasokhas.
Photos of the event can be found here and here.
Deepak Pariyar
View More PostsJournalist Deepak Pariyar is the editor of Khasokhas, a publication amplifying the voices of the Nepali diaspora in the USA since 2012. A champion against discrimination, he has held leadership roles in journalist organizations.
