Complaints on violation of journalist code of conduct on the rise

The number of complaints registered at the Press Council Nepal regarding the violation of the journalist code of conduct has risen significantly in recent times.

The Press Council Nepal has received a total of 132 complaints pertaining to the violation of journalist code of conduct in the last three months.

Among the complaints registered at the Council, 93 are related with defamation and character assassination, 25 with spreading rumors, two with bargaining and two with plagiarism.

Issuing a statement on Wednesday, assistant spokesperson Ram Sharan Bohara said that the four media outlets, which had published the news materials about the cases pending in the court, have been directed not to publish any news materials that may cause obstruction in justice delivery

After a complaint was registered at the Council stating that despite being acquitted by the Chitwan District Court on February 7, the video content on the case of inciting suicide, which is under considering at the court, is still in the media and YouTube and has been affecting his daily life, a meeting of the Code of Conduct Monitoring subcommittee held on September 19, 2023 had directed the concerned authority to delete the content.

Similarly, the meeting has decided to write to the Department of Information and Federation of Nepali Journalists urging them to provide necessary information about the two journalists who were found guilty in the fake educational certificate case while carrying out an investigation on the basis of complaints lodged at the Council.

The Press Council has also urged the concerned authority to conduct an investigation into the Himal Pari Ko Awaz Weekly, Dainik. Com and an independent journalist whether they have a press representative certificate of the Information Department and a membership card of the federation.

After a complaint was lodged against him, the Council had written to the Department of Information and Broadcasting to provide details about a person who called himself as an independent journalist. According to the complaint, the person has been asking the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Central Investigation Department and Foreign Employment Department among others to take action against the operators of incensed organizations and companies related to foreign employment under the guise of an independent journalist by spreading fake news.  

The decision was also made to hold a bilateral discussion on the issue.

Similarly, based on the complaints that the Halesipati.com was registered online by producing fake certificates and has been publishing exaggerated contents, the Council blacklisted the media. But after the Federal of Nepali Journalists Khotang chapter on September 21 had filed a complaint with the Council stating that it had resumed its business again.

Then the Council wrote to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to make arrangements that the website cannot be opened in Nepal.

Similarly, two journalists—one for recording the phone conversation and broadcasting the same from other media and publishing contents that disturbs social harmony and incites communal violence through social media—have been warned based on the complaints.