Minister Dr Timilsina Stresses on Effective Regulatory Mechanism in Mass Communications

Minister for Information and Communications Dr Bikram Timilsina has echoed the need for a strong and resilient regulatory mechanism to make the communications and journalism sector more systematic, accountable, professional and effective.

During his meeting with province communications registrar Rewati Prasad Sapkota (Bagmati) and press registrar Bimala Bhandari (Gandaki), and Chairperson of Madhesh Province Mass Communications Authority, Jitendra Kumar Khadga, at the Ministry today, Minister DrTimilsina said new legal and institutional provisions are being prepared to strengthen the regulation of the communications sector.

On the occasion, he was of the view the regulatory framework should promote journalistic accountability and professionalism while fully safeguarding media independence. According to the minister, the proposed Press Council Bill and Mass Communications Bill are expected to further strengthen the mechanism to regulate relevant sectors.

Minister Timilsina emphasized the intention to develop a robust and enforceable mass media bill, which will undergo thorough discussions in Parliament and its committees. He highlighted the importance of incorporating feedback from stakeholders in the communication sector during the bill’s preparation and amendment process.

The proposed legislation aims to clarify the rights, responsibilities, and coordination among federal, provincial, and local levels within the communication sector, addressing existing issues stemming from inadequate coordination between communication laws and the federal structure. During discussions, concerns were raised regarding the legal and institutional challenges in regulating the mass media sector.

Stakeholders suggested that the bill should explicitly define provisions related to media registration, documentation, licensing, and regulation. They pointed out that the ambiguity surrounding the rights and responsibilities of the communication sector under the federal structure hampers provincial operations.

Additionally, the lack of alignment between federal and state laws has created difficulties in coordinating legal and institutional frameworks at the provincial level. Minister Timilsina assured that the insights gathered from these discussions would be integrated into the Mass Communications Bill and the forthcoming legal framework. He reiterated his commitment to ongoing dialogue with stakeholders to enhance the orderliness, responsiveness, and effectiveness of the communication sector. (RSS)