KABUL (Pajhwok): More than 50 days into electioneering, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Tuesday warned four media outlets over siding with some candidates.
Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, Farida Nekzad, the IEC media commission head, warned Aina, Dawat, Rah-i-Farda and Bator TV channels against giving undue coverage to certain contenders.
She said they had formally issued notices to the media outlets for giving 90 percent coverage to a single candidate. Without naming the runner, she alleged some other television and radio stations had also shown bias.
She said Nigah, Shamshad, Zhwandoon and Mehar TV channels and Nawa and Amu radio stations gave 50 to 60 percent coverage to a single candidate. The MMC chief asked media outlets to give a fair chance to all provincial candidates to explain their plans and programmes.
She also called on journalists to remain neutral and avoid supporting a particular candidate. She asked media leaders to submit their monthly financial reports on earnings from the election campaign to the commission.
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