Nepal to regulate broadcasting agencies

A fund of 25 million Nepali rupees (357,142 U.S. dollars) has been set up to make the distribution of government advertisements systematic, Radio Nepal reported Thursday.

The government advertisements will be given through this fund only to those media working in favor of the Constitution, nationality, democracy and professional journalism, Minister of State for Information and Communications Shrish Shumsher Rana was quoted as saying.

A section of the media has kept the international community in the dark by falsely reporting that press freedom has been violated in Nepal, Rana said while speaking at an interaction program on " Role of the Media in the Present Situation" organized by the Federation of National Journalists on Wednesday.

At the program, Rana made it clear that the government is doing homework for forming an authorized Broadcasting Authority for regulating the broadcasting agencies in the country.

"Although suggestions have been solicited from the media sector for making the broadcasting authority systematic and widely- acceptable, it is only being protested," he added.

He said the broadcasting authority will monitor the radio, television and other electronic media throughout the country and issue new license.

He also expressed the confidence that the Authority will be successful in resolving the problems being faced at present by the broadcasting agencies.

Source: Xinhua