Minister Urges Media to Uphold Accountability at RSS Media Museum Inauguration

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has called on the media to maintain its role as a vigilant watchdog to ensure government accountability. Speaking at the inauguration of the RSS Media Museum at the Central Office of Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Gurung emphasized the importance of constructive journalism in holding the government accountable.

“While it is crucial to criticize government misdeeds, fair journalism requires more than just prejudice-driven criticism. The media must be constructive in its approach,” said Gurung, who also serves as the government spokesperson. He expressed concern over what he described as a shift from journalism’s core principles of truthfulness and fairness towards more personal criticisms.

Gurung highlighted the role of the media in fostering a responsible and accountable government. “The media should act as the opposition, questioning any wrongdoing and guiding society towards civility,” he stated. He also noted the need for the media to support the federal democratic republican system established through public sacrifices.

The Communications Minister praised the RSS Media Museum as a significant contribution to understanding the evolution of communications in Nepal. He urged RSS to enhance its organization, creativity, and technological adaptability while continuing to act as a guardian of the media sector.

Communication Ministry Secretary Radhika Aryal also spoke, urging RSS to focus on creative and diversified news content. She noted that the museum visually represents RSS’s historical journey. Senior journalist Rajendra Dahal suggested creating a national media museum to preserve the history of Nepali media, while Rama Krishna Regmee lauded RSS for this historic initiative.

Dr. Kundan Aryal from Tribhuvan University commended the museum for promoting the culture of preserving historical media articles. RSS Executive Chairman Dharmendra Jha expressed confidence that the museum would aid the new generation in studying media evolution, and RSS General Manager Siddha Raj Rai detailed the 46 historic articles on display.

The museum’s establishment was praised by various figures, including the Chief of the National Numismatics Museum, Subas Dangol, who lauded the collection of historical articles. RSS Deputy General Manager Raju Shakya noted that the museum’s exhibits include significant artifacts from RSS’s 63-year history.