KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepali Journalists has submitted memorandums to Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal and National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal, protesting the government’s decision to provide official public notices and advertisements exclusively to state-owned media outlets.
The federation handed over the memorandums on Monday, demanding an end to discrimination in the distribution of government advertisements and calling for initiatives in favor of working journalists.
The federation has urged the government to correct what it described as an anti-press freedom stance, refrain from restricting access to information, support labor rights of journalists, and remove discrimination in the allocation of government advertisements.
While submitting the memorandum to National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal, FNJ President Nirmala Sharma said the federation had launched protests against the government’s discriminatory decision to channel all levels of government advertisements only through state-owned media under the pretext of reducing expenses.
She stressed the need to end discrimination in government advertisement distribution and formulate media-friendly laws.
Receiving the memorandum, National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal said it was inappropriate for the government itself to discriminate between public and private media organizations.
He also said he felt the government’s decision had narrowed the space for Nepal’s journalism profession.
The federation warned that if its demands are not addressed despite the ongoing week-long protest campaign, it will continue the agitation and announce stronger protest programs against the decision to provide government advertisements only to state-owned media outlets.
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