Nepal, Jan. 28 -- When public figures indulge in media attacks, the prospects and conditions for the media grow dimmer and dangerous by the day

Never have the Nepali news media come under such heavy fire in such frequency in public from both sides of the political divide as they experienced these past few months. Criticisms rained on them and scribes for their coverage and critical comments are insolently intolerant of a sector that is accorded a pride of place in the Preamble of the constitution.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and the Press Council remain conspicuous by their deafening silence over the daily verbal battering from political bigwigs that are expected to uphold press freedom. Previously, such attacks used to...