Bill on Media Council comes under fire

KATHMANDU: People in general have started criticizing the Bill on Media Council tabled in the parliament.

The stakeholders have criticized the Bill saying that the provision laid down in it will curtail the press freedom.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has demanded that the government has to withdraw the Bill and submit only after discussion on it with the stakeholders.

“The Bill on Media Council is against the spirit of the Constitution, freedom of press and freedom of expression and international norms and values,” said Ramesh Bista, General Secretary of the FNJ, in a press statement issued on Friday.

The Council can slap  a journalist with a fine up to Rs 25,000 to 1 million if the contents of his writing found damaging the character of somebody, according to the  Bill.