Cliffhanger: Govt, FM stations unyielding
Kathmandu, October 23:
The Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC) today called officials of FM stations of the Kathmandu Valley for a special meeting and directed them not to air news-based programmes. But the Kantipur FM and Nepal FM told this daily they would continue airing
of news.
The ministry officials reminded the FM station officials of the recently promulgated media ordinance and ordered all to comply with it.
Spokesperson of MoIC Ratna Raj Pandey said the ministry briefed the FM station officials of the ordinance and requested them to follow the restrictions.
“It was an interactive meeting and most of the FM officials of the Kathmandu Valley participated in,” he said.
On behalf of the ministry, an acting secretary, spokesperson and a legal officer participated in the meeting. Prabhat Rimal, station manager of Kantipur FM, said that the officials told the FM stations not to air any news and news-based programmes, and not to add political information in any news.
“The ministry officials ordered us not to air any news-based programmes or they would take action on the basis of the ordinance, without telling us what kind of action they would take,” he said, adding that Kantipur FM will, however, continue its usual “Kantipur Dairy” programme .
Yagya Badal, the station manager of Metro FM, said that the meeting discussed the recent media ordinance .”We had a friendly discussion,”he said.
Metro FM will also continue its local news-based programmes, he added. However, no invitation was sent to Nepal FM and there was no participation from it. Editor of Nepal FM said that the ministry may call any FM for meeting or for other instructions “but it cannot stop us from airing news as our case is sub-judice”.
The Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC) today called officials of FM stations of the Kathmandu Valley for a special meeting and directed them not to air news-based programmes. But the Kantipur FM and Nepal FM told this daily they would continue airing
of news.
The ministry officials reminded the FM station officials of the recently promulgated media ordinance and ordered all to comply with it.
Spokesperson of MoIC Ratna Raj Pandey said the ministry briefed the FM station officials of the ordinance and requested them to follow the restrictions.
“It was an interactive meeting and most of the FM officials of the Kathmandu Valley participated in,” he said.
On behalf of the ministry, an acting secretary, spokesperson and a legal officer participated in the meeting. Prabhat Rimal, station manager of Kantipur FM, said that the officials told the FM stations not to air any news and news-based programmes, and not to add political information in any news.
“The ministry officials ordered us not to air any news-based programmes or they would take action on the basis of the ordinance, without telling us what kind of action they would take,” he said, adding that Kantipur FM will, however, continue its usual “Kantipur Dairy” programme .
Yagya Badal, the station manager of Metro FM, said that the meeting discussed the recent media ordinance .”We had a friendly discussion,”he said.
Metro FM will also continue its local news-based programmes, he added. However, no invitation was sent to Nepal FM and there was no participation from it. Editor of Nepal FM said that the ministry may call any FM for meeting or for other instructions “but it cannot stop us from airing news as our case is sub-judice”.
