Nepal Considers New Rules for Reporting From Parliament

In Kathmandu, Nepal, the Parliament Secretariat is considering changes to media access following incidents of aggressive questioning. Recent events show content creators with mobile phones cornered Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and former Deputy Speaker Indira Ranamagar at Singha Durbar. These encounters prioritized social media engagement over informative questioning, sometimes ignoring basic courtesy.

The current system of open access allows anyone with a microphone to enter parliamentary premises. This has overshadowed traditional journalism focused on policy and nuanced critique. The Secretariat now proposes separating journalists from content creators, not through censorship, but by implementing temporary passes and required training.

A potential solution involves designated press zones, similar to the British Parliament, to prevent harassment of lawmakers. However, the article notes some Members of Parliament also contribute to the problem by favoring content creators who offer biased coverage. Establishing mutual respect between lawmakers and reporters remains crucial for responsible reporting.