Online Journalists’ Association observes its 15th anniversary

Online Journalists Association has observed its 15th foundation day on December 8. Association organized an interaction program on information trends in online media and social networks. During the event, Bipul Pokharel, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FJN), said that just as online journalism has made information easier, threats to journalists who write news have also reached their bedrooms. He said, “Insults have started to become common and the news has been deleted through unauthorized access to the portal.” It is a heinous crime as the news was tampered within Ukera.com some time ago. He said that the Federation of Journalists is working in coordination with the professional team against such types of threats.

The General Secretary of the Federation, Roshan Puri, said that the threat to online journalism has increased with the rise of independent people’s representatives in the Aprlil’s local and the rise of Rastriya Swotantra Party in the recently concluded Parliamentary elections. KP Dhungana, the founding president of the Online Journalists’ Association, speaking on the occasion said that he saw mainly two types of challenges facing the online media. Similarly, Dhungana also urged the Federation and the Press Council not to take the attacks against online media for granted. Expressing his opinion regarding the matter, Press Council Board Member Ram Prasad Dahal said that there is a challenge in online journalism from an ethical point of view. In the event, Bhaikuntha Parajuli, president of the FNJ Province Associates, argued that the content appeared on YouTube has defamed journalism as a whole, and it should be stopped as soon as possible.

‘What hvae we witnessed during the election? asked Umesh Shrestha, editor of Nepal Fact Check. He has made a special presentation on information and technology in online media and social networks. Shrestha gave a presentation about how journalists share false and misleading news, how they pull meaningless photos from Google and put up meaningless pictures of incidents that happened in Nepal. Similarly, Kiran Chapagai, who worked in the Information Section of the Election Commission during the election, explained how the Election Commission coordinated with the media, and gave priority to the media.

The interaction program organized by the association was coordinated by the Central Working Committee of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, European Union and International Alert. Dilli Prasad Sapkota, president of the organization on the occasionsed expressed his commitment that the association will continue to do similar programs for the rights and interests of online journalists in the future.