KHOST - A private independent Chenar radio station officially started transmission in Khost province on Sunday, 17 February.

Since the presence of international community in 2001, media has been evolving fast in Khost province. Before the establishment of Chenar radio, there were six independent radio stations including Sole Pegham radio, Woles Ghag radio, Zwan Ghag radio, Helo Karwan radio, Killid radio and Nan FM. A number of print media is also present in the province. The establishment of Cheenar radio station is another step towards media development in the province, the new Cheenar radio Executive Director Mohammad Ghafoor Mahdi said.

Cheenar radio Broadcasting Manager, Sabawoon Stori Mahdi, said that the radio has started to broadcast various programmes such as political, social, cultural, economic, entertainment and religious affairs since the last two months for 17 hours daily.

During the opening ceremony, Khost Governor, Abdul Jabar Naeemi, requested journalists and civil society members to support the peace and reconciliation programme and security transition by giving positive message to the society through their reports and programmes.

“Social problems will be resolved and gap between the people and government will be bridged, if the media perform according to its recognized norms and principles, respect national values and interests and adding that it is more influential in developed states but not in developing world mainly because it is unprofessional and immature,” Governor Naeemi added.

The 1 kilowatt 89.8 MHz Cheenar radio broadcasts only in Pashto language and is reachable in all districts of Khost as well as some of the neighboring provinces including Paktya, Paktika and Nangarhar. The programmes can also be listened in North and South Waziristan, Mir Ali, Dera Ismail Khan, Hango, Kohat and Kuram agency of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Pakistan, Mr Sabawoon explained.

Beside RTA Khost and Gharghash private TV, there are Kabul-based radio and TV stations relayed and reachable in Khost. They are RTA, Arman radio, Aryana radio and Arakozia radio, Shamshad TV, Aryana TV, Lemar TV and Tolo TVs, said Mohammad Amin Shah Olfat, provincial Director of Information and Culture Affairs.

Source: Rohi Web (Paktya)