Effective enforcement of new journalist code of conduct stressed

Kathmandu, Feb 1: Various speakers have stressed the need to issue and enforce the new journalist code of conduct citing wrong practices of copy and paste journalism of late.

At an interaction programme jointly organized by Press Council Nepal and Online Journalists Association here on Monday on ‘Online journalism and code of conduct’, Council Chairperson Borna Bahadur Karki shared that preparation is underway to issue a new code of conduct effective for all media including print and electronic after reviewing the existing code.

He further said the study of journalist code of conduct effective in other countries is being undertaken as part of the preparation of forming a new code in Nepal.

FNJ Chairperson Dr Mahendra Bista said preparation is being carried out to formulate a new code of conduct in view of the changed context since the existing one has been in place for the past 12 years.

Law expert Kashi Raj Dahal noted sporadic incidents of copyright violations in online and other media and pointed out legal complications to avert such practices.

Journalist Prateek Pradahan stressed the need to specify clear standards regarding journalism practices of copy and paste and presentation of obscene contents.