Press Releases

Government Policy and Budget Lack Focus on Media Reform

Freedom Forum expresses its serious concern over the government's apathy towards bringing concrete initiatives on media reforms issue for which the Forum has been engaging its efforts through Agenda for Change (AFC) for the last two years.

The government has failed to realize the urgency of bringing timely reforms in media laws and policies since its policy and programme and budget for fiscal year 2009-10 have not brought out any progressive measures for the enhancement of free press and freedom of expression.

It is regrettable that the government remained tightlipped towards formulating long-term development goals and strategies to resolve the problems of working journalists and guarantee professional safety and institutional security of media persons and house.

"Issues such as effective monitoring of the implementation of Working Journalists Act (WJA), Right to information Act, appointment of Press Registrar, social security schemes for journalists, development of public service broadcasting authority, amendment of the press and publication act and national broadcasting act as well as change the government-owned media as a public media are some of the genuine issues not dealt by the government's policy and programme and budget this year.

However, Freedom Forum welcomes the government's policy of exempting the renewal fee of radio FMs and Televisions, doubling the spending under Public Welfare Advertisements, instituting fund for the welfare of senior journalists and providing relief to journalists injured and killed during insurgency.

The Forum urges the government to implement the provisions in an effective and efficient way and remain sensitive enough to reckon the essence and importance of media sector reform in line with the AFC recommendations prepared by Freedom Forum including Federation of Nepali Journalist, Article 19 and other experts and organizations.

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Taranath Dahal
Chairperson

July 20, 2009

Development

New government must safeguard freedom of expression, stress ARTICLE 19, FNJ and Freedom Forum

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - London, 1 June 2009 - ARTICLE 19, along with the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and Freedom Forum (FF), congratulate Madhav Kumar Nepal on his election as Prime Minister of Nepal. Furthermore, we note that freedom of expression remains under serious threat in Nepal and call on the new government to take decisive steps to stop attacks on journalists and to establish a legal framework which fosters a free flow of information and ideas.

"ARTICLE 19, FNJ and Freedom Forum strongly urge the new government of Nepal to protect media workers and to bring to an end the climate of impunity for the perpetrators of attacks. There is also an urgent need for structural and legal change to protect freedom of expression. This is necessary for the government to demonstrate in practice its stated commitment to democracy," says Taranath Dahal, Chairperson, Freedom Forum.

We specifically call on the new government to implement the Agenda for Change, a publication launched by ARTICLE 19, FNJ and Freedom Forum in February 2009 that contains a comprehensive set of recommendations for freedom of expression reform in Nepal. Key priorities, in addition to protection of media workers, include:

- Taking steps to implement properly the Right to Information Act 2064, including establishing appropriate procedures within all public bodies for processing requests.
- Implementing the Working Journalist Act 2051, including putting in place an effective monitoring system.
- Adopting a new broadcasting law which puts oversight of broadcast regulation in the hands of an independent body and putting in place a fair system for licensing, including for community broadcasters.
- Transforming the existing public broadcasters into public service broadcasters.
- Abolishing criminal defamation and adopting new civil defamation rules which are consistent with international standards in this area.

ARTICLE 19, FNJ and FF also urge the government do all that it can to ensure that the new constitution provides strong protection for freedom of expression, in line with international standards.

"An Agenda for Change: The Right to Freedom of Expression in Nepal" is available in English at: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/publications/nepal-agenda-for-change.pdf