The government in Nepal has banned both cigarette and alcohol advertising on radio and television as part of its campaign to improve the population's health.

A number of countries have halted cigarette advertising, but Nepal is among very few which have also imposed a ban on alcohol commercials.

The World Health Organisation has backed the move, but the Nepali media authorities are worried by their impending loss of revenue from advertisements.

They're demanding compensation.

Correspondents say the media may get a sympathetic hearing because both the country's largest radio station and its only television station are state controlled.