Koshi media summit issues 14-point declaration, stresses journalists' safety

 Inaruwa (Sunsari), March 23: The Koshi media summit has concluded by issuing a 14-point declaration on Sunday.

The summit demanded all three-tiers of government to create atmosphere for unobstructed exercise of freedom of press and expression in line with the press freedom enshrined by the constitution. Safety of journalists must be ensured, and editorial independence bolstered, the declaration stressed.

Coordinator of the declaration preparation committee and former central member of FNJ, Amar Khadka, informed that the trend of assaults on media and journalists merely for publishing news uncomfortable to any side must end. The Press Council Nepal has been reminded for its better and effective role to foster dignified journalism.

Journalists should also be equally accountable, the document stated, underscoring the urgency for journalistic ethics in the wake of floods of misinformation and disinformation polluting the information ecosystem. 

During the summit, queries relating to journalism profession and media crisis were responded by Press Council Chairman, Dr Kumar Sharma Acharya; Executive Chairman of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti and former central Chairman of FNJ, Dharmendra Jha; Chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation, Akhanda Bhandari; Central General Secretary of FNJ, Ram Prasad Dahal; and Executive Chairman of the Advertisement Board, Laxman Humagain. 

They reminded the working journalists to make clear the people on difference between social media, media, content creators and journalists. The journalism has witnessed a radical change in the face of development in information technology, they added. Issues like adoption of proportional and inclusive distribution of public advertisements, soft loan to media, monitoring of the enforcement of Working Journalists Act, and introduction of social security scheme in media houses were raised during the event. 

The summit was organized by pradheshkhabar.com and collaborated by FNJ Koshi province and FNJ Sunsari chapters in Itahari city on Sunday, according to Pavan Adhikari, chairman of the organizing body. (RSS)