Voice of America’s popular nightly news program TV Ashna will stay on the air in Afghanistan for another five years under the terms of a new contract signed this week by VOA and Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), the government broadcasting organization.
VOA Director Designate David Ensor told reporters at the signing ceremony in Kabul that he was “delighted that there is a new contract” that extends the partnership between VOA and RTA. Under the agreement, RTA broadcasts the VOA program.
TV Ashna, a one-hour VOA news broadcast in the Dari and Pashto languages, has gained a growing audience in Afghanistan with its dynamic interviews, news and sports reporting. The program airs six nights a week, Saturday through Thursday.
Ensor, who is currently Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, thanked RTA for its cooperation with VOA, saying both organizations are committed to freedom of the media and quality reporting on issues that matter to Afghanistan.
In addition to news from Afghanistan and the region, TV Ashna reports on U.S. and international developments, including extensive coverage of the uprisings in the Middle East and world reaction to the death of Osama bin Laden.
VOA Dari and Pashto websites have also grown in popularity over the past three years and the content is delivered through mobile browsers, on social media sites including Facebook and Twitter, and a daily email news summary offered to subscribers.
For the latest international news or for more information about VOA and its programs, visit www.voanews.com.