‘Media with small investment should get state protection’

February 18, Kathmandu: Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun has said that the dissolution of the House of Representatives has led to political instability in the country.

Speaking at the 26th general convention of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) on Wednesday, he said the dissolution of the house just when the implementation of the new constitution had begun has given rise to public disenchantment.

Pointing out the need for press-friendly laws and regulations, the Vice-president also emphasized minimum remuneration for journalists and protection by the state of the media operating with a small investment.

Speaking during the same program, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung expressed the commitment to give complete shape to the mass media training academy through the coming year’s policy and programmes.

He also made it clear that directives were being introduced not to control but regulate social media. On a different note, he said there was no alternative to going for elections as the dissolution of the House of Representatives had given a way out to the country.

Similarly, Member of Parliament Radheshyam Adhikari said the media acts and regulations should be drafted and introduced only as per the recommendations and suggestion of the concerned sector.

Likewise, FNJ Chair Govinda Archarya said the FNJ was committed to ensuring the rights of the journalists and to press freedom.