Mass Communication and Social Media Bills soon: Minister Sharma

KATHMANDU, APRIL 12: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma has assured that both the Mass Communication Bill and Social Media Bill will be endorsed by the Federal Parliament very soon. Speaking at the 12th session of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Kathmandu chapter, Minister Sharma emphasized the necessity of these bills to regulate the communication sector, ensuring it remains orderly, dignified, and adaptive to changing times. She noted that both bills are in their final stages of preparation for presentation to the Federal Parliament, reaffirming the government’s commitment to their enactment.

Minister Sharma, who also serves as the government’s spokesperson, highlighted the government’s positive stance on providing concessions to self-employed individuals and small-scale media houses, particularly in organizing public welfare advertisements. She suggested that concessions on news service charges for the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), the state-run news agency, could be considered for such media outlets.

Emphasizing the government’s support for freedom of expression, Minister Sharma pledged to revise the minimum wage for journalists to ensure timely payment. She stressed that truthful and factual dissemination of news plays a crucial role in facilitating the government’s delivery of services and information to the public.

During the event, several media professionals were honored for their significant contributions to society and the country through journalism.