Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture reported that 200 radio stations are now operating across the country.
According to this ministry, 44 radio stations have stopped operating due to economic problems in the past 18 months.
“There are now more than 200 operating radio stations in Afghanistan. After the Islamic Emirate came to power, 44 radio stations ceased operations,” said Abdulhaq Hemad, director of Publications of the Ministry of Information and Culture.
However, the Afghan Independent Journalists Union said in a statement that 1,900 journalists and media workers have lost their jobs since the Islamic Emirate came to power, over 1000 of them are women.
“1,900 employees, including 1,075 women, lost their employment,” said Hujatullah Mujaddidi, head of the Afghan Independent Journalists Union.
Meanwhile, some media representatives requested that the Islamic Emirate assist journalists in getting access to information.
“We might have faced some issues when we wanted to cooperate with the government on some issues, and we need particular information to make accessible to the people,” said Mansour Muwahed, the director of Arman Radio.
“Radio is the best medium. We hear about an earthquake and know what is happing in the nation,” said Namatullah, a Kabul resident.
The radio first started airing in Afghanistan in 1926 under the name Kabul Radio. Later, the name was changed to Afghanistan Radio.
“The daughter of Mahmud Tarzi was one of the first girls who came to Afghanistan Radio with her burqa and covered the program,” said Faqir Miwand, the former senior adviser of the Ministry of Information and Culture.
