kabul [Afghanistan], Jan. 1 (ANI): In 2022, many local media outlets in Afghanistan face financial difficulties. According to TOLO News, at least 10 media outlets in Kabul and the provinces have been shut down, according to watchdog groups.
TOLO News reported: “Two TV networks, seven radio stations and one news organization are among the media organizations that will cease operations in 2022. Many journalists lost their jobs after the media organizations closed.”
“In 2022, we are witnessing the decline of the media and sadly many of our colleagues have lost their jobs,” said Farhad Behroz, vice-chairman of the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA).
Radio Azadi or Radio Free Europe and Voice of America reported on December 1 that the Islamic Emirate had stopped broadcasting in Afghanistan.
According to the Taliban, broadcasting has been stopped due to the cancellation of the contract with Radio/Television Afghanistan (RTA).
Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said: “The issue belongs to the Ministry of Information and Culture. Contracts were canceled on both sides, so broadcasting was stopped.”
Another broadcaster, Nargis Radio, ceased broadcasting due to financial difficulties. Many citizens lost their jobs.
Shafiqullah Rahmani, former manager of Radio Nargis in Nangarhar, once said: “Radio Nargis has ceased operations due to economic problems.”
According to TOLO News, a report by the regulator revealed that 86 incidents of harassment of journalists were reported in 2022.
According to reporters, they will not have access to key information in 2022.
TOLO News quoted journalist Masiullah Ahmadi as saying: “The media cannot get information from the sources they are supposed to receive information from. This in itself has led to the closure of media outlets.”
The Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan under the Taliban caretaker regime has established a media violations committee to address problems faced by the media.
Some members of the committee are expected to be women. The plan was later cancelled.
“On November 30, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture said access to information laws related to media groups had been shared with Islamic Emirate Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada,” TOLO News reported.
“The decision was that all problems faced by media outlets should be addressed through one address, especially the Ministry of Information and Culture,” said Muhajir Farahi, the Taliban’s deputy minister of information and culture.
Currently, Afghanistan has 83 television networks, 213 radio stations, 28 news agencies and 20 print media. Some 225 media outlets in Afghanistan have ceased operations due to economic problems and government-imposed restrictions. (Arnie)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)