Why Nepal’s Clean Feed Policy Needs a Serious Reboot

A few years ago, Nepal introduced something that sounded like a very positive move for the country’s media and advertising industry: the clean feed policy. The idea was quite simple. Foreign TV channels broadcasting in Nepal should not show foreign advertisements. For years, during ad breaks, we were shown Indian ads and commercials that were often not even meant for the Nepali market. A Nepali viewer would watch a foreign channel, and the advertisements would be targeted at Indian consumers. Clean feed was supposed to change that.

The goal was not just to remove irrelevant ads from TV. The bigger vision was to protect and grow Nepal’s own advertising ecosystem. If multinational FMCG companies, tech brands, automobile brands, and other major advertisers wanted to reach Nepali consumers, they would ideally have to create advertisements for Nepal.

That means Nepali actors could get work. Nepali models could get work. Local production houses could get projects. Cinematographers, editors, sound designers, light technicians, makeup artists, voice artists, freelancers, and agencies could all benefit. In a country where the creative economy is still underdeveloped, clean feed had the potential to create real employment. And honestly, that was a fantastic idea.

What Clean Feed Actually Means

There is one important clarification, though. Clean feed does not technically mean that a foreign TV channel must replace Indian ads with Nepali ads inside the same broadcast. Clean feed means foreign channels should be broadcast in Nepal without advertisements.

The economic assumption was that once foreign ads were removed, brands would no longer get “free” exposure in Nepal through Indian feeds. If they wanted to advertise to Nepali consumers, they would have to spend money locally through Nepali TV channels, Nepali digital platforms, Nepali creators, cinema halls, outdoor media, or other local advertising channels.

So the policy was less about inserting Nepali ads into foreign channels and more about redirecting advertising money into Nepal’s own media economy.

When Was It Implemented?

Nepal first introduced the clean feed concept around 2016. Later, it was backed by the Advertisement Regulation Act, 2076. Full implementation came around October 2020, which was during the Covid period.

At that time, there was a lot of debate. Advertising agencies welcomed it. Cable operators and foreign broadcasters were not very happy. Some channels even stopped broadcasting for a while because they were not ready to provide clean feeds for Nepal. But eventually, the policy came into effect.

The Promise Was Big

Nepal has a small but talented creative industry. We have actors, singers, influencers, directors, videographers, production teams, editors, agencies, designers, writers, and content creators who are capable of making good advertisements. But the market has always been limited.

If a big multinational brand can reach Nepali consumers simply by airing an Indian ad through foreign channels, why would it spend additional money to create a Nepali campaign? That was the core problem clean feed wanted to solve.

A Nepali ad means the language fits. The faces are relatable. The setting feels local. The campaign can understand Nepali culture, festivals, buying behavior, humor, lifestyle, and emotion. It also means the money stays inside Nepal.

Instead of paying for Indian ad inventory and indirectly promoting another country’s media ecosystem, brands would have to work with Nepali agencies and creators. That is good for business. That is good for employment. That is good for the economy. And it is good for cultural representation.

But What Happened in Reality?

The problem is that the policy never seemed to reach its full potential. In many foreign channels, instead of seeing Nepali ads, viewers simply saw blank ad breaks, repeated promos, channel teasers, or filler content. Sports viewers especially noticed this. During major events like IPL or Premier League broadcasts, the ad breaks often did not become a space for Nepali advertising. They became empty space. So from the viewer’s perspective, the policy felt incomplete.

Yes, foreign ads were reduced. But the expected boom in Nepali advertising did not happen at the scale people imagined. The government created a strong policy, but the ecosystem around it was not properly developed. There was no strong marketplace, no clear pricing reform, no aggressive support for local production, and no consistent enforcement that could force brands and broadcasters to take the Nepali market seriously.

Why Did It Not Work Properly?

There are a few reasons. First, TV advertising in Nepal is still considered expensive by many brands. If the cost of placing ads is too high, brands will simply avoid TV and move to digital platforms instead.

Second, consumer attention has shifted. YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and digital media now take a large chunk of advertising money. For many brands, digital ads are easier to target, easier to measure, and more flexible than TV.

Third, enforcement has been inconsistent. A law only works when it is monitored properly. If foreign ads, dubbed ads, or non-compliant broadcasts continue without serious consequences, brands and broadcasters will not take the rule seriously.

Fourth, there seems to be confusion about what counts as a foreign ad, what counts as a dubbed ad, and where the rule applies. TV is the main area of clean feed, but the broader advertisement law also raises questions about dubbed foreign ads in Nepali media.

And fifth, Nepal did not create enough incentive for brands to produce high-quality local advertisements. A strict rule alone is not enough. The government also needs to make the local ad market efficient, reasonably priced, transparent, and attractive.

The Dubbed Ad Problem 

If the goal was to promote Nepali production, then simply dubbing an Indian ad into Nepali does not solve the problem. A dubbed ad may use Nepali language, but the production money does not go to Nepali creators. 

Of course, cinema advertising and TV clean feed may not be exactly the same regulatory category. But from the perspective of Nepal’s creative economy, the issue is similar. 

The New Loophole: Digital and Cinema Ads

The original clean feed debate was mostly about television. But in 2026, the bigger question is: what about YouTube ads, Facebook ads, cinema hall ads, mall screens, and digital campaigns targeted at Nepali consumers?

If a multinational brand cannot show a Hindi ad on a foreign TV channel in Nepal, but can still run the same Indian ad dubbed into Nepali on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or before a movie at QFX, then the spirit of the policy is clearly being bypassed.

Advertising has changed a lot since then. Today, brands do not need TV alone to reach Nepali consumers. In fact, many brands now reach more people through social media, YouTube, influencers, cinema halls, digital billboards, and online platforms.

So the question is simple: should the rule only apply to TV, or should the same principle apply to all major advertising platforms that target Nepali consumers?

This is where the government and the Advertisement Board need to give clear direction.

If a foreign brand is running a Nepali-targeted ad campaign, simply dubbing an Indian ad into Nepali should not be considered enough. It may technically use the Nepali language, but it does not create meaningful value for Nepal’s creative industry. It does not give jobs to Nepali actors. It does not hire Nepali production teams. It does not involve Nepali directors, cinematographers, editors, sound artists, writers, agencies, or creators.

And that is the loophole. If clean feed only controls TV while allowing dubbed foreign ads to freely run on other platforms, then the policy becomes outdated. It solves yesterday’s problem but ignores today’s advertising reality.

Of course, social media platforms are harder to regulate because they are global platforms. A brand can run ads from India, target Nepal, and reach Nepali users directly. But that does not mean Nepal should ignore the issue completely. At the very least, the government should create clear guidelines for brands, agencies, and platforms operating in Nepal.

Should Clean Feed Still Exist?

In my opinion, yes. Clean feed should exist. In fact, it should be strengthened.

But it should not be implemented blindly. The government should not just block ads and leave empty space. That does not help anyone. The policy should be redesigned in a practical way so that it benefits consumers, creators, media companies, and brands at the same time.

Instead of “no ads at all” becoming the final outcome, the government should help build a reasonable local advertising ecosystem.

If TV ad rates are too expensive, make them more reasonable. If brands do not understand the benefit of local production, educate and incentivize them. If foreign companies are using Nepali consumers as a market, make sure some part of their advertising investment comes back into Nepal’s creative economy.

A reasonable ad market is better than an empty ad market.

If prices are practical, many brands can afford to advertise. Large international brands definitely can. These companies make significant revenue from Nepal. If they can sell products here, they can also invest in proper Nepali campaigns.

What the Government Should Do Now

The government should review the current status of clean feed and ask a few direct questions.

• Are foreign channels still showing ads in Nepal?
• Are Nepali media platforms broadcasting dubbed foreign ads?
• Are cinema halls showing dubbed foreign advertisements?
• Are brands running dubbed Indian ads on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, targeting Nepali consumers?
• Are multinational brands investing enough in local production?
• Are local agencies, artists, and production houses actually benefiting from the policy?
• Are TV ad rates too high for brands?
• Is the Advertisement Board actively monitoring violations?
• Do current rules clearly apply to digital ads and cinema advertising?

The new government has a chance to revisit this issue seriously. Clean feed may not be the biggest national issue, but it connects with employment, media sustainability, cultural identity, local business, and the creator economy. Nepal talks a lot about creating jobs. This is one area where policy can directly create jobs.