Several of Nepal's private radio stations began news broadcasts on Friday in defiance of a government ban after a Supreme Court ruling earlier this week ordered that one station closed under the rule be allowed to resume operations.
At least 16 private stations across the Himalayan nation were broadcasting news and current events programmes, said Ghamraj Luitel, spokesman for the Save Independent Radio Movement, formed by the protesting stations.
"The Supreme Court decision has opened the door for us. More station will resume news soon," Luitel said.
The government imposed the news ban as part of a wider media crackdown imposed by King Gyanendra after he seized power on February 1.
Nepal has 47 private radio stations, most of which aired news programs prior to the government ban.
The Supreme Court earlier this week told Nepal's royalist government to immediately suspend the closure of one of the private radio stations that defied a ban on broadcasting news.
The court issued an order on Wednesday directing the government to allow Nepal FM to reopen.
Nepal FM, along with two other private radio stations defied the ban by broadcasting news reports over the past month.
