Press should not be sadist: Prez

Shambhu Shrestha gets Press Council Journalism Award

Kathmandu, Sept. 22

President Bidya Devi Bhandari said on Tuesday that the press should not be sadist but remained as the torchbearer of freedom and conscience.

"The mass media should always support to the peace and pleasure of people and journey to the prosperity. Adherence to journalists’ code of conduct is a must to strengthen democracy," she said while addressing the 51^st Anniversary of the Press Council Nepal and prize distribution ceremony organised at Sheetal Niwas.

According to her, considered as the fourth estate of the nation, journalism is a crucial medium for strengthening democracy and no liberal society could be imagined without the freedom of opinion and expression and right to information. Responsible journalism, informed citizenry and accountable government are the indispensable elements of democracy, she said.

President Bhandari stated that transmission of fake and confusing information has become a global challenge and stressed that the PCN should play a greater role to fight against such communication maladies in Nepal.

"The media sector should move ahead with the development of modern information and communication infrastructure," she said.

She appreciated the PCN's role in monitoring the mass media sector and identifying the media houses and journalists that defy the code of conduct and punishing them.

President Bhandari urged the media to pay greater attention to physical infrastructure development, challenges created by the climate change, food security, sanitation and water supply, quality education and health.

She also urged the journalists to write or report against various social malpractices as well.

President Bhandair also honoured a few journalists with various awards of the year for their contribution to journalism sector at a formal programme organised in Sheetal Niwas.

President Bhandari presented Shambhu Shrestha, editor of Drishti Weekly, with Gopal Das Shrestha Press Council Journalism Award.

The award carries a purse of Rs. 151,000. Having spent in journalism for over 35 years, editor Shrestha is known for his left-leaning journalism in Nepal.

Similarly, Arjun Bohara, a journalist from Humla, was presented with Surendra Bahadur Basnet Award. Bohora received Rs. 110,000 cash and replica from the President.

Ameet Dhakal, editor of Setopati online portal, was honuored with Press Council Code of Ethics Award. He received Rs. 50,000 cash and replica from the president.

Apart from these, some other journalists were also awarded for their contribution on the occasion of the 51^st Press Council Day.

Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota  honoured Govinda Chhetri (Jhapa), Rajan Karki (Kathmandu), Dharmendra Karna (Dhanusa), Rishi Dhamala (Dhading), Umesh Shrestha (Kathmandu) and Nitu Pandit (Kathmandu) with Rs. 20,000 cash each and certificate for their proactive journalism at the function organised at the office of Press Council Nepal.

Nawaraj Rijal, editor of Nawa Pragyapan monthly, was honoured with Rs. 20,000 cash and certificate for his contribution to literary journalism and Ganesh Rai was honoured with the same for his contribution to promoting ethnic languages in journalism.

Journalists Satendra Jagebu (Ilam), Suresh Chadra Adhikari (Chitwan), Madhav Paudel (Kathmandu), Ganesh Chaudhary (Kailali) Girija Adhikari (Makwanpur), Raju BK (Siraha), Kamala Shrestha (Kathmandu), Rajan Singh (Dhanusha), Devi Kumari Gurung (Rolpa), Renu Parajuli (Udayapur), Dipendra Wali (Surkhet), Sher Bahadur Thapa (Surkhet) and photo journalists Radhika Kandel from Kaski and Shanta Kamali (Lamjung) were also honoured with Rs.15,000 cash and certificate on the occasion.

After honouring journalists with various awards, Kishor Shrestha, acting chairman of the Council, said that they were unable to publish the classification of the newspapers this year. He blamed the government for ignoring newspaper classification.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 September 2020.