NEPAL:Public backs ban on tobacco and alcohol ads () (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Public backs ban on tobacco and alcohol ads

by DHRUBA ADHIKARY in Kathmandu  
South China Morning Post (1652) 
NEPAL;
Date: Tuesday, 2/2/99

When Nepalese celebrate the country's 48th Democracy Day on February 19,
they will also see the introduction of an advertising ban on tobacco
products and alcoholic drinks on radio and television. 

 And they could soon see the ban extended to the press, Information
Minister Jaya Prakash Anand says. 

 Mr Anand, a member of the centrist Nepali Congress party, and Health
Minister Pradip Nepal, of the United Marxist-Leninist party, hope their
decision will earn them a bigger share of the vote in general elections
scheduled for May 3. 

 Though the ban applies to all broadcasters, it is mainly the two
state-owned radio and television organisations that stand to lose
substantial revenue. 

 Nepal Television will lose 25 million rupees (HK$2.9 million) a year and
Radio Nepal more than 10 million rupees. 

 Ways to make up the losses were being considered, officials sources said. 

 One possible alternative is for the Government to buy airtime used so far
to promote cigarettes and liquor and begin broadcasting messages
encouraging people to give up drinking and smoking. 

 Initial public reaction to the advertising ban - announced at the weekend
- has been favourable. 

 Promoters of cigarettes and alcohol have found few supporters. 

 However, the Kathmandu Post saw the new policy as "misdirected". 

 It sympathised with privately owned FM radio stations. The largest among
a dozen FM operators, Kantipur FM, is owned by the publishers of the Post.