HBC FM goes off air as employees continue strike

HBC 94 FM, a Kathmandu-based private radio station, suspended its transmission from 6:00 pm Tuesday as the employees continued their strike.

Agitating employees told Nepalnews that the management pulled the station off air without any prior notice. The FM's management, which is refusing to negotiate with the agitating employees, blocked the signals from its transmission tower based at Halchowk.

They claimed that the “abrupt suspension” of transmission was intended at thwarting their strike.

The agitating employees had locked out the administration department in the afternoon and have announced a sit-in at the main gate of the FM station at Bouddha Wednesday.

FM's managers were not available for comments over the standoff.

Majority of the employees at the FM station have been agitating under the banner of Republican Radio Workers Forum from last week demanding better wages, appointment letters and insurance.

HBC (Himalayan Broadcasting Corporation) FM, launched in 1999, covers entertainment and news-based programmes. nepalnews.com mk Aug 07 07