Kathmandu, 20 February: The Nepal Press Union has demanded the government to withdraw the ‘Social Media Bill, 2081’.
The national conference of provincial chairmen and branch chairmen organized by the union central committee in Kathmandu on February 20 and 21, respectively, issued a 12-point manifesto and made this demand. The union stated in the manifesto issued after the conference that it has serious disagreement with some of the provisions of the ‘Social Media Bill, 2081’.
The bill has been requested to withdraw the provisions that affect ‘freedom of the press and expression’ to ensure freedom of the press and expression, after discussion and consultation with stakeholders.
The conference held in-depth discussions on the organizational activities of the Nepal Press Union, issues of working journalists and journalism, professional safety of journalists, freedom of the press and expression, challenges added to the media sector by the development of technology, media-related acts, laws, and problems of the media, and made a 12-point declaration public, it said.
The conference passed the organizational report presented by General Secretary Dilip Poudel and the disciplinary committee report presented by Senior Vice President and Disciplinary Department Coordinator Prem KC. The union has also announced that it will fully implement the action plan prepared by the central committee based on the suggestions given by the conference.
It has also been announced that a membership cleansing campaign will be conducted by including active journalists as per the provisions of the union’s statute, further streamlining membership, and that the provinces and branches will hold general meetings by mid-April.
It has also been announced that all structures of the union will launch pressure-based campaigns as needed, drawing the attention of the government and media institutions on issues such as the Working Journalists Act, implementation of minimum wages, regular payment of wages, and professional, physical, economic, and social security of journalists.
Noting that attention has been drawn to the laws and directives formulated by governments at various levels that have stifled the right to freedom of the press and expression, the union has strongly demanded that governments at all three levels formulate policies, rules, acts, laws, and regulations related to communication in a manner that ensures constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“The impact of the problems seen in the country’s economy on the advertising market is causing print, television, and radio media outlets to close. In a situation where the opening of online media outlets has become widespread, the conference of provincial and branch chairmen urges to increase the amount of advertising by including online media outlets in public welfare advertisements, while making the proportional advertising distribution system systematic,” the declaration issued states.
The conference has expressed its commitment to implement programs such as capacity development, genre-specific training in journalism, programs to support journalists in times of need, insurance, social security, incentives, and writing scholarships by all branches and provincial committees to make the ‘Press Union with Journalists’ campaign announced by the central committee effective.
It is stated that the process of amending the Press Union’s Statute 2048 (Sixth Amendment-2079) will be taken forward to make it timely and practical.
‘Lomanthang International Media Summit’ to be organized in Chaitra
The union is planning to organize the ‘Lomanthang International Media Summit’ in the last week of Chaitra to internationalize Nepal’s journalism issues and create an environment for following international practices in Nepal. The conference has expressed its commitment to hold the summit in a grand manner.
The union has urged the Federation of Nepali Journalists to immediately start the process of retaining the membership of journalists who have been dismissed and have been dismissed. The union has also drawn the attention of the government to promote the religious and cultural tourist areas of the Sankhu region, including Bajrayogini, the auspicious place of Nemuni Rishi, which is associated with the history of naming Nepal, Shalinadi mentioned in the Swasthani Brata Katha, Madhav Narayan, and Manichud, Panchamahalakshmi, Narayanishwar, Kundeshwar, and other religious and cultural tourist areas, and the agricultural tourism sector in this region, where potato and rice are the main crops, through mass media, and to develop infrastructure in this region.
The Central Committee has expressed its gratitude and appreciation to all those who directly and indirectly supported the Press Union Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Sankhu branches in holding the National Conference of the Press Union’s provincial and branch presidents.
