Nepal’s media have developed tremendously over the past decades. UNESCO’s pioneering base-line study “Assessment of Media Development in Nepal”, launched on 19 December 2013, provides comprehensive material to analyze the country’s media landscape. Applying the UNESCO’s Media Development Indicators, the Study contributes to present discussions on constitutional and legal reforms and media self-regulation mechanisms.

It is intended to guide the efforts of all actors working for media development. It also provides a baseline for subsequent assessments of Nepal’s media landscape. The study was coordinated by a team of national experts and builds on analysis and suggestions made by representatives of government, media trade unions, professional associations and civil society.

The wide-ranging Study deals with legal and policy frameworks relating to the media as a matter of both form and substance. It assesses the capacity of Nepal’s media regulation system to contribute to freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity of the media. It analyses the existing legal and policy frameworks and regulatory systems for broadcasting, and other legal provisions that may restrict the work of journalists. It discusses existing media laws and regulations in Nepal and their compliance with international standards. How media reflects the diversity of society is looked at and also the role of public service broadcasting. The Study further focuses on the availability of professional media training and academic courses available for media. The Report provides concrete recommendations for action the development of media in Nepal.