3Sport, the only sports TV channel in the country, stopped functioning after nearly one decade due to the economic crisis as well as the imposition of restrictions, said the organization's head.
“The main reason for the halt in 3Sport operations was the restrictions being imposed on all media and specifically 3Sport,” said Shafiqullah Saleem Poya, head of the organization, to TOLOnews on Sunday. “The media has been struggling with other problems in the social, economic and political areas also.”
According to Poya, 3Sport made tremendous achievements in the promotion of sports for nearly a decade in Afghanistan. He said that the employees working at the channel have now become jobless.
“When a journalist goes to an event to cover it ... he/she undoubtedly faces restrictions,” he said.
More than 150 media organizations have stopped operating in nearly two months, according to reported figures.
“Restrictions, and economic troubles in Afghanistan are creating a severe situation for the media community,” said, Masroor Lutfi, a member of the Afghanistan National Journalists Union.
A former anchor of 3Sport, Zabiullah Shahzad, hoped that the channel's operation would resume.
“You know that the people in Afghanistan seriously need sports and sporting events and to watch sports events,” he said.
Media activists and watchdogs said that if the ongoing situation is not solved, many more media organizations would stop operating.
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