The only state-owned news agency in the country, Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), has entered into 60th year of its establishment today.
RSS was established on the 7th of Nepali month Falgun in 2018 BS (February 18, 1962 AD) merging two privately owned news agencies into one with a view to facilitating newspapers and broadcast media in the country with the news reports and analysis.
The news-agency which adheres to the principle of 'Communication for Development' stands with the motto to disseminate news with speed, accuracy and objectivity. The organization is the largest and longest serving news agency in the country with its 167 employees and 150 stringers in all seven states.
\The news-agency has been operating as an autonomous organization since the issuance of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti Act-2019 BS. With Ramraj Poudel as its founder, RSS formally operated from the residence of RSS former manager Aadityadhoj Joshi at New Road, Kathmandu. Currently, RSS functions from its central office at Bhadrakali Plaza, Kathmandu.
Govinda Biyogi of the Nepal Sambad Samiti and Manindra Raj Shrestha of Sagarmatha Sambad Samiti have been RSS's founder members.
RSS serves authentic, credible and impartial news and photos to other media outlets in the country from 6 am to 11 pm through its newswire in the best traditions of news agency journalism. It provides with news and photos to around 300 subscribers comprising newspapers, radios, online media and the televisions.
It has arrangements for exchange of news with the reputed international news agencies such as Associated Press (AP) of USA, Agence France Presse (AFP) of France, Xinhua of China, Kyodo of Japan, Press Trust of India and Associated Press of Pakistan among others.
To cater to the need of growing number of televisions and radio services in the country, RSS is going to launch audiovisual services very soon. There are over 200 television channels registered in Nepal, among them around 100 are currently in operation.
The messages received from President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Minister for Communication, Information and Technology Parbat Gurung on the occasion of RSS's diamond jubilee have outlined the importance of the news-agency like RSS.
The messages acknowledge that the role of the news-agency like RSS having a nation-wide network was very important to give impetus to the development and prosperity of the federal democratic republic of Nepal.
In the special event to be organized at the RSS's central office today, Minister for Communication, Information and Technology Parbat Gurung will distribute prizes and awards to the journalists and management employees who have been selected for various awards and under different categories.
RSS has prioritized bringing out the voices of the marginalized communities whilst playing a leading role in further strengthening national unity, sovereignty and integrity.
RSS also has been playing the role of a watchdog by exposing the wrongdoing, anomalies and aberrations in the society as well as in the government performances, ensuring transparency and promoting good-governance. As RSS is not a profit-making venture, it has been service-oriented since its establishment. It has been providing national and international news to the information-conscious readers since 6 decades.
Source: National News Agency Nepal
