Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN) Refutes Claims of Corruption in Government Advertising

The Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN) has issued a formal statement expressing serious concern over recent news reports and press releases regarding alleged financial irregularities in government advertising.

The association specifically addressed a report titled "3 Billion Missing in Government Advertising" and a subsequent statement by Nepal Republic Media Ltd., labeling the claims as baseless and lacking legal or statistical evidence. AAN asserted that such "misleading" information creates unnecessary confusion among the public and stakeholders, tarnishing the image of the entire advertising industry.

AAN emphasized that while media houses have a duty to expose wrongdoing, spreading unverified rumors against fellow agencies and media outlets violates professional ethics. The association further highlighted that the lack of a scientific basis for advertising rates has led to unhealthy competition. To combat this, AAN previously facilitated a minimum rate agreement between major media societies.

The statement concluded by urging media houses to uphold journalistic integrity and calling on advertisers and agencies to rely only on factual information, noting that any genuine irregularities should be handled through proper legal and constitutional channels.