Radio Nepal and NTV will be upgraded: Minister Gurung

By Phadindra Adhikari, Lekhnath, Nov 27: Communication and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that government media will be operated by upgrading with the modern time and technology. 

Speaking at the programme organised by Radio Nepal's Public Service Broadcast in Pokhara Minister Gurung made the remarks on Wednesday.

Spokesperson of the Government, Gurung mentioned that Radio Nepal and Nepal Television will be expanded to every Nepali citizen's access. "We will make Radio Nepal easy to listen to at everyone's home, Nepal Television will also be made to be watched from everyone's home by the end of this year" Minister Gurung said.

He also said that for the promotion and recognition of Nepal's tourism, NTV World will start its operation this year.

According to RSS, the Minister underlined the need for the remaining two other state-owned media organizations such as Gorkhapatra and Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) to restructure and enhance their competitiveness. 

Mentioning that these two media had been producing and publishing content in a variety of national languages at present, Minister Gurung asserted that mass media should underscore the principle of inclusivity and diversity in their nature and delivery.

At present, he informed, Radio Nepal had been broadcasting news and other programmes in 24 different national languages and preparation was afoot to add more languages to its news broadcasting.

Stating that restructuring and re-management of all four state-owned media organizations had been initiated, he reaffirmed his commitment to amend and modernize all archaic and outdated communication-related legislation within a year.

According to him, the process of devising legislation to regulate and manage social media and online media had been taken forward. 

Emphasizing qualitative improvement in the subordinate ministries such as Nepal Telecom, and Postal Service among others, he stressed cooperation and collaboration among three-tier governments for further improving the quality of communications and public broadcasting services.