Two newly-licensed broadcasters are gearing up to get on the airwaves. The Image Channel says it plans to be on your television screens by Dasain (15 October), starting with two-three hours of broadcasting a day and slowly growing to seven hours daily. Kantipur Television is looking at a premiering date towards the end of the year. Kantipur says it is looking at a lead time of 8-10 months before beginning its broadcasts.

Image Channel Metro TV, which has been broadcasting on airtime leased from Nepal Television for the last four years, says it will have Rs 100 million as authorised capital (including investments already made). KTV has an authorised capital of Rs 500 million and several co-financiers, including successful Nepali entrepreneurs in Russia and the former Soviet republics. KTV, which is owned by Kantipur, the largest FM broadcaster and newspaper group, says it will go national over three years.