Biratnagar, September 30

Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration Lalbabu Pandit today said that credibility of journalism had fallen sharply in the country.

Speaking at a programme organised to provide late Janardan Mainali Memorial Journalism Award in Biratnagar, Minister Pandit held that though the country had seen swift development of journalism, its quality had deteriorated. “Anarchy has grown in journalism which does not bode well for the country,” he added.

Stating that a newspaper published from Pokhara had captioned sheep and mountain as leaders from Nepal and abroad, Pandit said that some media houses had also tried to assassinate his character during the last polls. He recalled that an online operated by a mechanic had covered the news titled, “Lalbabu Pandit sent to jail for five years for corruption.”

Minister Pandit urged media people not to make news cheap and flimsy. He asked the journalists to dig out the facts before covering the news. He pledged that the government would not weaken the press. “The government is serious about development of the fourth estate in the country,” he stated, adding, “Governments come and go. But, the press continues ruling forever.”

Journalists have to correct the government and show it the path. But, journalists too should abide by the rule of law, Pandit added. He reiterated that the government would not do anything to gag press freedom.