Fair media coverage, inclusive content crucial for democratic elections
KATHMANDU/October 6: Aiming to equip journalists on fair media coverage, countering disinformation and hate speech, and promoting inclusive and diverse media content, Media Action Nepal (MAN), a member and co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition-Consultative Network (MFC-CN), is offering a series of intensive training and mentorship sessions on fair media coverage of elections to journalists in all provinces of Nepal.
Supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI), the first two media sensitization workshops have been concluded in Hetauda of Bagmati province and Janakpur of Madhesh province on September 28 and 30 respectively.
Focused on developing an understanding of the participants on election code of conduct for media and journalism professionals, these workshops saw an enthusiastic and interactive participation of 50 working journalists including 22 women. The workshop organized in Hetauda of Bagmati Province on September 28 was attended by a total of 25 participants from Hetauda and Chitwan districts. Out of which 12 participants were women. The participants represented eight newspapers, five television channels, six online news portals and six radio stations. Similarly, the sensitization training in Janakpur on September 30 was second in the series and witnessed the participation of 25 journalists including 10 women from Dhanusha, Sarlahi, Mahottari and Siraha districts.
Organized ahead of the federal and provincial elections of Nepal taking place on November 20, the training workshops with three sessions, covered topics of professional standards and code of conduct for journalists, media’s approach to human rights and approaches to countering hate speech and promoting inclusive media content. These sessions in both locations were facilitated by Laxman Datt Pant, Global Journalism Trainer and Chairperson of Media Action Nepal and the Co-Chair of MFC-CN, Shree Adhikari, Human Rights Expert and Priyanka Jha, Vice-Chairperson of Media Action Nepal.
Pant interacted with the participants focusing on standards for fair media coverage of elections, elections and media professionalism, adherence to ethics and code of conduct and understanding diversity and media’s role in elections. He also focused on election’s code of conduct for journalists published by the Election Commission Nepal (ECN) that is being implemented from 28th September, 2022 until the federal and provincial elections scheduled for November 20, 2022.
Adhikari focused on areas of human rights and election-provision and standards, constitution of Nepal, stages of reporting in election, media’s approach to human rights reporting. He discussed the laws related to election and the laws that need to be considered while reporting elections. His discussion also included the importance of fair media coverage during three phases of election i.e before election, during election and after election. Jha shared with the participants about understanding elections related misinformation/disinformation and hate speech, issues for media advocacy and promoting inclusive media content. She focused on the importance of the role and responsibilities of journalists and media during the election.
Meanwhile, Srijana Nepal, a participant from Radio Thaha Sanchar in Makawanpur shared, “As the training was right before the election, it was helpful to us to learn about the roles the media should play before, during and after election.” Similarly, Shanta Adhikari, a journalist working with Chitwanpatra commented, “Receiving the training before the election provided us an understanding on subjects that need to be focused during election like the political parties and candidates, the issues and the voting process.”
Likewise, Mukesh Kumar Thakur, a participating journalist in Janakpur said, “The training was the need of the time as the election is close. I am thankful to Media Action Nepal for providing us information about the election code of conduct for journalists and reminding us about the responsibilities and duties of journalists while covering the upcoming elections.” Next five training workshops each in Province 1, Lumbini, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces are taking place from October 11 to 21, 2022.