Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has said the government is preparing to introduce the Mass Communications Act soon.
While inaugurating a three-day South Asian Community Radio Conference of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in Kathmandu today, the Minister told that the Ministry had already prepared the draft of the Act and is ready for presenting it to the Council of Ministers soon.
“It is expected that the Act will be an effective instrument to address persisting issues in mass communications sector including in radio as well,” she said.
Democracy and communications are interconnected, according to the Minister, who said, “Wherever the freedom of expression is guaranteed, democracy prevails there.”
Describing the freedom of expression is the beauty of democracy, the Minister said radio had played a significant role in taking all movements for democracy at home to a success.
The Communications Minister utilised the forum to pledge that government would make efforts to address some policy-level and legal issues in community radio.
She hoped that the Conference would provide a ground for exchange of noble practices and policies concerning the community radio in the South Asian nations among the participating nations. Additionally, it would foster the environment for mutual cooperation and goodwill among the South Asian nations, further consolidating the transnational ties, she added.
Terming radio as a reliable means of mass communication since its development, the Minister said it had reached there where access to newspapers and internet service was still awaited.
AMARC Asian Pacific regional president Ramnath Bhat said the event would meet the anticipations for promoting strategic partnership and the sharing of relevant knowledge among the participants.
He hoped the event would focus on assessing common issues facing community radio in South Asia and formulating strategies to improve their status in the future.