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New Afghan Local Radio Station Starts Test Broadcasts in North

Posted on: Monday, 18 July 2005, 06:00 CDT

Text of report by Afghan independent Aina TV on 17 July

[Presenter] A local radio station has started broadcasting its programmes in Sheberghan [the capital of northern Jowzjan Province]. This radio is to broadcast its regular programmes for four hours during the day within the framework of Jowzjan government television.

[Correspondent] This radio is called Radio Jowzjan and it has been set up with the financial support of the BBC. It has a 500W transmitter. According to officials, at present it can cover a radius of 20-30 km as a result of some equipment shortages. When this equipment is supplied, it will cover a radius of 60-80 km.

The inauguration of this local radio station was attended by the governor and leaders of Jowzjan Administration, the heads of government departments, a number of media officials and people who are involved in cultural affairs.

Mohammad Yasin Khamoush, the head of Jowzjan Radio and Television Department, said: Our country has left behind a quiet phase and entered a new one. The 12 officials from the Jowzjan Radio and Television Department involved in improving the programmes of state- run television have voluntarily undertaken responsibility for Jowzjan Radio as well.

In a part of his speech, Jowzjan Province Governor Roz Mohammad Nur thanked the officials of Jowzjan Television and said: Government radio and television channels mostly broadcast reports about the government's activities. Every effort should be made to reflect the truth.

He also called on national traders to set up private radio and television stations and to play a greater part in the reconstruction of their country.

The Jowzjan governor said that the presence of a free media and television channels would help society to move towards democracy. Honouring the media is honouring the people.

Afterwards, Azimollah Rahmanyar, the head of the Jowzjan Province Information, Culture and Tourism Department, talked about the importance of radio and television stations in terms of raising people's awareness and reflecting the true state of society. He said that there would be close cooperation between the Jowzjan Information, Culture and Tourism Department and the Radio and Television Department.

Later on, the Jowzjan governor and other officials inaugurated Jowzjan's local radio by cutting a ribbon. Ali Mohammad, the technician in charge of Jowzjan Radio and Television, told Aina TV:

[Ali Mohammad] The newly-inaugurated radio station has a 500W transmitter. Unfortunately, as a result of some shortages and the fact the height of the antenna is 32 metres, it can only provide 250W power, which covers a radius of 20-30 km. If we could use the full 500W of power, it could broadcast programmes over a radius of 60-80 km. At present, we are in the test phase. It will broadcast programmes in national languages such as Dari, Pashto, Uzbek and Turkmen."

Source: BBC Monitoring South Asia

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