Policy on community radio to be introduced soon: State Minister Banskota

KATHMANDU, May 28: Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Gokul Prasad Banskota, has said that a policy related to community radio will be introduced soon.

“The radio policy will be brought immediately on the basis of practical need for the development of the entire community and the country after learning from the experience of community radio operated for the past 18 years in the country.” said Minister Banskota at an interaction program organized by Tribhuvan University Central Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and Association of Community Radio Broadcaster on Monday.

He further said that facilities and discount providing by the government to the community radio and commercial radio is different as objective of disseminating news and information was different between them.

State Minister Banskota said that royalty distribution should be made transparent by keeping record as radios make income after broadcasting creation of different artists.

Similarly, province Assembly member Krishna Rai stressed that local-level should play role for protection of community radio.

Likewise, Vice-Chancellor of TU, Dr Tirtha Khaniya, expressed commitment for further arrangement of classes of mass communication for the development of journalism sector in the country while Head of Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Chiranjivi Khanal, expressed concern for failure of Community Radio to address problems of concerned sector and community.

Chairperson of ACORAB, Subas Khatiwada as well as Ghamaraj Luintel, Upendra Aryal, among others expressed view that radios should disseminate giving priority to local originality.