Most community radios in Koshi go off-air

By Kabiraj Ghimire,Hile, Aug. 9: There were nine radio stations in the Dhankuta district, but most of them have discontinued their operation. Apart from Radio Nepal's Regional Broadcasting Centre Dhankuta, Radio Laligurans, Radio Makalu and Dhankuta FM other radio stations in the district have already been closed. 

The operators said that they were on the verge of closing the radio stations soon owing to the financial crisis. The radio operators said that they could not even bear the operational cost. Apart from Radio Nepal's Regional Broadcasting Centre Dhankuta, the condition of other operational radio stations is also very poor.

Sobis Chemjong, Chairperson of Radio Barun in Pakhribas, Dhankuta, said that the government's policy towards local radio stations was not conducive, so the local radio stations are on the verge of shutting down. 

"Community radios are among the most reliable means of broadcasting factual information to the general public, but lately, radios operating in the district have started shutting down," said Chemjong. 

Radio and FM stations operating in various hilly and Tarai districts of Koshi Province are closing rapidly. More than 50 radio stations operating in Koshi Province have been closed due to various technical and economic reasons.

According to the Broadcasting Association of Nepal (BAN), of 120 radio stations operating in Koshi Province, 30 have already discontinued their operation.

As per the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (ACORAB), more than 20 community radio stations operating in Koshi Province 

have already discontinued their operation. 

About nine radio stations in Jhapa district have halted their operation. Similarly, eight radio stations in the Morang district have been shut down. 

Bidur Khawas, President of the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (ACORAB) of Koshi Province, said that despite repeated discussions and efforts the number of community radios discontinuing their operation was rising.

"We urged the local and federal government to facilitate the smooth operation of the community radios, but our advice was ignored, as a result, the condition of community radios is deteriorating with each passing day," said Khawas.

Giriraj Bhattarai, President of the Broadcasting Association of Nepal (BAN), Koshi Province, cited several factors behind the closure of radio stations. These include market conditions, the challenges of entering the market without proper research, the government's indifference towards their promotion and other technical issues. 

Additionally, Bhattarai pointed out that many radios were outdated and lacked government support, such as tax exemptions or incentives. The closed stations ranged from 100 watts to 1,000 watts, and some community radios operated from rented spaces. The inability to pay rent was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nirmal Baral, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Sunsari FM Chakraghati, noted that while local government support was initially available, it dwindled, putting community radios at risk. Baral mentioned that local government assistance previously helped cover rent and manage expenses, but this support was no longer sufficient.

Gopal Poudel, Director of Star FM in Dharan, added that some radio operators felt there was no future for radio, as the number of displaced employees grew due to operational challenges. He urged the provincial government to focus on promoting FM radio to address these issues.