Ensure media credibility: Minister Timilsina

Kathmandu, July 29

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina held a courtesy meeting on Wednesday with Philomena Gnanapragasam, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD).

The meeting focused on the development and strengthening of the communications sector, the role of community radio, legal reforms relating to the media in Nepal, and preparations for the 24th AIBD Conference, which is scheduled to be held in Nepal.

Minister Dr. Timilsina said the AIBD conference would provide an important platform for discussions on contemporary challenges and opportunities in the communications sector, while also offering valuable input to the government's ongoing efforts to reform media legislation.

"As the government moves forward with drafting new media laws and amending existing legislation, we believe the recommendations emerging from the conference in Nepal will provide valuable guidance for policymaking," Minister Dr. Timilsina said.

According to a statement issued by the minister's secretariat, he noted that with the rapid growth of citizen journalism and digital platforms, there is a need to give greater attention to the credibility, professionalism and sustainability of mainstream media.

He also assured that the government is prepared to provide the necessary coordination, cooperation and support to ensure the successful organisation of the 24th AIBD Conference in Nepal. The conference will be held in Kathmandu from 23 to 25 August, bringing together broadcasting policymakers, media experts, broadcasting organisations and media professionals from countries across the Asia-Pacific region.

On the occasion, Gnanapragasam said radio continues to be an effective means of communication in South Asia. She noted that Nepal's community radio movement has played a remarkable role in delivering information to a large section of the population.

She also highlighted that electronic media remain an important channel for disseminating early warnings and reliable information during disasters.

During the meeting, officials of the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (ACORAB), led by its Chairperson Arjun Giri, said community radio stations continue to face legal, policy and administrative challenges despite the rapid expansion of digital and new media. They urged the government to introduce the necessary legal facilitation to enable community radio stations to work more effectively within Nepal's three-tier system of government.

 

Meanwhile, Minister Dr. Timilsina directed the relevant agencies to immediately address problems affecting Nepal Telecom's service coverage and quality, with a focus on ensuring reliable electricity supply to as many telecom towers as possible.

In a meeting with officials from Nepal Telecom, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), he directed to establish a permanent coordination mechanism by forming a joint task force with a clear action plan to expand electricity access to telecom towers.

He said both the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Energy were committed to extending the national power grid to telecom towers wherever feasible. He also instructed Nepal Telecom to provide the NEA with detailed data on towers without grid electricity so that power expansion could be prioritised.

Nepal Telecom Managing Director Sangita Pahadi said unreliable electricity remained a major obstacle to expanding telecommunications services in remote areas. She said 316 Nepal Telecom towers currently lack reliable grid electricity and rely on solar power. The company also plans to build around 2,000 new towers, with about 1,400 requiring new electricity connections.

NEA officials pledged full cooperation, acknowledging that poor coordination between the two organisations had delayed progress in the past. They stressed the need for joint planning so that electricity infrastructure is developed alongside new telecom towers.

AEPC Executive Director Nawa Raj Dhakal also pledged support, saying the centre would help provide electricity to telecom towers in remote and rural areas through micro-hydropower and solar energy.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 July 2026.