Kathmandu, September 21

The Federation of Nepali Journalists today said media houses were capable of regulating their journalists and hence it was against the principles of press freedom to tighten the noose on mediapersons through draconian laws.

The umbrella organisation of Nepali journalists came to this conclusion after a discussion among editors of all media regarding the problems facing the press and measures to be taken to overcome them.

Speaking at an interaction on ‘Media Content, Security and Crime’ in Kathmandu, FNJ President Govinda Acharya voiced his concern about the anti-press provisions in the penal code.

“We don’t need any law to regulate the journalists. The media houses are capable of doing that,” he said.

Media expert Prof P Kharel underscored the need for diversity in news content. “Journalists should write and disseminate news only after verification of its authenticity,” he suggested.

Chiranjivi Khanal, head of Central Department of Journalism, Tribhuvan University, urged journalists to maintain objectivity while writing and disseminating news. He said the subjectivity in news was gradually prevailing over objectivity.