Center for Media Research-Nepal (CMR-Nepal) conducted its Second Social Audit Program in Kathmandu for the year 2023, reviewing a wide range of programs and activities involving diverse stakeholders, beneficiaries, and supporting organizations.
During the program, various stakeholders emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts with CMR-Nepal to advance the media domain through research, highlighting the critical role of capacity building.
Addressing the audience, Bal Krishna Basnet, Chairman of Press Council Nepal, underscored the significance of “collaboration for improved journalism” in addressing current misunderstandings about journalism. Basnet emphasized the need for CMR-Nepal to collaborate with government agencies in the development of technology-driven journalism in Nepal.
Basnet also stressed the need to raise awareness about journalism, the impact of social media on journalism, and the challenges of misinformation and discrediting journalism, highlighting CMR-Nepal’s pivotal role in addressing these issues.
Roshan Puri, the General Secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, emphasized the importance of working in the field of media and information literacy to safeguard the integrity of journalism.
Hari Dhungana, an Associate Professor at Nepal Open University, acknowledged the challenges of resource management in the current context and commended CMR-Nepal for its effective resource mobilization efforts, contributing to an open society and efficient media development over the years.
Dhungana also highlighted the necessity of adapting to the changes brought about by technology in the ever-evolving media landscape.
Lekhanath Pandey, an Assistant Professor at Tribhuvan University, pointed out the significant role played by CMR-Nepal in combating misinformation and disinformation, sparking discussions among various stakeholders and the public at large.
Beneficiaries of CMR-Nepal projects shared their experiences with the CMR-Nepal Journalism Academy. Journalists Praju Panta and Mani Dahal, who received training in data journalism, praised the engaging blended-format training that spanned three months. They highlighted how this training enhanced their ability to develop news stories using data and utilize new technology for data retrieval.
Journalist Pawan Acharya, also serving as the Secretary of FNJ, recognized the significance of podcast training as a new storytelling genre that has enabled the production of podcast stories.
Om Astha Rai, Senior Media Advisor of The Asia Foundation, emphasized how CMR-Nepal’s activities have supported the Civil Society and Media Project initiated by TAF to promote media integrity. He underscored the importance of organizing social audit programs involving various stakeholders and beneficiaries.
During the program, Executive Director Tilak Pathak provided insights into the project activities conducted by CMR in the previous year, while Operation Director at CMR-Nepal, Bikash Karki, presented details of the financial and budget allocation for organizing the project activities.
The program’s Social Auditor, Raghunath Lamichhane, ensured its successful execution. Attendees included representatives from various media rights organizations, journalists, independent researchers, academia, grant-making organizations, and CMR members.
