Established in 1951, Radio Nepal had a monopoly in Nepal’s radio broadcasting scene until 1997 when the first non-state radio channels were allowed to launch operations in the country.
Media assets
Radio: Radio Nepal
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Radio Nepal is a fully government-owned company run by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. In May 2023, it was reported that the Nepalese government plans to merge Nepal Television and Radio Nepal to establish a unified public service broadcaster within the next two fiscal years.
Source of funding and budget
Radio Nepal is majority funded by the government. State subsidies account for the largest part of the station’s budget, according to local experts. The station also receives government money from a state advertising fund used to finance the media in Nepal, according to data from local experts and journalists.
Editorial independence
In spite of efforts and initiatives by some NGOs and politicians to transform Radio Nepal into a truly independent public service broadcaster, the station is still editorially controlled by the government, being perceived as a government mouthpiece.
No domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate Radio Nepal’s editorial independence have been identified.
September 2023