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Media bodies slam embassy
KATHMANDU, AUG 28 -
The Nepali media fraternity has objected to a press statement issued by the Indian Embassy on Friday in connection with media reports that questioned the quality of products manufactured by some Indian joint ventures in Nepal.
In a joint statement on Saturday, Nepal Media Society (print), Television Broadcasters, Broadcasting Association of Nepal (commercial radio) and Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (the umbrella organisation for community radio broadcasters) cautioned the Indian Embassy not to “overstep its boundary.” The statement also reminded the embassy that the Nepali media operate under the laws of sovereign Nepal.
“Nepali media are free to choose their content and have fully utilised this right. We caution the embassy to respect diplomatic norms and values of press freedom,” the statement read. The statement accused the embassy of libel. “To make sweeping comments on the Nepali media on the basis of news published about food products with corroboration from the investigation of Nepali government agencies is objectionable,” the statement said.
“On behalf of all the media outlets in Nepal, we deplore this objectionable interference of the embassy.” The joint statement has also cautioned the embassy from repeating similar “mistakes” and asked the embassy to issue an apology. The media organisations have also called on the government to issue a rebuttal immediately.
In the statement, the Indian Embassy had accused the Nepali media of engaging in “unethical practices.” The embassy claimed that media houses approached Indian joint ventures for advertisement and resorted to negative publicity when their demands were not met.
Posted on: 2010-08-29 08:21
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