Media outlets in Nangarhar are facing a challenging time, leaving them with the risk of being closed over lack of budget.
At least 10 TV networks and radio stations have been closed in the province over the last year, media owners said.
Shafiqullah Rahmani, the head of the Independent Radio Stations’ Association in the province, said on Tuesday that there were 20 private radio stations in Nangarhar during the previous government, but 13 are active now.
Rahmani said that seven radio starions, three TV networks and many print media have been closed in Nangarhar since last year due to lack of financial resources.
He said that dozens of female and male journalists have lost their jobs due to the closure of the media outlets.
“Under the previous government, the media sector was active… The remaining media outlets will be closed if they are not supported,” he told Amu.
Media owners also complained about the high taxes imposed on them by the Taliban, saying most of them are unable to pay the high taxes and this will make them to decide to stop their operations.
Mohammad Gulab Tawheed, head of Islah Voice Radio in Nangarhar, said he will resume his activities if he is supported financially by the Taliban.
Media workers in the province said many journalists have lost their jobs and are facing economic challenges after the closure of media outlets in Nangarhar.
Samiullah, a journalist, said he works for free for a radio station in Nangarhar over the past year.
He added that he will leave his job if the situartion continues.
“I worked here under the previous government. I had a salary but now I have nothing. I worked for free for a year and I do not receive any payment,” he added.
Figures by the Afghanistan Journalists Federation show that 48 percent of media outlets in the country have been closed over the past year.
The federation said that 204 out of 305 radio stations are operating in Afghanistan.
There were 105 TV networks under the republic government, and now 78 of them are active, the federation said.
According to the association, 68 percent of media workers have lost their jobs or have left the country since August 2021.
