19 Chait, Kathmandu. The government has decided that the advertisements of public bodies can only be broadcasted in the government media. Due to this decision, there is concern that the radios operating all over the country will go bankrupt.

In this regard, the President of Community Radio Broadcasters Association Arjun GiriWho says:

This step of the government is the product of ‘archaic and narrow’ thinking. It is an attack on the basic principles of democracy and federalism.

In a modern and democratic society, the government has adopted the ‘syndicate’ style to make the flow of information and advertising open and competitive.

It seems that this policy introduced by the government, devaluing the important role played by newspapers, radio and television for achieving democracy, will be counterproductive.

At a time when the communication sector is already in a fragile state, the state has acted to make it worse instead of taking guardianship.

Especially the community radios operated in partnership with the local level and the state have been directly hit by this decision.

This decision has put a strain on the promotion of radios that are warning against good governance, financial transparency and procrastination in coordination with the local government.

This desperate attempt to reduce the scope of the media is sure to hinder the citizens’ right to be informed.

The constitution has delegated communication-related powers to the local and state levels. However, this directive issued by the Prime Minister’s Office has challenged the essence of federalism.

Catching this ‘spirit’ of the Centre, some state governments have also started cutting the budget allocated for media promotion. The recent discussion of the Lumbini state government has also shown signs of not being media-friendly following the path of the Centre, which has raised questions about the autonomy of federalism. If the government does not correct this discriminatory policy, the media sector will not accept it. A strong movement takes place.