Two Ariana News journalists get ‘reporter of the year’ award

Two Ariana News journalists have been recognized as ‘best reporter of the year’ in this year’s Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) awards.

In total 22 journalists, presenters and photographers were selected as winners for 1402 solar year.

Ariana News’ reporters honored were Farhanaz Faribarz and Nusratullah Ibrahimi.

“It was an incentive program for journalists, because journalists work with many problems in these conditions and work hard to improve the situation in Afghanistan, and this is a good step,” said Nusratullah Ibrahimi, Ariana News reporter.

Attending the award ceremony, a number of journalists spoke of the difficulties faced by workers in the industry but said they are committed to delivering fair and unbiased news.

“The request of all of us journalists from the Ministry of Information and Culture is that the media law and in the area of access to information works should be done with the media, and the media is also a partner with you, and an atmosphere of trust should prevail; it is our request that this atmosphere of trust must be established in Afghanistan between the government and the media,” said Mujeeburahman Baheer, a journalist.

“I hope and expect that there will be a day when these journalists can meet the leader of the Islamic Emirate closely and share their problems with him, and we the officials to convey this request to him,” said Faridullah Mohammadi, a journalist.

Officials of the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) say that regimes always have a critical view of the media, but the media in Afghanistan is becoming more professional.

According to the AIJA, awards have been distributed to media workers based on professional journalistic standards.

“There has always been a view from the regime towards journalists and the media community. I assure the Islamic Emirate that our media society is moving towards professionalism,” said Hojatullah Mujadadi, the head of Afghanistan Free Journalists’ Association.

A number of government officials also spoke at the event and said the government was committed to supporting the media and accepts some of the challenges facing the media.

“We have to work, our young journalists should not be tired, and the world is against us,” said Naeem-ul-haq Haqqani, the head of the government’s information and media center.