The executive committee meeting of the World Association of Press Councils (WAPC) chaired by Mr. Kishor Shrestha, First-Vice-President of the Committee and the Acting Chairperson of Press Council Nepal has been concluded on November 2, 2017 in New Delhi, India.

The meeting has decided to place the WAPC Secretariat in Nepal. Shrestha, who was chairing the meeting after not getting any clear statement of the representatives of the other countries, has proposed Nepal for the secretariat. The meeting has accepted the proposal. The meeting has decided to accept the membership of Myanmar Press Council, to make public calls to other Press Councils and to decide in next meeting about the continuity of Sri Lanka Press Council as the member of WAPC. The meeting was attended by President, Vice President and representatives of the Press Councils from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Azerbaijan along with Nepal. A decision for next meeting will be taken after discussion shortly.

SAAPC formed

Meanwhile, the meeting held on the same occasion among the Press Councils of the South Asian countries has formed a South Asian Alliance of Press Councils (SAAPC) designating Justice Chandramouli Kumar Prasad as the Interim Chairperson of the alliance. Justice Prasad is the Chairperson of Indian Press Council. Members of the alliance include Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Maldives where as Myanmar is an observer. The announcement of the alliance is scheduled for February 14, 2018 during the next meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh. At least three members from each country will participate in the general assembly of the alliance counting one vote from each country. Initially, each member country will contribute USD 1000 to establish a fund of the alliance where as membership fee remains USD 500 for each country.

Another meeting of the allaince will take place in Dhaka, Bangladesh next year. In the meantime, an interactive program titled ‘Challenges before Media’ was organized by Indian Press Council on the occasion of Indian National Press Day. On the occasion, Vice President of the WAPC and Acting chairperson of Press Council of Nepal Kishor Shrestha presented the country’s report highlighting challenges, violations of code of conduct and actions taken on such cases. Vice President and representatives of nine other countries including India also presented reports of the situation of the media, the challenge, and the countries’ status. Overall the media problems and challenges of all countries were shared. All participants were worried about ‘fake news’ and ‘paid news, lack of code of conduct and lack of non-responsible information through social network and suggested to address these issues as soon as possible. Representative of the various countries participated in ‘National Press Day’ and National Award for Excellence in Journalism Ceremony -2017 during the 30th anniversary and the closing of the golden jubilee of the Indian National Press Day. Vice President of India M. V. Naidu and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Smriti Jubin Irani addressed the ceremony. Under the invitation of the Indian Press Council the three-member delegation of Nepal led by Mr. Kishor Shrestha, Acting Chairperson of the Press Council of Nepal, Mr. Laxman Datt Pant, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal (MAN) and Mr. Deepak Khanal, Joint-Administrative Officer participated in these events. In honor of the representatives of the entire country, the President of the Indian Press Council, Judge Chandramulukumar Prasad hosted dinner reception on November 15.