Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 30:

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today advised the state-owned Nepal Television (NTV) to look sharp in this age of competition and attempt to forge ahead as a more credible, able and popular channel.

Deuba, who inaugurated the second Metro building of NTV on the occasion of the channel’s 20th anniversary, said NTV had a great responsibility towards properly informing people about constitutional monarchy, multiparty democracy and protection of human rights.

The prime minister said the government was engaged in preparing for holding elections soon in order to take the country towards a fully democratic process.

He also inspected the Metro channel building and presented letters of appreciation to eight advertisers providing the most revenue to NTV.

The Metro channel building, constructed with a grant assistance of Rs 540 million from China, is of five kilowatt capacity. The Metro station has been airing seven hours of programmes a day since the past year.

At the function, Chinese ambassador to Nepal Sun Heping said his country has aiding Nepal in the education, health, communications and transport sectors. He added that the new building would remain a symbol of Nepal-China friendship.

NTV, which first started broadcasting two decades ago, now reaches 65 percent of the people in the country. It also reaches more than 22 countries via earth satellite.

NTV management board chairman Mukunda Prasad Acharya said the channel should air programmes that would enhance knowledge and provide info-entertainment as well.

NTV general manager Durga Nath Sharma said the channel has been airing diverse programmes.