Province 3 govt to manage mass communication media from province itself

Kathmandu / July 02: Registration, renewal, regulation and archiving of mass communication media — including FM radio, cable television networks, print and online media — will now take place from the Office of the Communication Registrar of Province 3 government.

This has opened the way for the office to keep an archive of various publications and provide press representative certificate to journalists as well as grant them renewals, stated the Press Registrar of Province 3 Rewati Sapkota.

The delegation of authority to the province government has taken place on the basis of Communication Media Management Act-2075 BS and Regulations-2076 BS, which have been formulated based on constitutional provisions, keeping in mind the province’s authority and work descriptions, further informed Sapkota.

The authority of registration, renewal and archiving of the mass communication media has been given to the province government after a cabinet meeting held on June 24 approved the province communication media regulations-2076 BS.

Earlier, the provincial assembly of Province 3, on November 27, 2018, had approved the province communication media management bill while it was authenticated by the province governor on December 26.

On the basis of the Act, on April 10, 2019, the provincial council of ministers — on recommendation of the provincial Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law — appointed senior journalist Sapkota as the Press Registrar of the province to manage the registration, archiving, permits, monitoring and regulation of various mass communication media in the province.

With these developments, the province government can now operate, provide permits for, renew and regulate electronic communication media; renew, provide permits for, archive, categorise, operate and regulate print media; and register, renew, archive, monitor and regulate online and other technology-based mass communication media.

Likewise, the province government will also be authorised to manage the flow of press information, production of information materials, publication and distribution, monitoring of the minimum remuneration of the journalists, among others.

Moreover, an information bank will be established comprising the published materials, information, and various decisions taken for public consumption.

As per the provision in the regulation, mass communication media operating before the Act came into effect will have to provide their archives to the office of the communication registrar.