Nepal charges Everest climber Hughes with violating broadcasting rules

Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Aviation has charged Mt. Everest climber Daniel Hughes with violating broadcasting rules while making a video call from the summit without permission.

The Nepalese officials have called Hughes' expedition leader David Hamilton for an inquiry into why Hughes used his smartphone for making a video call without a permit while still at the summit, the BBC reports.

Dipendra Poudel from the mountain section of Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Aviation has said that the mountaineering rules entail that for a live telecast from the mountain, the climber needs to get a permit first and inform the authority about the same prior to using the technology.

However, the report said that the rules and regulations regarding broadcasting in Nepal have lagged behind developments in technology as many people like Hughes are now filming short video clips on their smartphones and posting them to personal websites. But the concern remains whether or not short video clips are also to be categorized under commercial broadcasting.

Hamilton said that he was trying to reach an amicable settlement with the ministry, as he had been operating in Nepal for the past 20 years without infringing local laws and sensibilities.

Hamilton further added that the mountaineering rules are still grey as far as shooting short video clips are concerned.

BBC's former Nepal correspondent, Joanna Jolly, agrees with Hamilton and said that the incident demonstrates that Nepal's broadcasting regulations have not kept up with technological progress.