Kuensel. History of a newspaper from Bhutan that even the illiterate read

illustration: kuenselonline.com

In South Asia, in the eastern Himalayas, between northern China and southern India lies the country of Druk Yul (the Dragon Kingdom). The English version of this name is Kingdom of Bhutan and that is how this country is seen in the world. The origin of the word Bhutan is unknown. Sharp researchers claim it comes from the Tibetan word Böd meaning Tibet or from the Nepali Bhuṭān (भुटान) meaning the end of the Tibetan plateau.

Bhutan was never colonized though for a time it was under the protectorate of the British Empire and treated as an Indian princely state. After World War II on August 15, 1947 it was one of the first countries to break free from India’s "care" gaining full independence.

Today it is a democratic constitutional monarchy with a king as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. The official and national language is Dzongkha and the language of instruction is English. In 1953 King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck established the National Assembly. In 1965 he formed the Royal Advisory Council and in 1968 the first government was created. And since every authority has its own press body the government bulletin Kuensel (Clarity) was founded in 1965.

From English to Dzongkha with help from the Japanese

Kuensel was a monthly magazine, the only media outlet, and it had few readers because illiteracy in the country was very high at the time, and the small group of educated Bhutanese read newspapers in English. The king, who wanted to rule enlightened people, decided to change that.

Kuensel, which was distributed across the country, besides government orders and resolutions, reported on national events, discussed technical innovations, and introduced political, cultural, and royal figures. It was published in English because those were the printing presses available in Bhutan after the war. But everyone involved wanted Dzongkha to become the bulletin`s primary language.


Only in 1974 was a suitable press brought from India to Thimphu, the country`s capital, and Japanese technicians adapted it for printing in Bhutan’s native language. From that time Kuensel became a weekly.

Kuensel and the challenge of no journalists. And no readers

Whether in English or in Dzongkha, the rule was simple. Short news items like notes without discussion or commentary. Foreign news focused mostly on India, though some stories from Japan also appeared. Domestic news centered on the capital and its region. Over the years the scope expanded to include education, culture, agriculture, automotive topics, and even crime.

There was more and more news and information and the audience grew, especially after printing began in the national language, but it was not enough. The population was mostly illiterate and there were no journalists in Bhutan.

In 1972 Jigme Singye Wangchuck became king. The youngest monarch in the world at the time, just 16 years old, he studied in India and England. He was a liberal and forward-thinking young man. He aimed to bring democracy to his country. He focused on building a skilled workforce. He funded scholarships and sent several young people into the world to learn different professions. He also understood what the press was and what value it carried.

A royal mission for a rock star

The job of learning journalism was given to a failed musician and rock star Kinley Dorji. The young man was sent to Australia, to Mitchell College in Bathurst. A diligent student, he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication. He also completed a master’s degree at Columbia University in New York. At the beginning of 1986 he returned to Bhutan and started working at Kuensel. A few months later the Fourth King gave him a mission. He appointed him editor in chief and ordered him to turn the bulletin into a real newspaper.

On September 6, 1986 Kuensel was officially launched as the first and only national newspaper of Bhutan, which was announced to the public in the new edition. It was proudly called a newspaper, but in fact it was still a weekly. Even though its format, appearance, and standards changed, it still came out once a week. The Department of Information of the Ministry of Communications published it, and the owner was the king. With the arrival of the new Kuensel, the publishing house Kuensel Corporation Limited was launched.

The new 12-page edition was fully subsidized by the government and had no advertisements. It featured more photos and increasingly longer notes. To make people feel valued by the authorities, a column called Letters to the Editor (Listy do redakcji) was launched. It took up most of the weekly and replaced the lack of field correspondents.

The sections Sport and Buddhism (Buddyzm) were also expanded. Praise for the royal family was limited though key orders and events related to the court were still included.

A dislike of sensationalism

By the end of the year two more editions of the same issue were introduced. One was in Dzongkha and the other in Nepali. Though illiteracy still affected most of the population, circulation began to grow and in 1988 it reached 12,500 copies.

Step by step Kuensel gained polish, professionalism, and refinement. Dorji, as the only educated journalist, not only had to manage the newsroom, publishing house, and printing press, but also train local aspiring writers. Another group of students was already studying abroad, but it would take time before results showed.

As editor in chief he was responsible, like in any paper, for writing editorials and leading articles. Topics ranged from The evolution of Buddhism in Bhutan (Kuensel, January 9, 1987) through Yak thefts in Paro (Kuensel, September 22, 1989) to Dead man found (Kuensel, March 22, 1990).

Dorji disliked sensational stories and avoided them but if a problem involved human tragedy he would write about it. After a while, when the new Kuensel was well-established, he wrote in one of his editorials:

All of us who work with the media shape society. We can vulgarize it, brutalize it, or we can help raise it to a higher level… and it was the latter he pursued for the years that followed.

Above all education

In April 1989 the Reuters news agency opened its office in Bhutan. This allowed for a broader view of the world but also sparked more global interest in Bhutan. Although the country had been a member of the UN since 1971, its foreign policy remained limited, and the weekly had no international section.

People’s interest focused more on their own issues, mainly agriculture, and much space was devoted to it. But Dorji also paid attention to other areas of life such as:

• fashion (Bhutan will have its first fashion show, Kuensel May 19, 1989),
• health (Alcohol or health the choice is yours, Kuensel April 28, 1989)
• and tolerance (Hate breeds hate, Kuensel December 7, 1990).

It was this last issue that Bhutanese society clashed with strongly in 1990 when the Nepali-speaking population (Lhotshampa) became victims of political persecution by the government. When most border villages were cleared and the Nepali language was banned, the Nepali edition of Kuensel also disappeared from the media.

However, the weekly focused most of its space on education in the broadest sense. It was not only schools, children, or youth that were part of this movement, but every adult, every profession, and every area of life. Workshops, meetings, and courses were just a glimpse of what was described and promoted. Many articles on education focused on the national language Dzongkha.

Journalism is responsibility

Dorji, who came to be called Chief Kinley, set a goal and mission for himself and Kuensel to reach as many readers as possible and share with them everything the world had to offer. As he said: Journalism is not just a profession but a serious responsibility.


Despite continued widespread illiteracy, circulation of the weekly grew. The number of readers increased. Though around 15,000 copies were printed, twice as many people were interested. The range of topics was steadily expanded and the texts grew longer. In January 1990 the local news section was expanded, which loyal readers appreciated.

The king also recognized Dorji’s work and Kuensel’s mission. Though censorship was in place, the monarch understood that if he wanted to pursue democracy, he had to allow free media. The situation was rather strange because the government did not permit a television station or internet access. Kuensel was the only newspaper and the first radio broadcasts were launched by students only in 1973.

But the king stood firm and in 1992 by royal decree separated the weekly from the government and made Kuensel Corporation an autonomous company with its own rules. For six more years the publishing house was subsidized by the state until in 1998 it became a self-financing enterprise.

Kuensel on media freedom

The 1990s, though slowly, brought computerization and digitization to Bhutan. More and more Bhutanese people traveled abroad and returned with news about the latest technologies or even television, which their country still lacked. Society began to demand it.

Kuensel, once freed from the government, also slowly raised its head and began reporting on topics that had previously been forbidden. It turned out that:

• corruption was thriving in the country (Smugglers fined and officials brought to court, Kuensel January 1, 1993),
• open terrorism existed, not only on the border (Highway vulnerable to terrorist attacks, Kuensel November 19, 1993)
• and that there were diseases one could live with and need not fear (HIV virus in Bhutan, Kuensel August 6, 1993).

More space was devoted to women`s issues, environmental protection, and problems with the national economy. The government was not attacked or criticized, but everyone knew who was responsible for the lack of roads, television, or an airport. More controversial topics appeared, debates and comments became more common, columns emerged, and the weekly gained color. The Nepali edition was reinstated. In 1996 the number of pages increased to 16 in the English and Dzongkha editions and to 12 in the Nepali version.

The first online newspaper

Only in 1999 did a complete breakthrough in Bhutan’s technical and technological life occur. Television service was launched through the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), and the internet was introduced. The first Bhutanese website belonged to Kuensel (kuenselonline.com). While BBS was just starting and played songs and the weather forecast for a day that had already passed,

Chief Kinley took digitization very seriously. He appointed Tsenskyog Tsering as network manager and hired Neil Hardigan, a former editor from Thailand’s government-owned English-language newspaper The Nation. This duo created Bhutan’s first professional online newspaper, launched on April 18, 2001.

Entering the new millennium with a website, Kuensel remained the only newspaper in the country. However, it still could not openly criticize the government’s policy. According to global public opinion studies at the time, its role in promoting democracy, despite the king’s support, was difficult. It was recognized that the weekly:

• still tracked government activities,
• aimed for independence,
• listened to and answered readers’ questions,
• promoted public discussion,
• educated,
• preserved language and national culture.

In 2004 a national report from Freedom House stated: In Bhutan, freedom of speech and the press is limited. There is no constitution or clearly defined regulations governing media operations, and the legal environment for the press remains vague. Criticism of Bhutan’s political system is traditionally banned. Bhutan’s only regular press outlet, the weekly Kuensel, generally reports news that portrays the kingdom positively, although it occasionally includes criticism of the government during assembly sessions. Kuensel’s online edition provides a somewhat livelier forum for discussion and debate. In previous years, journalists working for Kuensel were reportedly threatened by the government, but in 2004 no such cases were reported.

Still little or no world news

Despite pressure from the authorities, the weekly tried to operate honestly and in the name of truth. In addition to Chief Kinley, more professional journalists joined the editorial team, trained in Singapore and India. Among this close group were Tenzin Rigden and Tashi Wangchuk. The weekly was beginning to take the shape of a professional newspaper. A structure of thematic sections and columns was introduced:

• Editorial office, texts written by the editor in chief and main journalists;
• Letters to the editor;
• Dzongkhagi, regional news;
• National affairs;
• Education;
• Agriculture;
• Health;
• Sport;
• Tourism.

The Royal Bhutan Police, the National Assembly, the Nutrition Program, and of course His Majesty the King all had their own columns. Strangely, there was no world news. If information about India, Bangladesh, Switzerland, or Denmark appeared, it was along the lines of "an agreement was signed", "a visit took place", "India and Bhutan strengthen cooperation in agriculture". Other than that, no gossip, no sensation, and no second-hand news.

A sudden rise in competition and criticism

Since its founding, Kuensel had been published in the capital Thimphu and distributed across the country. As circulation grew, distribution became difficult, so in 2005 a second printing house was opened in Kanglung, eastern Bhutan, and offices were established in Kanglung and Trashigang. Thanks to this decision, Kuensel could be published twice a week and reach sales points on the day of release.

A year later, Kuensel’s dominance ended. On April 30, 2006 the first issue of the country’s second newspaper Bhutan Times was published, and on June 2 the third title followed, Bhutan Observer. Two years later Bhutan Today launched, and by the end of 2009 Business Bhutan appeared. By 2012 there were 12 newspapers on the market. However, under a government advertising project, only 7 remained by 2018.


Despite the competition, Kuensel remained the media leader. The editorial team had to change some of its assumptions. Changes were coming to the country. A new constitution was in place and King Jigme Singye Wangchuck announced his abdication. His dream of democracy, so often spoken about in his youth, had not succeeded. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. Department of State showed that until 2000, human rights violations occurred repeatedly in Bhutan. Terrible prison conditions, wrongful arrests, lack of press and religious freedom, and lack of respect for political rights were just some examples. The press at that time, meaning Kuensel, remained silent. But on the other hand, perhaps it had no choice.

Chief Kinley receives a noble title

On December 9, 2006, for his years of service, Chief Kinley Dorji received from the outgoing king the Bhutanese symbol of social status Royal Red Scarf and the title Dasho, the equivalent of the English Sir. Three years later he left Kuensel to take a position in the government. He became secretary of the Ministry of Information. His colleague Kencho Wangdi said farewell with these words:

His editorials were a foundation for a generation of educated Bhutanese and reflected, with all its problems, the development of Bhutan. He walked a fine line between criticism and compromise with the government. He was the intellectual conscience of Kuensel.

And Dorji Wangchuck wrote on his blog: Chief Kinley has deep experience observing how modern Bhutanese media take root, grow, and transform several times. He was a major part of that. Kuensel will surely lose some of its leadership, but let us hope that his appointment as information secretary will push Bhutanese media forward boldly into the future and into their rightful place as the Fourth Estate of democratic government.

After Kinley Dorji left, changes came to Kuensel starting in 2010. The roles once held by one person were split into two positions. Chencho Tshering became managing director and Phuntsho Wangdi became editor in chief.

Failed attempt at privatization

Although in theory the paper was no longer a government medium, 51% of its shares were state-owned, 42.25% were held by 20 private shareholders, and the rest were employee shares. Unfortunately, the employees, of whom there were about 170 at the time, could not afford to buy shares in their own company. Tshering and Wangdi began a campaign to fully privatize the enterprise.

When Kuensel is government-owned, it carries a label that Kuensel is the government’s mouthpiece, although we’ve never spoken for or against the government, said Chencho Tshering. Kuensel should be privatized to improve its reputation in the international and local markets, because foreigners react differently when they hear it is government-owned. Even our colleagues in private media assume we get all the ads because we are government-owned, but they don’t understand Kuensel’s readership and reach.

Sadly, the privatization effort failed and the government still holds 51%. But since 2007 annual shareholder meetings have been held to elect a five-member board of directors. Two seats go to shareholders and three are appointed by the government.

News in pictures for those who cannot read

Kinley Dorji left Kuensel in very good shape, in full color, with a weekend edition (K2) and a highly professional editorial team. Among the journalists was a significant group of women who covered not only fashion and cooking but politics, corruption, and crime. Notable among them were Chencho Dema, Sonam Padlen, Nirmala Pokhrel, Kinga Dema. The full-time photographer Karma Duphu also had his own section.

For illiterate readers, Kuensel introduced news in drawings, or comic strips on current topics. Their main author was graphic artist Tenzin Wangchuk. Blogger Chablop PaSsu wrote in May 2012 on his blog PaSsu Diary:

WangChuk from Kuensel is the reason I buy the paper. His cartoons are worth running from shop to shop even if I already know the full news content. These stories make tough topics easier to digest, or at least they seem to.

This form of news became very popular with many readers, which allowed Kuensel to become a daily in 2012. Over time, alongside comics and humor, other entertainment formats appeared such as crosswords and sudoku, and navigation was added to the front page.

Social media? The government says no but the king says yes

Although Kuensel’s first issue appeared in 1965, its birthday is celebrated from the time it became the country’s first newspaper. In 2011 the silver jubilee of this event was celebrated. It had a significant impact on society and the country`s history. Reports were posted on Facebook.

The government did not support social media, but on February 21, 2010, under a Royal Charter issued by His Majesty the King, the Bhutan Media Foundation was created:

Its aim is to support the growth of strong, responsible media capable of playing an important role in the social, economic, and political development of the nation. Its mission is to empower media to fulfill their duties without fear or favor in the interest of democracy. The foundation is to strengthen professionalism, support advocacy and policy, promote media development through training, scholarships, media education, and policy advocacy. It supports the sustainable development of newspapers and broadcasting stations, journalist associations, and press clubs.

And it allows for promotion on social media. Since then, Kuensel has accounts not only on Facebook but also on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

In 2012 Bhutanese journalists marked another milestone. The Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB) became active. It was founded five years earlier but had no ability to operate. As Kuensel reported, the president of the association was Passang Drji, a journalist from The Bhutanese, a paper that was just about to launch. The vote included 105 journalists from 11 newspapers and 16 electronic media outlets.

A bumpy road to journalistic goals

In 2014 more changes came to Kuensel’s editions. On weekdays the paper had 12 pages and the weekend edition (Saturday) had 20. New thematic columns appeared in regular sections like Home, Diversion, Perspective, and Sports, including My Country My Town and My say. The entertainment section featured Short Story and the front page included a weather forecast.


Changes were also made in the editorial leadership. The top editorial post was held by Ugyen Penjor, who was replaced a year later by Gyalsten Dorji. The managing director became Bachu Phub Don.

Kuensel, like Bhutan, continues to grow and raise its standards. Not everything is perfect yet, but it is clearly on the right track. Journalists are improving their skills and capabilities, making newspapers more professional and able to deliver broader news.

Kuensel remains Bhutan’s leading media outlet. According to the Asian Community Handbook, in 2017 the newspaper:

• had nearly 200,000 readers;
• its circulation kept growing;
• had offices in every district;
• all journalists had higher education;
• Kuensel Online was the most visited website;
• the internet forum had 100,000 visitors.

Bhutanese journalism still means short, basic news. Kuensel is slowly breaking away from that trend, though its longer articles and columns are about tourism, history, and the country’s culture. Ads are placed by the government and the main news is about the country, not the world.

Fighting the pandemic and turning forty

In 2020 the newspaper’s image was improved. The graphics were updated, a TV program was added, more color was introduced, and the text volume increased. An ad appeared on the front page, along with the topic that dominated the world’s headlines for months to come the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first case in the country was reported in March 2020. A year later, in March 2021, the first Bhutanese person was vaccinated. During that time Kuensel informed, educated, advised, and supported readers. For nearly a year, pandemic statistics were shown on the front page. As a result of these efforts, by April 9, 2021, 60% of Bhutan’s total population was vaccinated. The king also joined the fight against the pandemic and his speeches and announcements were printed in the newspaper. Bhutan recorded only four deaths and the pandemic was quickly brought under control. The country, and its main newspaper, have strong experience in fighting disease as the most serious threat so far has been tuberculosis.

This challenging period coincided with His Majesty’s 40th birthday. To mark the occasion, the government released a special logo featuring a golden raven inside a golden circle. Kuensel placed it on the front page where one of Bhutan’s dragons had always been.

To the reader even by bus

In April 2021 Kuensel celebrated its 35th anniversary. It also welcomed a new editor in chief Tshering Palden, who took the helm in May. Palden is a graduate of Sherubtse College (2004-2006), Curtin University of Technology in Journalism (2011-2012), and the National University of Singapore (IPS), which he attended through the Asia Journalism Fellowship (Digital Communication and Multimedia, 2019). He began working at Kuensel in 2007 as a reporter and later became head of news.

As Palden’s story shows, Bhutanese journalists care about their development, and this raises the standards of their newspapers. One of the most recent Asia Journalism Fellowship scholars (2024) is senior Kuensel reporter Dechen Dolkar, who writes about the impact of government policy on society, government corruption, and social injustice, and who views journalism as a catalyst for positive change.

Though the country still has high illiteracy rates and limited internet access, one of the biggest challenges for the press in Bhutan is distribution, specifically transportation. Newspapers are distributed by bus drivers and don’t always reach points of sale. They are stored at bus stations or sometimes just thrown away.

Tshering Palden and the Kuensel team are working to overcome these problems. They are expanding their network of correspondents and distributors, improving their fleet, opening their own shops, launching promotions, and implementing projects beyond journalism. Unfortunately, despite offices in every district, they still have only two printing presses.

Despite the challenges, they don’t give up. They have a mission because, as journalist and blogger Dorji Wangchuk says:

Journalism is a profession, and behind every profession lies an art or a science. Journalism has both. It is a serious field. There is a real risk to harmony, security, and sovereignty if an entire population gets its news and forms opinions from social media. Kuensel and its journalists understand this, which is why their motto is: The people shall be informed.

Kuensel timeline

• 1965 - the Kuensel government bulletin was founded
• 1974 - printing machines capable of printing in Dzongkha were imported
• 1974 - Kuensel became a weekly
• 1986, September 6 - first issue of Kuensel as the country’s only newspaper
• 1986 - Kuensel Corporation Limited publishing house was established
• 1989, April - Reuters opened its office in Bhutan (partnership with Kuensel)
• 1992 - Kuensel became independent by royal decree
• 1996 - the weekly increased in size
• 1999 - Kuensel’s first website launched
• 2001, April 18 - Kuensel Online became Bhutan’s first online newspaper
• 2005 - second printing press and two offices opened in eastern Bhutan
• 2005 - Kuensel began publishing twice a week
• 2006, April 30 - Kuensel was no longer the only newspaper in the country
• 2010, February 21 - Bhutan Media Foundation launched
• 2012 - Kuensel became a daily newspaper
• 2012 - Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB) began operating
• 2014 - newspaper design updated
• 2020 - further changes to the newspaper’s image
• 2020, June 6 - decorative logo marking the king’s 40th birthday
• 2021 - 35th anniversary of the newspaper

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