Nepal Media Society has expressed serious reservations over ‘anti-media’ policy adopted by the government following the enforcement of Criminal Code and the law relating to right to privacy.

Issuing a statement on Wednesday, the umbrella organisation of media houses criticised the latest decision of the government to raise the minimum salary of journalists by 25 percent.

The decision cannot be implemented, given the current state of media industry that is grappling with high operation cost and declining advertisement revenue, the society said. It also called out the government out for increasing the salary of civil servants by 1 percent and demanding that media houses raise the pay of their staff by  25 percent.

“Is the government now going to determine the minimum wages for banking, agriculture, and trade, retail and business sectors as well?” the statement said.

The recent spate of government decisions and directives are aimed at hamstringing private media houses, according to the society.

It has urged the government to immediately withdraw the decisions “proclaimed with a malicious glee” to hurt and oppress the fourth estate, thereby undermining democracy. “The recent circular issued by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, instructing the government agencies to prioritise state-owned media when giving out information and placing advertisements, shows how this government views private media houses,” the society said, urging Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to rectify the callous attitude that his government has adopted towards private media houses.