'Govt making final preparations for enforcing Working Journalists Act'

Information and communication minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said the government is in the final stage of preparations for implementing the Working Journalists Act.

Speaking to a delegation of journalists led by Dharmendra Jha, president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), on Monday, minister Mahara assured that the government would introduce the Act very soon, adding that the government is thinking seriously about "new ways" to address the problems facing the journalism section.

He also informed that appointments in the key posts of Press Council would be made within a few days.

The FNJ delegation submitted a 15-point memorandum to the communication minister, which includes demands for immediate implementation of the Working Journalists Act, compensation to the families of journalists killed by different groups, independent status to government-owned media houses, guarantee of press freedom in the upcoming constitution, among others. nepalnews.com mk Oct 20 08