Credibility, fact-based information are benchmark of RSS service: Communications Minister Karki

Kathmandu: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, has said professional journalism based on healthy and objective criticism is the need of the hour as they are tools to further strengthen democracy.

Addressing the RSS video service at its Bhadrakali-based central office amidst a programme here today, the Minister said healthy and objective criticism-based journalism would contribute to achieving good governance and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Credibility and authorized and fact-based information are the identities of RSS services,” he said, adding, “The government is committed to media pluralism.”

He was of the opinion that the RSS should decentralize its services as per the spirit of federalism and should accord priority to the strengthening of the province and local-level-based small-scale media during the creation of its contents and their distribution.

The Communications Minister also advised the RSS to update it as per the demand of changing times and address the interests and demands side of its clients in its capacity as the News Bank.

Stating that only sound infrastructure and access to advanced technology were not enough for the organisation to enhance the quality of its services, he said the RSS should not leave any efforts behind to advance towards its goal by ensuring effective service delivery. “The RSS itself a witness to history,” he said, hoping that the organisation would be able to prove its exemplary presence as per its relevance at present. 

RSS executive chair Dharmendra Jha said the National News Agency has already observed the 61st year of its establishment launched the visual serves as a trial in line with its bid to diversify its services, and it aims to supply quality content to international news agencies too, incompetent way. 

As he explained, only traditional means of communication are not enough today to ensure people’s access to information and in this backdrop, the visual service is significant. “The incumbent government’s support to launch the service indicates its sensitivity towards informing the people,” he said.

RSS general manager Siddha Raj Rai said the RSS established itself as the supplier of authorised news and the launching of the video service aimed to diversify its services incompatible with time.

Veteran journalist Bhairav Risal urged the RSS to be the people’s voice as well as the voice of the government. The senior journalist had spent around 22 years of his life in RSS and also took the responsibility of Chief Reporter successfully.   

Likewise, Press Council Nepal chair Bal Krishna Basnet applauded the RSS’s decision to launch the visual service and it was a matter of happiness not for the RSS alone but for the entire nation. 

Minimum Wages Fixation Committee chair Sangita Khadka wished for further effectiveness of RSS service with the launching of visual service. 

Ministry officiating Secretary Uttar Kumar Khatri, Nepal Television’s executive chair Samir Jung Shah, Gorkhapatra Sansthan’s executive chair Vishnu Subedi, Radio Nepal’s executive director Buddhi Bahadur KC and Advertisement Board Chair Laxman Humagain were among those present on the occasion.

The video service is free for one month during a trial period, it is said.