The one day event entitled "Recognition, Responsibility, Road Ahead: A National Seminar on the State of Online Media," organized jointly by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Digital Media Committee and Online Journalists´ Association (OJA) in the capital on Wednesday, formed a five-member committee led by Ameet Dhakal, editor of www.setopati.com, to prepare a draft of the code of conduct for online journalists. [break]
Similarly, the seminar formed another 10-member drafting committee led by Arun Baral, editor of www.onlinekhabar.com, to study the existing laws that guide the online media at present, and make necessary recommendations to the FNJ Digital Media Committee to resolve the legal difficulties concerning online media within a month.
Addressing the seminar, Federation of Nepalese Journalists President Shiva Gaunle said online media should be accountable for their contents. "Online media should follow the code of conduct as the print and other electronic media do. It should not ignore the existing media laws,” he said.
He also assured that all legal difficulties and other complications related to the online media would be addressed soon. "The time has come to be serious about online media content. The FNJ has been working to bring amendment to the existing cyber laws to address the concerns of online media," Gaunle said.
Gaunle also said that online media should never be used as propaganda tool. "The online media should be equally responsible while disseminating news and articles like print and electronic media," he said.
On the occasion, Dhakal, the editor of Setopati, emphasized that online news portals have to check the facts before publishing news. Similarly, editor of www.onlinekhabar.com, Baral said online journalists should follow existing media laws.
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