Media interaction with National Assembly to bridge the communication gaps

September 2, 2024

In a bid to foster better communication with journalists, parliamentarians from the National Assembly (NA) and the federal parliament secretariat (FPS) interacted with over 30 journalists reporting on parliamentary affairs in Dhulikhel of Kavre district.

The interaction was organized by the FPS in collaboration with UNDP's Parliament Support Project (PSP), to bridge the gap between NA and the media to ensure that parliamentary processes are better understood and more accessible to the journalists.

Surendra Aryal, Secretary of NA said, "The event is organized to bridge the gap between NA and the media to ensure that parliamentary processes are better understood by the journalists so that they are able to report more effectively on parliamentary affairs."

NA Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal highlighting on the role of the journalists in factual and honest reporting said, "I am hopeful that journalists will provide objective reports about the parliament that enhances the NA's image among the public."

The two-day event had presentations from six experts, including on NA's best practices and parliament-media relations; policy and practices of federal parliament on parliamentary openness; NA's history and its reporting in media; lawmaking process and role of media; and integration of artificial intelligence tools in journalism, followed by open discussions.

Throughout the event, journalists raised concerns about limited access to parliamentary information, highlighting on the need for MPs to engage in more compelling and worthy discussions, and challenges of reporting on NA, among others.

Narayan Kafle of Gorkhapatra said, "We are forced to apply Right to Information (RTI) tools even to seek basic information like who are the personal assistants of MPs. Despite the application of RTI, the parliament secretariat does not provide the sought information in detail." Regretting that the profile of NA's MPs has not been made public yet, he further asked, "It would be good if the property detail of each MP is also made publicly available."

Barsha Shah of ‘deshsanchar.com’ shared, "Access inside NA is not easy. It solely depends on the permissions from the parliamentary committee chairs. The federal parliament secretariat needs to think of ways to ensure journalists have easy access inside the secretariat." Similarly, security checks by the parliament should be confined to the parliament's gate; once inside, we should not face mistreatment under the guise of security time and again."

It was repeatedly emphasized that the importance of timely access to information, better infrastructure for media persons, and the need for transparency in parliamentary proceedings be ensured. They also highlighted the challenges they face, including limited access to MPs and parliamentary facilities, and the need for more substantial interactions between parliament and media.

a person sitting at a table using a laptop

Responding to queries from the journalists, Padam Prasad Pandey, General Secretary of the Federal Parliament Secretariat, assured them of openness while discussing parliamentary affairs. He pledged to improve access to information, enhance facilities for journalists, and ensure that all parliamentary information and records are made publicly available.

NA Chairperson Dahal expressed his commitment to address all the issues and concerns raised during the interaction. He emphasized the importance of factual and honest reporting, acknowledging the essential role journalists play in political change and information dissemination.

Manoj Satyal, Chairperson of the Journalists Society for Parliamentary Affairs, said, "The interaction and expert presentations will help strengthen democracy in the long run. It is hoped that the NA will have richer discussions and more media coverage in the future."

a man speaking at a podium in front of a panel

Moving forward, Sudarshan Khadka, Secretary of Federal Parliament informed that the federal parliament is planning to endorse a parliamentary outreach and openness plan developed by the secretariat with continued support from PSP.

The interaction was significant towards strengthening the relationship between NA and the media. It provided a platform for journalists to voice their concerns and for the NA leadership to address these issues, fostering a more transparent and accountable parliamentary process.

Journalists appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with NA leadership, gaining valuable insights into parliamentary processes and attempts of parliament for promoting parliamentary openness.

"The program was very fruitful and provided a great opportunity to interact with NA leadership and senior officials. Such events should be organized regularly to bridge the gap between parliament and the media," said Saloja Dahal, News Editor at Nepal Television.