KATHMANDU: Media experts have demanded the Press Council Nepal re-classify of newspapers and magazines as the latest classification lacks impartiality.
A delegation of representatives from the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur chapters today called on Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota with the request for the new classification of newspapers (for the fiscal year 2074-75 BS) as it was partial and unscientific as well.
The memorandum submitted by the delegation to the Minister on the occasion demands the convert of accident insurance scheme launched by the government for journalists into life insurance.
The delegation also insisted on conducting a study about the PCN’s expenditures taking place in the name of promotion of journalist code of conduct and achievements and results; and making public all the details related to such procedures.
In response, the Minister said he would seek a solution to the issue after consulting with bodies concerned in regard to the delegation’s concern.
He asserted,” To get high authority also means to be responsible towards everyone. The tendency to get authority would only arouse thirst for power. In a democracy, the thirst for power leads to corruption. That’s why the institution should be right.”
Stating that although the government could not raise a question about the autonomy about the Media Council Bill that was under deliberation in the Legislation, he pressed for the need to make it more accountable.
“Let’s not construct the institution that would court disputes. There are no hard and fast criteria that the president of the Press Council must be a journalist but anyone should have a good grasp of understanding about the media sector and should have the ability to implement the rules and regulations,” Baskota said.
Stating that when the journalism was achieving a new height, media credibility should not be based only on editorial freedom, the Minister argued that if media house was economically sound, then only media would be free.
“The government is at work to build a structure relating to the proportional advertisement system in a bid to make media financial independent alongside its freedom,” he said.
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