KATHMANDU, Sept 6: Stakeholders of Nepali advertising industry have urged the government to implement the recently introduced clean feed policy for foreign television channels in Nepal at the earliest.
Stating that the annual turnover of Nepali advertising industry will double once the policy is implemented, they said that the government should not delay implementation of the policy.
The cabinet had approved the National Mass Communications Policy 2073 BS, which has provisions on clean feed, in July The National Mass Communications Policy 2073 BS states that clean feed will be implemented in full-fledged from the beginning of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017/18.
'Clean feed' means transmission of content without advertisement. Once the policy is implemented, foreign pay channels cannot broadcast advertisements in Nepal.
“Clean feed will be a milestone in Nepali advertising industry. The government should not make any delay in its implementation,” Santosh Shrestha, president of Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN), said. He also said that the government should sit with stakeholders to develop a clear strategy and roadmap for implementation of clean feed policy.
“As clean feed not only benefits advertising industry but also increases government revenue and leaves positive impact on economy, we should all work together to implement it,” added Shrestha.
He further added that annual turnover of advertising industry, which is around Rs 5.5 billion, will double once multinational companies invest in Nepal to produce advertisements.
Similarly, Nirmal Raj Poudel, coordinator of the Clean Feed Committee of AAN, informed that multinational companies, who have been investing in Indian channels and advertisements targeting Nepali customers, will have to come to Nepal if they want to broadcast their advertisements here. “They will have to come here and use local resources and contents,” said Poudel.
He also suggested to the government to form separate Advertising Development Board and Advertising Authority to regulate Nepali advertising industry and implement the clean feed policy.
Clean feed likely to be implemented next year
