Media outlets financially suffered due to Covid-19

KABUL (Pajhwok): Representatives of media outlets on Thursday demanded financial support from the government and the international community after suffering financial losses due to the outbreak of coronavirus

In a meeting held at the Ministry of Information and Cultural, representatives of several media organizations discussed the current and post-coronavirus situations.

Abdul Manan Shewa, broadcasting secretary of the information ministry, said coronavirus reshaped things worldwide and Afghanistan was not an exception.

He asked media outlets to form a uniform strategy for resolution of their problems to the Information Ministry.

He said the ministry would take steps to resolve problems of media outlets after conducting a review of their joint strategy.

Shewa said the Journalist Support Fund could not be used transparently and assured that problems in this regard would be addressed.

Javid Hamim Kakar, senior editor at Pajhwok Afghan News, while referring to the challenges posed by coronavirus, said their organization also suffered financially due to the outbreak of the virus.

He said most of media outlets were unable to pay salaries of their staff-members, therefore many workers were relieved from job.

He asked the government and the international community to provide financial support to Afghan media outlets in order to be compensated for the financial crisis they incurred during the outbreak of coronavirus.

Mujeeb Mehrdad, in-charge of Hasht-e-Subh newspaper, said during the outbreak of coronavirus, media outlets suffered huge losses.

He asked the government to provide a balanced and indiscriminately support to media outlets.

nh/ma