Kathmandu, January 11

The government is gearing up to implement the much delayed clean feed policy in the near future.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 18th annual general meeting of the Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN), Minister for Information and Communications Mohan Bahadur Basnet said the ministry will implement the policy as soon as possible.

“Though we had to defer our earlier plan to implement the policy from the beginning of this fiscal due to some technical problems, we are now at the final stage of implementing the policy, which will enhance the whole advertising industry,” Basnet said.

The Mass Communication Policy, 2016 has introduced clean feed policy barring TV channels from broadcasting foreign

advertisements, both in recorded and live feeds, from this fiscal. However, the government has been unable to implement the policy till date.

Basnet urged the advertising agencies of the country to build up competitiveness and maintain self-discipline in the business.

He further said that self-regulation is important in any business and advertising business should also do the same.

“Advertising industry has a great contribution to the economy of the country, which has also been acknowledged by the government, but the concerned stakeholders must be regulated and disciplined,” Basnet stated. He also said that the government is ready to create a conducive environment through policy-level support.

While praising the advertising agencies for generating employment in the country, Basnet urged for AAN’s support to realise government’s mission of digitalisation.

On the occasion, Santosh Shrestha, outgoing president of AAN, urged the government to form an advertising council and implement the clean feed policy without delay. He also affirmed that Nepali agencies are able to compete with multinational agencies.

The AGM has also elected a new working committee. Rabindra Kumar Rijal of Key Advertising was elected as the new president of the organisation unanimously. Similarly, Som Prasad Dhital of Media Hub was elected as senior vice president, Narayan Kumar Shrestha of N’ Multination Media was elected as first vice president, Dharmendra Kaji Shrestha of Varieties Consulting Network as second vice president, Raju Kuikel of Relative Advertising & Marketing as general secretary and Pitambar Pokhrel of SP Media was elected as the treasurer of AAN.

Similarly, Krishna Prasad Ghimire of Future Hub Media Multipurpose was elected as secretary and Pankaj Pradhan of Prismark Marketing was elected as joint treasurer unanimously. Santosh Khadka of Ad Angel’s, Kiran Gaire of Ad Solutions & Media Marketing, Roshan Prasai of Tech Media House, Arun Sthapit of Media Times, Bishal Purush Dhakal of Avani Advertising and Ramesh Puri of Rapid Advertising Services were elected as members of AAN unanimously.