KUNAR - The first privately-run television station of Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province started its regular broadcast earlier this week on Saturday, 26 January, bringing the number of TV channels in the province to two.

The Zala Television is an addition to the Kunar-based Zala (shining) media group which has been running a radio station since 2007. The only other television channel is the state broadcaster RTA.

According to Shakib Sanin, a young journalist who owns the media group, said the Zala TV started its regular broadcast after testing for two months.

The new TV channel, which broadcasts for seven hours in Pashto and Dari languages, can be viewed in most parts of Kunar and some parts of Nuristan, said Mr. Sanin.

Besides the TV channels, Kunar has nine radio stations (one state-run, five private and three run by the Provincial Reconstruction Team) and two magazines published by the Office of the Provincial Governor.

By UNAMA Jalalabad