Journalism is a sacred profession, whose main purpose is to provide truth, facts and fair information to the public. Journalists are known as the fourth organ of the state, which monitors the government, society and the sources of power and raises the voice of the people.
But now journalism in Nepal is deviating from its mainstream. Journalists are undermining the core values and principles of their profession by subsuming themselves into the agenda of political parties. Looking at the journalists' organization and election, one question bothers me - why couldn't a single organization based on the common purpose of journalism be formed? Organizations like Press Chautari, Nepal Press Union, Press Center are directly connected with political parties. These organizations seem to be more interested in party interests than journalism. As a result, journalism, which is supposed to stand boldly for the truth, has to limit itself to party propaganda. The job of a journalist is to be impartial, but some of today's journalists lose by contesting elections, some are active in party campaign committees, and in the end they try to be innocent by calling themselves 'journalists'. Such a double character has not only lost public trust, but has also created serious confusion in the field of information. When people lose faith in the medium of telling the truth, then false information and rumors start spreading in the society. This is not only a failure of journalists, it is fatal for democracy itself.
In Nepal, politics, journalism and other professional fields are deviating from their basic duties. Security personnel have started committing gangsterism, doctors and lawyers are playing politics, businessmen are doing brokering. Two main steps are necessary to solve this serious crisis of journalism. First, journalists should stay away from any political party. Journalists may have political opinions, but journalism is not the place for active politics. Second, journalists' organizations should be freed from political influence. The umbrella organization of journalists, Nepal Federation of Journalists should be shared by all journalists.
– Santosh Simkhada , Tokyo, Japan
