The advertisement market has developed due to globalisation and industrialisation and also due to development of media, communication and broadcasting technologies. Nepali advertising sector that is worth Rs 3 billion per year also wants its problems to be addressed in the budget.

• Production and distribution of Nepali feature films and advertisements are both governed by the same Cinema Act and Regulation 2026. It should be noted that a feature film is a two-hour affair and costs millions to make whereas the production cost of an a minute-long advertisement is relatively very low. The two genres should not be governed by the same Act and regulations. There are difficulties in censorship and other procedures. The charge for ad films should be decreased to encourage ad films as they cost less in comparision to feature films. Thus, the government should decrease the government tax for ad films.

• The government should also amend the ad film censorship regulation according to the global trend. Until such amendment, AAN should be given the responsibility of coordinating, regulating and monitoring as it is the umbrella organisation of advertising agencies.

• Currently, cable operators are broadcasting various foreign channels in Nepal. The government should prepare regulations for them as well as they also have to follow the law of the land. According to norms, channels downlinked from Nepali sky have to either broadcast clean feed. If they have advertisement feed, they should not charge viewers. The government should register foreign channels according to international norms and ban the foreign advertisements in them. Domestic advertising agencies would benefit and local ads depicting Nepali culture, tradition and resources would be encouraged, if the government makes it mandatory for foreign channels to air clean feed.

• The government should provide tax relief to advertising agencies purchasing tools and machinery and equipments like high tech cameras and computers.

• Budget should ensure that every multinational company invest their 10 per cent budget on advertisement in Nepal.

Poudel is president of Advertisement Association of Nepal