Media should play watchdog role to make govt accountable: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu, Aug 16: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung has called on the media to constantly play the role of watchdog to make the government accountable to the people.     

Inaugurating the RSS Media Museum established at the Central Office of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) here today, he said urged journalists to play constructive role to make the government answerable to the general public.     

"The misdeeds of the government and responsible officials should be harshly criticized. However, to only criticize in a prejudiced manner does not make fair journalism. The media and journalists themselves should also be constructive," said Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, highlighting the role of the media.     

He expressed concern over what he called free journalism becoming confined to person-centred criticism in recent times as against its universal principles of truthfulness, factual and fairness.     

Noting that the government would be responsible and accountable only when the media fulfils its responsibility through the practice of objectivity and a professional code of ethics, the Communications and Information Technology Minister said, "The media should play the role of the opposition and question any wrongdoings. The media should be able to judge what is right and wrong. It should focus on making the government and society civilized."     

It is necessary for the mass media to keep tabs on the government also to make the federal democratic republican system achieved through the sacrifices of the people stronger, he added. 

"The present government is trying to be more responsible and accountable to the people. The constructive support of the media fraternity is needed to that end," Minister Gurung said.     

He said all sides should be alert and conscious of rendering journalism dignified, systematic and constructive in the context of the entire journalism sector being questioned due to the unseemly practices in the profession.     

Stating that the incumbent government was not seeking unnecessary publicity, the Government Spokesperson opined that the media should however cooperate in taking the pro-people works of the government to the people.     

The Communications Minister stressed the need for RSS which remains as the centre of media content production to make itself more well-organized, creative and techno-savvy. He urged RSS to play the role of a guardian of the media sector.     

He expressed the belief that the Media Museum set up by RSS would be significantly helpful in studying the evolution of the communications sector and described it as a 'great work' for the new generation.     

Communication Ministry Secretary Radhika Aryal said the RSS is an institution with a long history and called on the news agency to focus on creative works. She urged RSS to pay attention to the diversification of the news content.     

Communications Secretary Aryal said the RSS Media Museum visually reflects the RSS' journey since its establishment.     

Senior journalist Rajendra Dahal suggested implementing the concept of a national media museum to keep alive the history of the evolution of Nepali media and lauded the RSS management for making a positive initiative to that end. He said it would be better if the news contents were also included in the museum.     

Senior journalist and media educator Rama Krishna Regmee said RSS has done a historic job by establishing the media museum.     

Head of the Department at Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dr Kundan Aryal praised RSS for establishing the museum and promoting the culture of curating the historical articles related to the media.     

RSS Executive Chairman Dharmendra Jha expressed the conviction that the museum will help the new generation in their study and research of the evolution of media in Nepal.     

RSS General Manager Siddha Raj Rai informed that 46 different articles used by RSS over the last 63 years have been kept on display in the museum.     

RSS Board Member Shankar Kharel said the museum will support the study and research of media development in Nepal.     

Chief of the National Numismatics Museum Chhauni Subas Dangol said it is a praiseworthy work to collect the historic articles of the news agency.     

RSS Deputy General Manager Raju Shakya mentioned that historic articles used by RSS since its inception have been kept in the museum. (RSS)