For the first time in the media history of Bhutan, the only private association of the working journalists – Journalists Association of Bhutan (JAB), has decided to investigate accusation put on The Journalist in connection to suicide of a middle school student.
A steering committee meeting of the association decided to handle the case, and determine if the news report followed media ethics or not.
The Journalist sent a formal request letter to JAB to investigate if their reporting on the suicidal case was ethical.
The newspaper has sought JAB’s help following accusation of Minister for Education Thakur Singh Paudyal.
The Minister accused the newspaper of sensationalizing news in order to instigate students to misbehave, which The Journalist refuted.
The Journalist, which was launched as the country’s fifth private paper on December 21, 2009, had covered a story on suicide of Sonam Wangchuck of Kamji School earlier in June.
