Journalists Federation President Nirmala Sharma Emphasizes Media's Role in Strengthening Democracy

Lisbon. Nepal Journalists Federation President Nirmala Sharma has stated that democracy will be strong only if the media is strong.

Speaking at a meeting and interaction program organized by the Nepal Journalists Federation Europe Branch in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal on Saturday, Sharma expressed the view that the strong presence of the media strengthens democracy.

President Sharma emphasized that the press must be completely free and stated that the government should not curb the media under any pretext. She mentioned that new challenges have been added to the field of journalism due to the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the current times. Her analysis is that the tendency to spread misinformation in the name of 'content' through social media is increasing, and this is negatively affecting real journalism.

Pointing out the need to regulate social media rather than control it, Sharma urged journalists to disseminate information and news only after verifying its truthfulness. She stated that journalists and media outlets should also be accountable and responsible towards society. Addressing Nepali journalists active in Europe, she also urged them to contribute to society by disseminating news about the activities of the Nepali diaspora community, their problems, and other informative topics.

Journalists participating in the program shared their experiences about the current state of Nepali journalism in Europe, the challenges they face, and the opportunities available. They emphasized the need for strong coordination and institutional cooperation between the central body and the branches of the Federation to make journalism in exile more effective and dignified.