Minister for Information and Communications Mohan Bahadur Basnet has said the National Mass Communication Training Academy would be finalised by mid-September.

Talking with a delegation of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, the umbrella organisation of working journalists of the country, at the Ministry of Information and Communications on Friday, Minister Basnet said the ministry has been working expeditiously with an aim “to get the results” by mid-September. 

The new building of the FNJ would be used for the academy until its own physical infrastructure is constructed, he said.

Minister Basnet also said that the ministry would first hold dialogue with media houses and the FNJ about the implementation of Working Journalist Act. 

“We will discuss the implementation aspect of the act with media houses and the FNJ,” Basnet said.

During the meeting, Govinda Acharya, the newly elected president of the FNJ, handed over a memorandum to Minister Basnet. 

State Minister for Information and Communi-cations Tapta Bahadur Bista was also present.

Minister Basnet also said that public welfare advertisements would be doubled for radio and television. “For the print medium also, the advertisements would be increased, but online media will get advertisements until the new media are further managed and regulated.”