50 percent of local journalists lose jobs after Kunduz’s incident

KUNDUZ CITY (SW): One of the consequences of the Kunduz brief fall to the Taliban has been the unemployment of media professionals in the province.

According to Salam Watandar’s findings, 136 staffers worked for some 10 radio, 10 publications, two previously active TV networks but this number has fallen to 37 only.

The findings suggest that most of those who have lost their jobs are female. The findings are based on the interviews Salam Watandar conducted with the heads of local media houses in the province.

These media officials said that insecurity, destruction of the media buildings have been the major causes behind the unemployment among media activists.

Obaid Qazizada, the owner of Roshani Radio and TV station in Kunduz, said that before the province fell to the militants, everything was much better. He said that people would cooperate with the media but since the fall everything has changed for the worse.

Insecurity is one of the major challenges ahead of local media in the province. The evil of insecurity besides affecting media, has led to the significant decrease in women’s activities in the media.

Qazizada said that many of the media activists have imposed self-censorship due to their safety.

Zarghona Hassan, Director of Kaihan Radio in Kunduz, said that local media has lost trust in security institutions and that was why the number of female staffers in the media has dwindled.

On women’s presence in the media institutions, she further said that before the brief fall of the province, there were 20 female employees working in Radio Kaihan but now that number has decreased to only 3.

In the past, it was international organization, which were considered as the mainstay for the media since they implement their plans but now that many international organization gone, they have halted their ties with the local media.

Mohammad Saber Yousufi, Head of Local Media Association in Kunduz said that except for Salam Watandar office, which provides technical assistances to local radio stations, no other institution offer them any assistance.

Asadullah Omarkheyl, Governor of Kunduz, said on this regard that the security situation in the province has been improving and the government is fully committed to support freedom of speech and media activities.

ENDS