Nepali media sector has welcomed the government decision regarding the implementation of clean feed policy.

In a joint statement on Thursday, Nepal Media Society, Broadcasting Association of Nepal and Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal welcomed the decision.

[Read: Everything you need to know about the Clean Feed Policy]

“Nepali media sector welcomes the statement released by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology on Wednesday and its direction regarding the implementation of clean feed policy,” the statement reads.

“It is evident that we have been continuously lobbying and demanding an immediate implementation of clean feed policy arguing that it would help domestic production and industry to expand while helping reduce their dependency.”

Now, it is necessary to clarify some ambiguities in the bill through an advertisement instruction manual based on discussions with concerned organisations as it is necessary to form an advertisement board to implement the law, reads the statement.

The government on Wednesday directed distributors of foreign television channels to broadcast them in Nepal without advertisements from October 23, warning of legal action against those who fail to comply.

In a statement, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology had reminded the distributors of foreign television channels that the Advertisement (Regulation) Act 2019 requires foreign television channels to be aired in Nepal without advertisements within October 23 this year and that the law has already given them one year to make the preparations necessary for airing foreign content free of advertisements.

Advertising agencies welcomed the move saying that it will hugely expand Nepal’s advertising market and create jobs for Nepali artists, players and other public figures.

Cable TV operators screen pay channels and free-to-air channels on Nepali television sets. While the free-to-air channels, even if they carry advertisements, are shown to viewers without charge, foreign pay channels play advertisements of various multinational brands.

However, the pay channels can also be aired without commercials after levying certain charges on viewers. Such a provision is acknowledged by the government as clean feed.