KATHMANDU: The Minimum Wage Fixation Committee submitted its report to the government today.

In its report to the government, the Committee has recommended that the government review the existing minimum remuneration of working journalists, employees and workers working in media houses in course of fulfilling responsibilities assigned by the Working Journalists Act, 1993.

The report, prepared in consultation with stakeholders, was submitted to Minister for Information and Communications Minendra Rijal.

Chairman of the Committee, Khem Bhandari, presented the report to the Minister at a programme organised at the Ministry.

Receiving the report, Minister Rijal pledged to protect rights and interests of the working journalists, employees and the workers in the media houses.

The committee recommended that the minimum pay for working journalists working in all the ‘A’ category media including print, television, radio (above 500 Watts capacity) and the state media be Rs 19,500 a month.

Similarly, the report recommends Rs 14,400 as the minimum pay for other workers of such media.

Likewise, Rs 14,100 should be provided to journalists working for other media houses and Rs 12,500 in case of other employees.

The report has recommended a 50-percent raise in stringers' pay. Likewise, national media should pay monthly Rs 1,000 to their journalists and Rs 500 to those of other media as communications expenses.

The Living Standard Survey published by the Central Bureau of Statistics and the gross inflation for last three years have been taken as the basis for review of the remuneration, according to the Committee.

The report was prepared after monitoring carried out at all the televisions, broadsheet newspapers and 21 radio stations in the Kathmandu Valley and incorporating views and suggestions from 38 districts.

There are around 16,000 working journalists and other employees at various media houses in the country.