Nepal, Aug. 8 -- When Prime Minister Balendra Shah delivered his first address to the nation on July 26, he chose Facebook over the press.

The address came nearly four months after he assumed office on March 27, at a time when a dispute in Kaptanganj, Devanganj Rural Municipality-3, Sunsari, had begun to trigger tensions in other parts of the Tarai-Madhesh region. But instead of calling a press conference or engaging with the mainstream media, Shah went directly to social media to address the nation.

The choice was notable for another reason. Nepal Television, the government-controlled public service broadcaster, had recorded the prime minister's address. Yet Shah posted the video on Facebook nearly two minutes before it was scheduled ...