Kathmandu, — CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker Devendra Paudel has urged the government to make Nepal’s Media Council fully autonomous and empowered, saying it’s key to protecting press freedom and public trust.
Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives’ Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee on Sunday, Paudel said the Media Council Bill currently being discussed needs major improvements to make it more effective and balanced.
“There shouldn’t be unnecessary interference in how information flows, especially when it comes to new and digital media,” he said. “People have the right to receive information, and the state’s role should be to support that — not control it.”
Paudel added that while it’s important to hold media outlets accountable for spreading false or misleading content, such rules shouldn’t be used to limit independent journalism. “Accuracy matters,” he said. “But trying to direct what people can or can’t know goes against democracy.” He also called for the Media Council to be made up of experienced and neutral individuals, so it can do its job fairly and independently.
The government introduced the bill with the goal of upgrading the current Press Council into a more capable body — one that reflects today’s fast-changing media environment. “The bill is necessary,” Paudel said. “But it has to be improved to strike the right balance between regulation and freedom.”
He warned that if the media sector isn’t properly managed, it could lead to more disorder in society. That’s why, he stressed, regulation needs to come from a council that is independent, transparent, and impartial.
