KATHMANDU: The government has made arrangements to obtain a license for broadcasting through the internet, including YouTube channels. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has made arrangements to regulate the broadcasting through internet by making the eleventh amendment in the National Broadcasting Regulations.
The new amendment is the first to legalize YouTube and other similar broadcasts.
The regulations define online television as the act of regularly broadcasting audio-visual programs through the Internet, as well as various OTT platforms, including YouTube. As defined in sub-rule 2 of rule 2 of the amended rules, a service that is performed on the Internet without the use of DTH cable or satellite television is called OTT and also refers to the media streaming service on other platforms through the Internet. Similarly, self-produced and regularly broadcasting audio-visual programs through the Internet is defined as online television.
As per the regulations, one will have to pay Rs. 500,000. Programs suitable for children and all age groups should be given ‘U’ rating, programs suitable for age group of ten to eighteen years should be given ‘R’ rating and programs suitable for age group above 18 years should be given ‘A’ rating.
In recent months or year, the YouTube channels have been creating fake contents to attract large number of audience. However, these contents have infringed privacy of the people, but lack of legal provisions these channels were escaping from the existing law of the land.
