KATHMANDU, Feb 20: Nepal Press Union (NPU) has demanded the government withdraw the Social Media Bill, 2081 BS.
The national conference of the NPU province and chapter presidents held on February 17-19, hosted by the Union Central Committee, put forward the demand, issuing a 12-point declaration.
The declaration issued after wrapping up the conference mentioned that NPU has serious reservations about some provisions specified in the bill.
The Press Union has called for the government to consult with the stakeholders on the provisions concerning the freedom of the press and opinion. To ensure freedom, the media trade union demanded the withdrawal of the bill.
The 12-point declaration was released after holding intensive discussions on the organizational activities of NPU, issues of working journalists and journalism, professional security of journalists, freedom of press and expression, technology-enabled challenges to the media sector, and media laws.
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General Secretary Dilip Poudel presented the organizational report, and senior vice president and disciplinary department coordinator, Prem KC, presented the report of the disciplinary committee.
The union has also announced plans to fully implement the action plan to be prepared by the central committee based on the recommendations of the conference.
Drawing the attention of the government and media houses to the issues related to the Working Journalists Act, implementation of minimum wages, regular payment of wages, and professional, physical, economic, and social security of journalists, it has also announced that all the structures of the union would carry out a pressure campaign as per the need.
The union has also drawn its attention to the laws and guidelines framed by various levels of government in a way to curb the right to freedom of the press and expression.
The NPU has strongly demanded all three-tier governments formulate policies, rules, acts, laws, and regulations related to communication to ensure the protection of rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.
"Print, television, and radio are on the verge of shutdown as the problems seen in the country's economy have affected the advertising market," reads the declaration.
The conference of province and chapter presidents calls for increasing the advertisement amount by including online media in public welfare advertisements by streamlining the proportional advertisement distribution system, as the trend of opening online media has become widespread, it is noted.
All chapters and province committees have pledged to implement programs including capacity development, vocational training in journalism, programs to support journalists in trouble, insurance, social security, incentives, and writing fellowships to make effective the 'Press Union with Journalists' campaign announced by the central committee.
"The statute amendment process will be initiated to make the Press Union Statute 2048 (Sixth Amendment-2079) timely and practical. The Union is going to organize the 'Lo Manthang International Media Summit' in the month of Chaitra (March-April) to enable the environment to follow international media practice in Nepal.
The NPU has urged the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) to immediately initiate a process of retaining the membership of journalists who have been excluded from its membership.
