Newspapers in Mongolia

My early morning was spent reading some newspapers. I have to point out that I hate reading Mongolian newspapers and watching TV news programs. Maybe I am that shallow minded, however I do not like to spend my time reading depressing stuff. Every time I read newspaper articles, there are barely anything useful or positive. Articles are stuffed with criticism, gossips, and distressing facts. I know that real life is that harsh. However, newspapers are not only should be informative, but should include entertaining, educational news as well. I think most daily newspapers lack such elements in Mongolia. In addition, more than 50 percent of the whole paper prints advertisements. I can understand that they get their financing from advertisement, but it is just too much. If I wanted to get advertisements, I had better get it from TV ads or FM radios.

Another thing that caught my eyes was the number of Job ads. There are literally dozens of job ads that require people to have university degree and perfect English. Why would one who works for pure Mongolian company as logistic personnel or accountant need English? If it is foreign invested or does have ties with international partners, which I would guess require some knowledge of English, it is perfectly OK. It seems that nowadays, even cleaners need to know English. Another thing that employers need from their applicants is to be sufficiently” good-looking.” Currently, all tellers that work in either banks or service sector tend to be “good-looking,” and most of the times cannot do their job properly. I would rather have someone who knows his or her job than having someone “nice but dumb” to service me.

Final note on newspapers is that I personally never rely on information that they print. If I read something “useful” from newspaper articles I always Google it before accepting it. They do not have sufficient source and most of the times either write articles for money or just create themselves. It might be that I am too judgmental towards Mongolian newspapers. This is only my thoughts and opinion.

Today is Christmas day. Let us finish this blog with happy and bright thoughts. It is the end of the 2007 and we all done things that we might regret or things that we are proud. Let me wish you all that in 2008 that you do more of things that you are proud of and fewer things that you regret! Merry Christmas!!!