Govt body starts probing ‘immoral broadcasts’

JALALABAD (PAN): A government oversight commission tasked with investigating complaints accusing some local radio and TV stations of broadcasting “illegal and immoral programmes” has started its activities in eastern Nangarhar province.

Deputy information and culture director Sher Shah Hamdard, who heads the commission, told Pajhwok Afghan News some people had lodged their complaints with the Information and Culture Department and the governor’s house against some media outlets.

In the complaints, some local radio and TV stations have been accused of producing programmes against law and moral standards, he said.

Hamdard said they would visit each radio and TV station to closely monitor their activities in line with relevant laws.

“We will take legal action against radio and TV stations found guilty of airing programmes against our Islamic and cultural values,” he said.

Hamdard conceded some media outlets aired “immoral and substandard broadcasts,” citing their own observation.

He said they would mount legal pressure on such outlets to stop airing programmes that ran counter to social standards.

As part of their investigation, Hamdard said radio and TV channels lacking licences would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Rahmatullah Zeyarmal, the Independent Journalists and Writers Association secretary, confirmed some radio and TV stations had been observed disseminating immorality.

He said they had held talks with officials of such radio and TV channels, advicing them against airing certain programmes.

“It is the job of the information and culture department to oversee media outlets and the formation of a commission to perform the task is a result of recent reports by Pajhwok and other news outlets,” he said.

Zeyarmal called the investigation a positive step toward identifying immoral programmes, saying local and foreign media had a role in exposing such broadcasts and drawing the government’s attention in this regard.

A Taban TV official in Nangarhar, Akmal Zahir, hoped the commission would be able to stop immoral broadcasts by a handful of outlets. He said there were many broadcast media outlets in Nangarhar, but a few were involved in spreading immorality and earning a bad name to the rest.

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