Freedom Forum is concerned over Press Council Nepal’s call to editor at https://www.ukeraa.com/ KP Dhungana over a news story published by the portal on August 2.
The news portal is operated from the federal capital Kathmandu.
Talking to Freedom Forum, editor Dhungana informed that Prem Chandra Badu, media monitoring officer at Press Council Nepal, phoned Dhungana over the news about candidacy of Chairman at Film Development Board and asked him to correct the headline of the news. The news was even a person alleged of sexual abuse was vying for Chairperson of the board.
According to Dhungana, Badu called him and said, “I am a staff of PCN. Balami, mentioned in the headline of news, has filed a complaint against you, so you edit the headline of the news.”
“Then, I suggested Badu that he better sent a letter as per provision of PCN for any clarification rather that ordering over phone call," he said, adding the Council has been very aggressive in its monitoring of the online media. Its way of regulating media contents have created panic among mediapersons and induced self-censorship, Dhungana argued.
FF expresses concern over intimidation meted out against editor over news. FF reminds the media regulatory body, Council, to adhere to its rule and norms. Adherence to due processure is essential in media montioring rather than panicking this way.
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