KABUL (SW) – Nearly a century since radio was introduced in Afghanistan, the broadcast medium remains popular despite phenomenal changes in the modes of mass communications.
The radio was first launched in Afghanistan in the 1920s during the reign of Shah Amanullah Khan. Since then, the medium has gone through a series of twisted paths with the passage of time and the changes in the country’s political systems.
Recently, the change in the country’s political system from a republic to the Islamic Emirate has its own impacts.
The fall of the previous government and the rise of the Islamic Emirate forced radio stations to continue operating within the “framework of Islamic law” in accordance with the new government’s guidelines.
Concerns remain that such restrictions have led to drop in the number of media outlets, especially radio stations.
Jamil Waqar, a member of the Committee to Protect Journalists, told Salam Watandar that about half of the radio stations had been shut down in the past six months. According to him, 50% of media workers on radio networks have also quit jobs.
Waqar added that before these developments, some 320 radio stations were active in different provinces of the country, but in the last six months this number has decreased to only around 200 media outlets.
Local radio station managers in the provinces also emphasized that the political developments have had a negative impact on their activities.
According to them, due to restrictions imposed by the Islamic Emirate and the financial problems, dozens of media outlets have stopped broadcasting and a large number of media workers have lost their jobs.
On the other hand, many Afghan citizens say that they still enjoy and prefer listening to radio for several hours as many people cannot read or access other mediums of communication and information.
According to reports, with the rise to power of the Islamic Emirate and the imposition of many restrictions, some 70% of the media houses have been affected.
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