Established in 1951, Radio Nepal served as the sole voice of radio broadcasting in the country until 1997, when liberalisation efforts paved the way for the first non-state radio stations. For decades, it was the dominant auditory medium for news, education, and cultural programming across the nation.

Media assets

Television: NTV, NTV Plus, NTV News, NTV Kohalpur, NTV Itahari

Radio: Radio Nepal

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

NTV has operated as a fully state-owned enterprise under the purview of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. Radio Nepal has historically functioned as a fully state-owned entity under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

In a major institutional shift, the Nepalese government announced in May 2023 its intention to merge NTV with Radio Nepal to create a unified public broadcasting entity. This transition moved forward substantively in September 2024, when the Parliament passed the Public Service Broadcasting Act, mandating the consolidation of Nepal Television and Radio Nepal into a single public broadcaster. As per the Act, the governance of the new entity will fall under a council chaired by a senior government official—either the Minister for Communications or a State Minister—raising concerns among media advocates about potential executive overreach.

In January 2025, the two state broadcasters officially merged to form a single entity known as Public Service Broadcasting Nepal (PSBN).

Dr Mahendra Bista was appointed Executive Chairperson (equivalent to CEO) of PSBN in December 2024, following the enactment of the Public Service Broadcasting Act. He formally took office in mid-December after taking the oath in a ceremony at Singha Durbar, administered by the Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung. Prior to this role, Dr Bista served as the Executive Chairperson of Nepal Television.

Source of funding and budget

NTV and Radio Nepal, prior to the merger, remained heavily dependent on public financing. Government subsidies constituted the bulk of its operational budget, and additional funding was channelled through a state-managed advertising fund. According to local media experts and journalists interviewed in May 2023, June 2024 and March 2025, this funding model reinforced the broadcasters’ institutional reliance on the state, making financial independence a significant hurdle.

Editorial independence

Despite periodic pledges by civil society groups and some policymakers to transform NTV and Radio Nepal into genuinely autonomous public service media outlets, the broadcasters remained under de facto government editorial control. Their news content is widely perceived as aligned with official state narratives, often reflecting the priorities and rhetoric of the ruling administration.

While the proposed institutional merger was originally presented as a potential pathway to greater editorial independence, the final Public Service Broadcasting Act failed to incorporate key safeguards recommended by domestic and international media experts. These included provisions for an independent board, editorial charter, and firewall protections against political interference. The absence of these mechanisms suggests that the merger is unlikely to usher in substantive changes to the broadcasters’ editorial posture.

As of June 2025, there is no evidence of any national legislation, independent oversight body, or third-party review mechanism tasked with evaluating or ensuring PSBN’s editorial independence. The group remains a state-controlled voice rather than a platform for pluralistic or impartial journalism.

July 2025

Media assets

Publishing: Gorkhapatra, The Rising Nepal, Madupark, Muna, Yuvamanch

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

The Sansthan operates under the direct authority of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. It remains a fully state-owned enterprise. In September 2021, veteran journalist Bishnu Prasad Subedi was appointed as Chairman of the organization—a position he continued to hold as of mid-2025. His appointment signaled continuity in a governance model that has long been intertwined with state oversight.

Shiv Kumar Bhattarai was the Acting Editor-in-Chief of Gorkhapatra until May 2025, but he retired in late May 2025 due to reaching the age limit. His successor, Junar Babu Basnet, was appointed as Acting Editor-in-Chief effective from May 21, 2025. Bhimsen Thapaliya continues as the Editor-in-Chief (also referred to as Acting Editor-in-Chief) of The Rising Nepal as of May 2025.

Source of funding and budget

The organization’s financial backbone is comprised largely of government subsidies, which remain its primary source of income. A significant portion of its budget is also drawn from the state-controlled advertising fund, designed to sustain a variety of media outlets across Nepal. This dual support structure reinforces Gorkhapatra Sansthan’s dependency on state allocations for its operational viability.

Editorial independence

Despite its long-standing history and national reach, Gorkhapatra Sansthan is widely regarded as pro-government in its editorial stance. Expert assessments conducted for this report during March–April 2023 and again in March 2025 described its publications as closely aligned with the interests and narratives of the incumbent administration. The perception of bias has led to ongoing concerns about the credibility and independence of its journalism.

To date, no domestic legislation, third-party audit, or independent oversight body has been identified that could credibly vouch for the editorial autonomy of Gorkhapatra Sansthan’s publications. This absence of institutional safeguards continues to cast a long shadow over its journalistic integrity.

July 2025

Media assets

News agency: RSS

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

RSS is a wholly state-owned enterprise, operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The government maintains full control over its appointments and operations. As of mid‑2025, there have been no major changes reported in the governance structure or executive leadership of the agency.

Source of funding and budget

The agency’s financial model is heavily reliant on government subsidies, which account for the largest share of its annual budget. In addition to direct state funding, RSS also benefits from allocations via the state advertising fund—a public financing mechanism designed to support Nepalese media institutions.

According to data gathered from local media experts and journalists in March 2023, June 2024, and March 2025, this dependency on public funds renders RSS structurally vulnerable to political influence. Its operational sustainability remains closely tied to state patronage, with little diversification in revenue sources.

Editorial independence

RSS is widely regarded as pro-government in its editorial orientation. According to repeated assessments conducted by local experts in 2023 and 2024, its news output is often characterized by a pronounced tilt in favor of government narratives. While it continues to cover a range of issues, there is little evidence of robust journalistic scrutiny or critical reporting on government affairs.

As of June 2025, there is no formal legal framework or independent regulatory body in place to guarantee or verify the editorial independence of RSS. The absence of an oversight mechanism or ombudsman function means that concerns about state influence remain largely unaddressed. Furthermore, there is no publicly accessible editorial policy that sets clear standards for neutrality, accountability, or journalistic integrity.

July 2025

Media assets

Radio: Radio Nepal

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC): As of 2025, following the merger with Nepal Television, Radio Nepal is part of the newly created Public Service Broadcasting Nepal (PSBN). This profile is dated September 2024.

Ownership and governance

Radio Nepal is a wholly government-owned enterprise, managed by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.  In May 2023, the Nepalese government announced plans to merge Nepal Television and Radio Nepal in order to establish a unified public service broadcaster within the next two fiscal years.

In September 2024, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill was passed by both houses of parliament. The bill stipulates that the two institutions, Radio Nepal and Nepal Television, are to be operated as a single entity. The chair of the council that will be responsible for overseeing the newly formed institution will be a state official, either the communications minister or a state minister. Until the new institution is fully operational, we will maintain the two media outlets separately in our database.

Source of funding and budget

Radio Nepal receives the majority of its funding from the government. State subsidies represent the largest component of the station’s budget. Additionally, the station receives government funding from a state advertising fund, which is used to finance media outlets in Nepal, according to data from local experts and journalists interviewed for this report in March 2023 and June 2024.

Editorial independence

Despite the best efforts of some NGOs and politicians to transform Radio Nepal into a truly independent public service broadcaster, the station is still subject to government control at the editorial level, with the result that it is perceived as a government mouthpiece.

The proposed merger of Radio Nepal and Nepal Television was anticipated to facilitate enhanced editorial autonomy for the two entities. However, the bill did not ultimately include the provisions recommended by experts with the objective of guaranteeing the broadcaster’s editorial autonomy. Therefore, it is unlikely that there will be any change in the way they report.

It has not been possible to identify any domestic legislation or independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate Radio Nepal’s editorial independence.

September 2024