Free Media for Development

A Presentation By

Janardan BistaMA MCJ Program Coordinator

Media and Development Agenda

•The World Press Freedom Day 2014 has been focused on development Agenda, specially related to the shaping of post 2015 development agenda mentioned in the Millennium Development Goal

• MDG will be ended on 2015 and after this media sector should contribute in shaping the development agenda

•Good governance, empowerment and eradicating poverty have been accepted as major factors to achieve development goals for the better future of world people and perceived free media as a prerequisite for this

Good Governance and Development Agenda•Good Governance is accepted as key to achieve development goals

•Good Governance doesn’t only refer to the state of having nocorruption ; rule of law, transparency, free speech and accountablegovernment are the vital components of good governance

•More broadly, democratic political system with completeconstitution, separation of power and check and balance amonglegislative, judiciary and executive, political stability, stablegovernment, smooth functioning of all constitutional bodies, informedpublic, strong civil society are the decisive factors for Good governanceand presence of free media(not just media) is always inevitable there atevery level

How does free media contribute to development goals ?

•As we earlier mentioned that development goals can only beachieved through the guarantee of good governance and goodgovernance can only be achieved through the presence of freemedia, thus free media contributes to the development goals

•Free media rather than just media can contribute to the goodgovernance by safeguarding people’s right to speech, right toinformation providing them a true platform to express theiropinions and/or accelerate discussions on public issues

Media contribute to transparency

As one of the major components of good governance,transparency is deemed necessary at every level of policyformulation and implementation of plans and programs of publicconcerns

transparency is expected not only from the government andgovernment bodies but also from the political level, nongovernmental sector and even from individuals of public figure

Media can and should contribute to transparency through thecompetent and professional practice of journalism by reporting,writing, publishing, broadcasting and posting of news, information,analysis and opinions that help promote transparency

Transparency of Nepalese Media

•Good governance is not only demanded from the state, media sectortoo should be governed properly to make itself capable to playeffective role

•Media itself should be transparent as well

•Recent revelation that Himal South Asia accepting hefty grant fromthe Norwegian embassy has opened up a heated debate on thetransparency of funding of media organization

•Many media organization has tactically not disclosed the source offunding which is against the spirit of transparency

•Even many media institutions including national weeklies run underthe umbrella of certain political parties should clearly mention abouttheir affiliation at their every volume

Free Media

•Free from commercial interest

•Free from political interests

•Free from editorial control

•Free from any kinds of threats