Kathmandu, June 14: The Nepal-China Media Forum asked journalists for responsible journalism in dealing with diplomatic issues. Citing on the present trend in Nepali journalism, one section is creating negative propaganda about the BRI and Nepal’s relations with China, whereas, another section is supporting BRI. Such a division among the journalists not only creates confusion for the readers but also hurts bilateral relations between the two friendly and neighboring countries, the Forum said.
At a program entitled Media Challenges and Diplomatic Reporting, jointly organized by the Nepal-China Media Forum and the National Network of the Nepalese Print Media on Thursday, June 13, senior journalists discussed the present state of journalism in the country and current relations between Nepal and China.
Deepak Khanal, an official from the Press Council of Nepal, presented a paper entitled ‘Print Media Challenges and Expectations’ during the session chaired by Dev Prakash Tripathi, Chairman of the National Network of the Nepalese Print Media. Khanal cited the present state of the print media and urged for the adoption of modern technologies, including digital editions, for their existence.
Journalist Sitaram Bhattarai presented a paper on the ‘Media’s Role in Strengthening Nepal-China Relations’, and asked the Nepali journalists to produce their reports based on fact, rather than disseminating baseless propaganda against the neighboring country.
Bhattarai drew the attention of journalists stating that such a report would have a negative impact on the country’s relations with the friendly neighboring countries!
Kishor Shrestha, chairman of the Nepal-China Media Forum and former chairman of the Press Council Nepal, urged Nepali print media to innovate solutions to their current challenges, emphasizing the enduring importance of print media. He called upon media outlets to responsibly convey dialogue, cooperation, and mutual partnership between the two nations to bolster relations.
Prime Minister’s Press Adviser Govind Acharya expressed commitment to address the issues plaguing Nepali print media by activating relevant government agencies. He stressed the need for independent and professional media to publish relevant content and exercise caution in reporting on international affairs. Senior journalists from small-scale tabloid newspapers remarked that they are facing serious challenges due to the lack of advertisement. They asked the government to support the tabloid newspapers by providing government advertisements. They expressed dissatisfaction with the role of the Advertisement Board and demanded scrapping of the Board as it has become worthless.
Journalists believe that some Western agencies are involved in creating negative propaganda against China by manipulating different local newspapers.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
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