Media content should promote political transformations: Minister Sharma

KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has said the government is committed to promoting professional journalism and ensuring the constitutional right to a free press.

She stressed the need for media content that institutionalize political accomplishments while discouraging unwanted and anarchic tendencies in society.

Addressing the 74th anniversary celebrations of Radio Nepal here today, the Government Spokesperson said this.

She shared on the occasion that the content of Radio Nepal should embody the core principles of the federal democratic republic, which were achieved through the sacrifices of Nepali citizens. Radio Nepal should further ensure its accessibility to the nooks and corners of the nation as a credible, reliable, impartial, independent, and effective means of communication.

Minister Sharma said she is happy to know that the service of Radio Nepal is available to 93 percent population of the nation, urging it to make further efforts to reach 100 percent coverage. She also advised Radio Nepal to prioritize extending broadcast hours for provincial transmission services as per the spirit of the Constitution.

Highlighting Radio Nepal’s diversity in broadcasting news bulletins in 22 languages and programmes in 21 languages, Minister Sharma said this diversity reflects the country’s multi-linguistic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural characteristics, marking a significant step towards implementing federalism. She shared the government’s policy of establishing the Public Broadcasting Service by integrating Radio Nepal and Nepal Television and urged Radio Nepal to prepare for this transition.

Minister Sharma acknowledged Radio Nepal’s role as a witness to various political, social, economic, and cultural transformations since its establishment following the 2007 BS People’s Revolution. She stressed the need for Radio Nepal to produce and disseminate diverse content considering the nation’s geographical and cultural diversities.

The Communications Minister said it is necessary for Radio Nepal, which still proves its presence as a vital source of information amidst the advanced development of information technology, to produce and disseminate more diverse content bearing in mind the geographical and cultural diversities of the nation.

Describing Radio as a friend of citizens primarily in rural settings, the Minister said it has ensured access to citizens who are out of television and internet access, to information and entertainment.

Its services are available on the online portal as well, she said.

She advised Radio Nepal to focus on additional research and explorations of content related to art, literature, music, language, culture, knowledge, science, and information technology should be the goal of Radio Nepal.

She took time to claim that the People’s War and the people’s movement resulted in a significant political transformation in the country. “Democracy, federalism, republic, secularism and inclusion, and proportional representation are historic achievements of the citizens and the nation. Now it is necessary to safeguard these achievements and bring change in people’s lives based on the foundation of political transformations.”

Minister Sharma directed the Radio Nepal to pay attention on producing and broadcasting fair, trustworthy, factual and reliable news as well as more inclusive and people-oriented programmes by using new technology in this competitive era.

Radio Nepal should make its programmes, news and content more public broadcasting oriented considering the changing context, competition and national responsibility, she underlined.

Similarly, Secretary at the Ministry and Chairperson of Radio Broadcasting Service Development Committee, Ram Krishna Subedi, mentioned that the government has a goal of developing the Radio Nepal and Nepal Television as a public service broadcasting organisation.

Radio Nepal should give priority to educational, development and public awareness oriented programmes to ensure right to information, to launch a campaign in favour of good governance, he added.

Likewise, Executive Director of Radio Broadcasting Service Development Committee, Buddhi Bahadur KC, shared that Radio Nepal has been broadcasting news in 22 different languages and programmes in 21 languages round the clock through the medium wave and FM broadcasting, and via online and digital platform.

Radio Nepal has become successful to expand its reach to 93 percent population of the total population by establishing FM relay centre at 32 places of the country, he explained.

On the occasion, Minister Sharma and Secretary Subedi jointly unveiled a souvenir published by Radio Nepal. Minister Sharma presented ‘Radio Nepal National Award’ to different personalities for their significant contribution to the promotion of radio broadcasting and music sector.

Similarly, employees completing 25 years of service at Radio Nepal were awarded with the Dirgha Sewa Medal (Long Service Medal) while this year’s best employee and best relay station were also honoured on the occasion.