Kathmandu: The media houses have been suggested to set up fact check desks/mechanism to avoid misinformation and deception of technology. Arguing that digital spheres have witnessed numerous problems discrediting professional journalism, a report released on the occasion of the Word Press Freedom Day today, called for collaboration among media houses and media regulatory bodies for thorough research and study to deal with the pressing problems. "There is growing urgency of thorough research, study and recognition to digital press so that multiple problems like mis/disinformation can be tackled in collaboration, rather than dealing with these threats in silos," the report issued by the Freedom Forum (FF) stated. The press freedom report also shared the data on press freedom violations recorded in the last one year- from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. As per data, last year witnessed rise on press freedom violations. FF recorded a total of 60 press freedom violations in which total 88 media persons were aff ected. Among them, there were 77 male and 11 female journalists, it added. In the previous year, there were 40 such violations affecting 79 journalists. The media monitoring report further stated that Bagmati Province topped incidents of violations (24), while Karnali the least- only one. Most of the journalists receiving intimidations are from online news media. The intimidations are categorized into obstruction/vandalism, threat, arrest/detention, attack/manhandle and misbehaviour. The obstruction and vandalism combined were 27, while attack and manhandle combined 25. The report expressed worry over the inaction in law and policy making for media reform and press freedoms in the monitoring period. Similarly, it has noted positively the operation of a journalist safety mechanism under the leadership of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which the report argued was resulted after a long initiation of multi-stakeholders including civil society. In this regard, FF Executive Chief Taranath Dahal c ommented, "Financial crisis of media is a worrying concern. Especially the community and online media are facing huge crisis. Time has come to debate on investment modality on such media." According to him, although there were not serious violations as recorded in the past, rising number of anti-press incidents shows hostility to free press is still intact. Meanwhile, at a programme FF organized on the same occasion on Friday, FF Chairman Hari Binod Adhikari said free press is essential for democracy, for which all sides concerned should pay attention. Source: National News Agency RSS
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