Nepal Television: Looking back at first Television Program

From scrambling for a movie in the streets of Indra Chowk, paying a fee of Rs 5 for the popular Hindi movies back then to a mandatory television set in almost everyone’s house today. The media scene in Kathmandu and the nation has changed drastically over the past few decades

.It is hard to imagine the level of skepticism the decision to establish Nepal’s very own television program garnered at that time, after then King Birendra assigned a study for the feasibility of establishing such a service in the country. Then lawmakers vehemently opposed the idea calling it an unnecessary luxury in a rather poor nation.

Regardless, after a positive report by Sofrativ a French Company that researched the feasibility of TV in the country, the decision to officially establish Nepal’s very own Television Program was made official. Hence in 1985, the Nepal Television Project was established. Within 11 months of the project's implementation, the channel began regular broadcasting after acquiring the necessary infrastructure and equipment.

But the concern raised by the lawmakers then was still a valid one, the television program was now up and running but the public had no medium to view it! Hence, Nepal Television Staff went around the valley setting up their TVs in public places for throngs of people to marvel at and watch the broadcast. To support this adventure the then South Korean government even donated 500 remote TV sets for the people to be used in the community viewing centers.

Nepal TV’s first broadcast unlike its fellow nation was a full-color broadcast and has continued to do so. The success of the then Nepal Television program was resounding; to such an extent that the then Chairman of Nepal TV Neer Bikram Shah was made the Vice President of the Asian Broadcasting Union and tasked with the job of bringing TV to Fiji.

The rise of channels in the private sector has led to the decline of the prestige of Nepal Television. Many fiscal budgets by the government have addressed the status of Nepal TV looking to alleviate its level amongst the private channels however all attempts so far seem ineffective. A channel run for the people must be run by the people. Initially established to become the voice of the voiceless, it must look to return to its roots highlighting the people rather than the people in power. The idea behind establishing Nepal Television was an inspired decision made for the general good of the people; it now falls upon the government's mandate to help widen its scope and direct it to become the program that people once respected and adored.