Ahead of the elections scheduled for November 20, media experts have called on journalists to abide by  ethical standards and give proper space to concerns of voters. “Free and fair election reporting contributes to public understanding. Hence, media persons must avoid partisan reporting,” said Chairperson of Media Action Nepal Laxman Datt Pant at a workshop organized in Butwal, Lumbini Province, on Saturday on fair media coverage of the upcoming elections. “Be it in the time of elections or during normal circumstances, the perennial mantra is accuracy, balance and credibility,” he said, adding that journalists should adhere to the standards of ethical reporting to promote inclusive content.

Another speaker at the event, Editor of Annapurna Express Kamal Dev Bhattarai, noted that media have a role to question the authority to safeguard citizens' rights to vote. The upcoming elections is an opportunity for journalists to promote plural voice, he added.

Similarly, Editor of Health TV Online Kalpana Acharya, another facilitator of the workshop, said journalists have a great role in making elections free, fair and inclusive. “For this to happen, there must not be any scope for media sensationalism.” A total of 25 journalists of Lumbini Province attended the workshop, the fifth in a series ahead of the federal and provincial elections organized by Media Action Nepal with support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI). As the country is gearing up for the November 20 elections, the workshop is being held in all seven provinces with an aim at promoting ethical journalism and journalistic code of conduct as well as countering disinformation to promote free, plural and fair elections.