Kathmandu, February 19:

The Gorkha FM 93 MHz started its test transmission today.

Addressing the inaugural function of the community radio, Padam Neupane, executive director of the FM, said: “We are on a test transmission for 15 days and will go on air after that.” The British Gurkha Media Network Pvt Ltd, a corporation of former British Gurkha Army Community, established the FM.

Neupane said the FM would be on air for 19 hours a day. “Our FM is socio-commercial and all our programmes will be informative,” he said. He said the families of Gurkha army men will be the FM’s target audience. “We have around seven lakh listeners in the Valley,” he said.

He said that the programmes would be aired in various local languages and would target all indigenous groups, youths and women. The FM would broadcast news bulletin every hour, said Neupane.