KAVRE, June 20: Speakers at an interaction programme in Panauti on Saturday stressed the need for responsible journalism, warning that public trust in the media is weakening under pressure from social media, misinformation and emerging technologies.
The discussion, titled Citizens’ Expectations: Responsible Journalism, was organised by Editors’ Society Nepal in coordination with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Journalists, media experts, local representatives and civil society members took part in the event.
Panauti Mayor Ram Sharan Bhandari said citizens are gradually losing confidence in mainstream media and urged journalists to uphold accountability and professionalism. He said rapid advances in artificial intelligence, including tools such as ChatGPT, have created new challenges for journalists by testing their creativity and analytical skills.
Former Federation of Nepali Journalists president Mahendra Bista said the growth in the number of media outlets has not been matched by greater diversity in content. He expressed concern about weak adherence to journalistic ethics and called for a broader review of the media’s role in strengthening democracy. While technology has made reporting easier, he warned that it should not replace originality and critical thinking.
Journalism trainer Jagat Nepal highlighted the importance of verifying sources before publishing reports. He said journalism should amplify the voices of marginalised communities and provide reliable information at a time when social media is increasingly shaping public opinion.
Researcher Toya Gautam presented an overview of local journalism and argued that a greater focus on community issues can help rebuild trust. He noted that Kavrepalanchok has four registered daily newspapers and 43 weeklies, though only 16 weeklies are published regularly.
Concerns were also raised about the future of the profession. Kavre chapter president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Binod Kumar Neupane, said social media has made it more difficult to maintain professional standards. He added that media houses have faced declining revenues in recent years, while journalism is attracting fewer young entrants.
Editors’ Society patron Kiran Vaidya said irresponsible conduct by a small section of journalists has damaged the reputation of the profession. Participants also called for efforts to attract young people and women to journalism and stressed that responsible reporting remains the most effective tool against misinformation.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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