Govt proposes to observe National Journalism Day

Kathmandu / February 12: The government has proposed to observe ‘National Journalism Day’ on May 26.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has asked concerned sector and experts to hold discussions on the matter, following the proposal by the Gorakhapatra Corporation to celebrate the Day on May 26 on the occasion of its anniversary.

The Department of Information said that consultations were on with the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Press Council Nepal and the Department of Information in this regard.

“It is relevant to observe national journalism day on the day that coincides with the anniversary of Nepal’s oldest newspaper contributing in making people informed, apart from contributing to establish democracy. It is also important at a time when no such particular day has been designated for observing such day in journalism,” an official of the Information Department said.

Likewise, FNJ President Dr Mahendra Bista said that it is a positive step to observe national journalism day. Press Council chair Borna Bahadur Karki has said that the day was important to promote journalism sector.

The day should be marked as it helps promote journalism sector for the institutional development of democracy.

Journalism Professor P. Kharel said that there was the tradition of marking the national journalism day in some countries therefore it would be fitting if the government announced the Day in the context of the freedom of the press and expression enshrined in the constitution itself.

He added that the constitution has the provision of press freedom. Professor Kharel added that celebration of the Day would be apt in the context of newspapers having the history of more than 100 years being very few in South Asia. Therefore, the inception day of Gorkhapatra should be marked as national journalism day.

Similarly, National Information Commission commissioner Yashodha Timilsina said that marking the national journalism day would be positive. RSS