5 August 2005
Afghan Journalists Face Increasing Threats
2 August 2005
A survey by Internews Afghanistan says journalists in the country are facing increasing harassment for doing their jobs, most of it from warlords and government officials.
According to the 2005 survey, 54 per cent of Afghan radio journalists have been intimidated for reporting on the presidential and parliamentary elections. Threats range from physical violence and prohibitive laws to self-censorship. Seventy per cent of these threats are initiated by warlords and local government authorities.
The survey also reveals that 60 per cent of all Afghan media (radio, TV and print) is run by volunteers who receive no salary. Half of all independent radio stations operate entirely on advertising revenue, while only two per cent of state radio stations operate on such funds.
Of the 120 journalists surveyed, an overwhelming majority said the emergence of new media outlets has created an atmosphere of pluralism and increased citizens' ability and capacity to construct transparent and accountable governance.
For more details, see:
http://www.internews.org/news/2005/20050727_afghan.html
To read the survey, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/cl6jn
RSS