Kathmandu: The Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and China’s Xinhua News Agency are set to formalize an agreement to facilitate the exchange of news content between the two organizations.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Council of Ministers of Nepal has given its approval for the agreement, which aims to enhance cooperation between these state-owned news agencies. The announcement was made by Prithvi Subba Gurung, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, who also serves as the government’s spokesperson. The signing of the agreement is scheduled to take place during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s current visit to China.
Somnath Lamichhane, Deputy General Manager of RSS, noted that while a previous news exchange agreement existed between RSS and Xinhua, the current agreement has been revised and expanded to align with the latest advancements in the media and communications sector. The new agreement takes into account recent developments in information technology and the emergence of new communication genres.
The agreement provides that Xinhua will continue supplying RSS with news and photographs in English, as well as video and multimedia content in English, all free of charge. Additionally, the agreement outlines plans for the exchange of experiences among reporters, editors, and technical experts from both RSS and Xinhua.
Moreover, the two agencies have agreed to collaborate on training programs and share expertise in integrating new technologies into their news operations.