The MOIC move apparently intends to discourage the trend of holding licenses and give opportunities to prospective broadcasting companies. MOIC statistics show, 40 FMs and 8 television companies (seven satellite and one terrestrial) have failed to go on air even after getting the license. Of them, one FM and seven television companies are based in Kathmandu. Some obtained licence four years ago and are renewing it annually without broadcasting programmes.
“If these companies fail to renew license with proof of broadcast by the end of the fiscal year, their licences will be scrapped,” said Narayan Prasad Regmi, MoIC Spokesman. According to the MOIC, any person or institution to have received permission must start broadcast within 12 months and can seek additional six months to do so by furnishing a logical reason behind the delay as per the fourth amendment to the National Broadcasting Regulation 1997.
Among the FMs yet to start broadcast, Manakamana FM Pvt. Ltd. received permission in August, 2006 to set up a station in Hetauda. Bodhi Gram Pvt. Ltd. received license in January, 2007 for television broadcast through the satellite.
The government has stopped issuing license for FM in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Chitwan, Banke, Parsa, Rupandehi and Kaski due to the frequency saturation. The companies failing to operate include Bodhi Gram, Citizen Television, Moon Light Television, Namaste Nepali Television Network and Mountain Television.
Janak Raj Pant, CEO of Mountain Television, however, said they will start operation in a week. According to the MOIC, some companies had come with a proof of operation after a public notice.
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