KATHMANDU, Jan. 10: The three-member task force constituted by the government on November 28 to prepare recommendations for the development of the electronic media submitted its report to Minister for Information and Communications Ramesh Nath Pandey today.

The report prepared by senior media experts Bharat Dutta Koirala, Durga Nath Sharma and Bijay Kumar Pandey has recommended that no media institution should be allowed to operate more than two media channels.

“And FM broadcasts should be limited to a small locality and not cover large tracts. If someone wants to cover a large audience or area, they should be licensed to operate short wave and medium wave broadcasts and not FM,” Koirala told journalists at the office of the Communications Minister after handing over the report. “Some inconsistencies are existing now which should be regulated,” he added.

The report has also suggested that the government form an independent, highly empowered and impartial authority to work for reforms and the development of the broadcasting media.

“We have envisioned an empowered body which will work to end the existing inconsistencies in the broadcasting media sector and develop a framework for the timely development of this sector,” said Koirala.

Minister Pandey, after accepting the report pledged to implement the report. The government will form the authority as suggested by the report and will launch measures for the reforms in this sector, he added.

The government will study the report and ascertain what reforms need to be made. “The government is committed for the development of this field and the implementation will come into effect soon,” Minister Pandey said.

We have faith in the report as it has been prepared by concerned experts, and I believe the report will help to bring about reforms, Pandey said.