KATHMANDU, Feb 14: Media Action Nepal has expressed serious concern over the National Assembly (NA)’s unanimous passage of the 'Media Council Bill-2080 BS' on February 10, without addressing broader civil society concerns.
The government registered the bill on April 18, 2024, aiming to transform Press Council Nepal into the Media Council, a move that poses a grave threat to press freedom and newsroom integrity.
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“This Bill grants arbitrary powers to the government to suppress independent media and control journalistic activities,” warned Laxman Datt Pant, Executive Director of Media Action Nepal.
The Bill places the Media Council under executive control, violating Nepal’s constitutional commitment to press freedom and severely undermining the autonomy of the media regulatory body. “This is a direct attack on journalism, further putting independent reporting at risk,” Pant added.
According to Pant, the Bill allows government appointed council members to serve its interests, significantly increasing the risk of politically motivated decisions that could silence independent media.
The vague definition of ‘mass media’ within the bill reflects authorities’ reluctance to uphold Nepal’s democratic values, while provisions enabling the suspension of press accreditation for up to a year pose an imminent danger to journalistic independence. The Media Council must remain an autonomous body, free from government interference, to safeguard press freedom in Nepal, Pant said.
