Journalists’ Federation of Lalitpur Submits Memorandum to Local Governments Opposing Government Advertising Policy

April 28, Kathmandu – In protest against the federal government’s decision to allocate advertising exclusively to government media outlets, the Nepal Journalists’ Federation, Lalitpur branch, has submitted a memorandum to local government bodies. This memorandum was forwarded through the District Coordination Committee of Lalitpur to Lalitpur Metropolitan City, all municipalities, and rural municipalities. On Tuesday, a delegation led by the federation’s Lalitpur branch president, Ramhari Karki, handed over the memorandum to the chief of the District Coordination Committee, Lalitpur, Rishidev Phuyal.

The memorandum requests correspondence with Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Godawari, Mahalaxmi municipalities, as well as Mahankal, Konjyosom, and Bagmati rural municipalities. The federation expressed serious dissatisfaction with the secretariat-level decision taken by the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Office, conveyed through a circular issued on Chaitra 18, 2082 (April 1, 2026). That circular mandated advertising publication and broadcast exclusively through government media by federal, provincial, and local bodies.

The memorandum highlighted the long-standing financial challenges faced by the Nepali media sector and argued that this decision would further weaken private and community media outlets. The federation criticized the decision for being made without adequate consultation with stakeholders and deemed it objectionable. According to the federation, prioritizing only government media represents discrimination and injustice against private and community media.