'Media with small investment should get state protection'

RSS

Kathmandu: Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun has said that the dissolution of the House of Representatives has led to political instability in the country. Speaking at the 26th general convention of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) here Wednesday, he said the dissolution of the HoR just when the implementation of the new Constitution had begun has given rise to public disenchantment.    

Pointing out the need for press-friendly laws and regulations, the Vice-president also emphasized on minimum remuneration for journalists, and protection by the state of the media with small investment. "Our journalism seems to have lost reliability, and is focused more on despair than on hope," he added.    

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung expressed the commitment to give complete shape to the mass media training academy through the coming year's policy and programmes. He also made it clear that directives were being introduced not to control but regulate the social media.    
On a different note, he said there was no alternative to going for elections as the dissolution of the House of Representatives has given a way out to the country.    
Member of Parliament Radheshyam Adhikari said the media acts and regulations should be drafted and introduced only as per the recommendations and suggestion of the concerned sector.    
FNJ Chair Govinda Archarya said the FNJ was committed to ensuring the rights of the journalists and to press freedom.    
Award and Honour    
At the same function, former President of FNJ Dr Suresh Acharya was conferred on the 'Krishna Prasad Bhattarai Journalism Award' carrying the purse of Rs 100,000.    
Senior journalist at Nepal Television Pushpahari Kyamparai was given the 'Govinda Biyogi National Journalism Award' while Chairperson of Dalit Journalists' Association Gopal Pahadi got the 'Krishnasen Ichchhuk National Journalism Award'. These awards carry the purse of Rs 50,000.    
Moreover, Ganesh Lamsal, Lagsari Kunwari and Kamala Pakhrin have been given the 'Motherland USA Gender Equality Journalism Award'. The award carries the purse of Rs 40,000 combined.    
Shilpa Karna and Mandira Thapa have been conferred the 'Umasing National Journalism Award' carrying the purse of Rs 10,000 each. Rambhagat Saha and Muna Hamal got the 'Gauri Kathayat Memorial Award' which carries the purse of Rs 10,000. A total of 37 journalists were provided 'Covid-19 Crisis Journalism Award-2077' on the occasion.    
Former General Manager of the National News Agency (RSS) Shreeram Singh Basnet was given the 'Mrs Ratnakeshari Rajbhandari Krishna Memorial Journalism Award'.    
The general convention begun with the slogan- 'safe and professional journalism: foundation of press freedom' dwells on Nepal's journalism, journalists' rights, laws on media and journalism, among others.    
There are some 13,000 journalists affiliated to FNJ from across the country.    
---