Women anchors return to Afghan TV
They are reporting from the studio and streets
Photo: Afghanurdu.news
TOLOnews, Afghanistan’s 24/7 news channel, has resumed its broadcast with women anchors on the second day of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
“Our female presenter is interviewing a Taliban media team member live in our studio,” tweeted Miraqa Popal, head of news at TOLOnews.
We resumed our broadcast with female anchors today.@TOLOnews #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/YLqtJEYceL
— Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) August 17, 2021
Many people, including journalists, have been taken aback by the broadcast. They praised the anchor and called her a “symbol of bravery, determination and dedication”.
Women are not only reporting from the studio, but the streets of Kabul as well.
Hasiba Atakpal and Zahra Rahimi our female journalists is reporting live from #Kabul city. @Zahra77839989@TOLOnews #Afghanistan #Taliban pic.twitter.com/tz0LPlO3Hd
— Miraqa Popal (@MiraqaPopal) August 17, 2021
Journalists are hoping for “real freedom of speech”.
CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward reported from Kabul in a burqa after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the Taliban swept into the capital. She remarked she had never thought she would see “scores of Taliban fighters” outside the US embassy.
CNN’s @clarissaward reports on what Afghanistan looks like as the Taliban take over.https://t.co/pJuaHC3iBC pic.twitter.com/zx9shFE8Lj
— New Day (@NewDay) August 16, 2021
Media freedom has been a hot debate on social media after the Taliban takeover, especially for women journalists.
A news anchor told The Guardian that she worked for years raising the voice of Afghan women, but she saw her efforts crumble with the Taliban’s return to power.
“In the last 24 hours, our lives have changed and we have been confined to our homes, and death threatens us at every moment.”
The Taliban swept into Kabul 20 years after they were ousted from the capital by the US and its western allies. They are expected to proclaim the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, according to international news websites.
