Rekha Sharma, the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, has recently explained that the government does not currently possess an official online media platform. This clarification was made during a conversation about the Public Service Broadcasting Bill in the House of Representatives.
Minister Sharma emphasized that the bill cannot encompass a non-existent entity. However, she acknowledged the possibility of establishing an official online media platform in the future. In such a scenario, the platform would be included under the Public Service Broadcasting Bill.
The conversation also covered the significance of the government-owned news agency, RSS (Rastriya Samachar Samiti). Minister Sharma emphasized the need to uphold a clear differentiation between the news agency and public service broadcasters such as Nepal Television and Radio Nepal.
The discussion revolved around the possible combination of these media organizations. Although recognizing the hypothetical advantages, the minister emphasized practical factors and the necessity of a fair approach. The committee was assigned the responsibility of making a definitive determination on whether to incorporate Gorkhapatra, a government-owned newspaper, in the potential merger with television and radio.
In essence, Nepal's online media landscape currently lacks an official government platform. The Public Service Broadcasting Bill addresses existing entities, and the inclusion of a future online platform remains a possibility. The decision regarding potential mergers of media outlets is still under discussion.
