Kathmandu, Feb 10: The National Assembly has passed the “Media Council Bill 2080”. In today’s meeting, Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, presented along the Legislative Management Committee’s report, and the proposal to pass the bill was approved unanimously.
Before the bill’s approval, lawmaker Rajendra Laxmi Gaire participated in a clause-wise discussion. Responding to the issues raised, Minister Gurung stated that the bill had undergone extensive discussion in the Legislative Management Committee before being presented in the National Assembly. He emphasized that the bill aims to make the Media Council more autonomous, regulate and promote self-regulation, and ensure it functions as an independent and disciplined body.
The bill was initially registered on Baisakh 12, 2081 BS, by then-Minister for Communications, Rekha Sharma, and was presented in the National Assembly on Jestha 13, 2081 BS.
The Media Council Bill seeks to uphold professional and ethical standards in journalism, promote self-regulation, and develop an autonomous regulatory body for a transparent, independent, and responsible press. It replaces the Press Council with the Media Council, granting it more authority to handle complaints related to journalistic ethics violations. The bill also accounts for technological advancements and the evolution of journalism, ensuring that digital and print media are regulated responsibly.
The bill is seen as a necessary legal framework to ensure that online and print journalism in Nepal remains ethical, accountable, responsible, and credible, while fostering free and independent journalism.
