Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has laid emphasis that policies, rules, guidelines and code of conducts should be in line with the Constitution of Nepal and related Acts. Pointing out to harmonize the rules, policies, guidelines and code of conducts in line with the constitution, Minister Sharma stressed that rules should be made as per the Act even after amending it if the acts are not appropriate. At an interaction organised by Advertisement Board here today, she mentioned that there should be clear concept and plan regarding how to implement advertisement policy rather than formulating it.
“Many issues have been incorporated in draft of advertisement policy but I think that the main thing is how to make a mechanism for its implementation and how to move ahead in a systematic manner,” shared Minister Sharma. Stating that leading a person to the point of death due to some false advertisement was wrong, she stressed the need of a clear policy for its management. The Communication Minister further said advertisement should not be made in contrary to constitution, acts, laws, rules regulations and code of conducts, pointing out that advertisement in digital media or social media developed in recent period should be monitored and attention should be paid on human health in course of making advertisement. Similarly, Communications Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut said the advertisement policy should be further revised incorporating suggestions of all stakeholders.
He mentioned that market expansion of advertisement should also be incorporated in the policy. Likewise, President of Federation of Nepali Journalists Bipul Pokharel stressed that advertisement process should be transparent and advertisement should be distributed proportionally. Chairperson of Nepal Advertisement Association, Som Dhital, expressed the view that media should be merged each other as there was no necessary many media in small market of Nepal. Similarly, Chairperson of Advertisement Board, Laxman Humagain, clarified that preparation was underway to bring advertisement policy with an objective of making advertisement sector transparent, commercial, disciplined and responsible.
