A code of conduct related to production, distribution, publication and broadcast came into effect on Sunday immediately after it was issued by the Advertisement Board that was formed to regulate, monitor and operate Nepal's advertisement market. This is the first time a code of conduct for the advertising sector has been issued, and it has been formulated and implemented in accordance with Article 15 (c) of the Advertisement (Regulating) Act, 2019. The code of conduct has been formulated after extensive discussions and interactions with the stakeholders and experts in a bid to make the advertisement sector systematic and minimise the distortion and inconsistency in the market. The Board is confident that the code will also enhance transparency and end unhealthy competition in the advertisement sector, while ensuring that consumers get quality goods and services.

The 38-page code of conduct covers such issues as protection of consumer rights and prevention of women and children from being misused in advertisements so as to maintain social dignity. It makes it mandatory for advertisements to be official and authentic and not misleading and ambiguous. The identity of the advertiser must be disclosed while the quality and quantity mentioned in the advertisement must be consistent with the goods and services available in the market. The code has also set a timeline under which the advertiser must pay the advertising agency within 30 days while the agency to the media within 60 days. Failure to do so could lead to blacklisting of the advertiser and agency, which will prohibit them from doing business with other media as well. This provision should greatly delight media outlets, which are often unable to collect their arrears for years. The code will try to enhance transparency in the ad business by analysing the circulation and television rating point (TRP) of different media and calculate the advertisement rate based on them. The ad agencies are expected to abide by the rates and discounts disclosed by the media outlets.

From now on, social media must receive permission from the regulatory body to run ads.

Over the decades, advertisement revenue has been increasing in line with the economy's expansion.

Quite unlike in the past, the Nepali consumer is largely swayed by what he or she sees in an advertisement for a product or service, be it soap, mobile set, a car or a school for admission. With companies advertising even small products or services, advertising has become a culture and is here to stay for good to win consumer confidence. However, no one seems to have a clue as to the exact size of the advertisement industry in Nepal. Estimates put it around Rs 5 billion a few years ago, although the COVID-19 pandemic must have dented it quite a bit. Now that the code of conduct has come into force, the Advertisement Board has the onus of implementing it in both letter and spirit by punishing the erring side and compensating the victims. With the government having successfully executed the ban on tobacco and liquor ads in the electronic media and the clean feed policy in the past, we can assume that the ad code will also be carried out.

Passports from districts

After a large number of people started thronging the Department of Passport (DoP) in the capital, the DoP issued a notice, requesting them not to visit Kathmandu to obtain passports except in the case of emergency. The department has said it has made arrangements to print and send the passports to the concerned districts from where the service-seekers have applied for them. Applicants from the districts of the Kathmandu Valley and Kavre will obtain their passports within 10 days while those from other districts will receive them within 15 days.

As per the arrangements, the service-seekers can apply from all the district administration offices and 17 area administrative offices. The DoP has also said that it has decided to provide its services even on public holidays from 9 am to 6 pm. Should the DoP provide its services to the people as per its claims, people from outside the federal capital will no longer need to travel to Kathmandu, spending a lot of travel time and money simply to obtain the passports. The service-seekers should also learn how to apply online that is available from all the districts. The service-seekers should also make a plan in advance before they decide to apply for the passports.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 5, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.