The interaction program was at the Federation of Journalists in
Kaski, Pokhara. They said their struggle to fight against the government’s plan
to control the media but they will continue to fight until the Media Council
Bill is withdrawn from Parliament.
As part of their continuing struggle, the Kaski district media
council organized an interaction program on 21st of jestha with
stakeholders and experts, including editors of major mainstream publications.
The Media Council Bill, which aims to replace the existing press
council Act and was registered in parliament, will have greater authority to
issue hefty fines and give the government more say in the hiring and firing of
the council members.
The proposed bill aims to give sweeping powers to the
self-regulatory body overseeing the press, and information rights activists and
journalists have been saying that the new council could increase direct attacks
on the press.
In the program most of the people were against the bill which is
aiming to give the council authority to issue monetary punishment ranging from
Rs 25,000 to one million rupees. The provisions in the proposed Media Council
Bill will also give the council greater power to write to the concerned
authority to take action against media organizations if they violate press
ethics as defined by the government.
Some of the journalists like the idea of the integration of the
media group. They shared how media persons should be calm and have to follow
the code of conduct. Therefore the Press Council could ask for clarification,
apologize, and blacklist certain press organizations.
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