MEDIA

Introduction:

After nearly a quarter of a century of suppression at the hands of successive regimes, the Afghan media is considered one of the most vital of the areas currently under reconstruction.
The new administration is improving media development in Afghanistan to promote the free exchange of information and ideas vital to the democratic process and development of civil society. It is building the capacity of local, state and independent broadcast media through technical support, equipment upgrade, hands-on training in balanced and accurate reporting and development of an Afghan media policy and regularity framework. Media includes:

• Broadcasting
• Print Media
• Electronic Media
• Publication
• Internet

BROADCASTING:

With the principles of free speech enshrined in the new Afghan constitution, the task of rebuilding the broadcasting sector is central to the new government's stated aim of an independent and pluralistic media

Overview:

Afghanistan’s first radio station was established in 1925 during the reign of King Amanullah Khan. Known initially as Radio Kabul, it later went national and was renamed Radio Afghanistan. Closed from 1929 to 1937, it was re-established by the Marconi Company, with outdoor loudspeakers installed in many towns in order to spread the message of the Koran, foster unity and promote education. By the mid 1960s the radio was providing entertainment programming, including music, but all programming was strictly controlled. Broadcasting was carried out through the medium of the national languages of Pashto and Dari, except during the Soviet times when minority languages were also used. The national television station Television Afghanistan began broadcasting in 1977.
Under Taliban rule Afghanistan's media was seriously restricted. Radio Afghanistan was renamed Radio Voice of Shari'ah (Islamic law) to reflect the Islamic fundamentalist values of the Taliban, and Television Afghanistan was closed down as a source of moral corruption. Radio Afghanistan returned to the airwaves on 13 November 2001 after the Taliban deserted the capital. A week later Television Afghanistan resumed broadcasting with a news bulletin read by a woman.

Radio Stations:

Radio Afghanistan currently broadcasts 18 hours per day, seven hours of which is on MW and SW and reaches 50 per cent of the country. The rest is broadcast on FM in Kabul. Outside Kabul there are some 18 provincial radio stations, but since there is no satellite link between them and the capital, these rely largely on tapes sent by Radio Afghanistan.
In a country with a 70-80% illiteracy rate, educational programming is a crucially important aspect of Radio Afghanistan's work, and this is currently being developed with a particular focus on the empowerment of women. In the meantime agencies such as UNESCO and the BBC World Service Trust are working with Radio Afghanistan to upgrade its equipment and retrain its staff.
Two other FM radio stations are operational in Kabul, however, both are run by organizations based outside of the country

Radio Afghanistan Mazar e Sharif:

Radio Afghanistan Mazar e Sharif was the first to transmit news during the Taliban regime, even though most of the cable had been stolen to sell to Pakistan. It is on air for four to six hours every day, reporting on politics, law, education and culture and also broadcasting entertainment serials.

Radio Rabi’a Balkhi

Radio Rabi’a Balkhi is a privately owned community radio station that transmits from two to three hours a day. It is supported by IMPACS, a Canadian civil society NGO, with equipment from the ‘radio in a suitcase’ project.

Arman FM 98.1:

In late 2002 the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $228,922 and the logistics necessary to Moby Capital Brothers to jump start Kabul's first private, independent FM radio station, Arman FM. Moby Capital matched USAID's funds and was able to begin broadcasting on 16 April 2003. Arman FM 98.1 offers entertainment programmes in Dari and Pashtu. Both male and female DJs give news reports and play Afghan, Indian and Pakistani music. Some initial negative responses to women on the airwaves and the use of colloquial language has been overcome and the station now has a large following.

Kabul Radio:

Radio Kabul transmits to Kabul Province (two stations), and also has its own programme-recording studio.

Radio Afghanistan:

The national radio, which broadcasts 18 hours per day, seven hours of which is on MW and SW and reaches 50 per cent of the country. The rest is broadcast on FM in Kabul.

Afghanistan TV Channels:

Afghan television channels are a popular entertainment medium in Afghanistan, with 23 local broadcasting stations and 4 international. Satellite television and foreign channels are available to anyone who has access to a dish, including cable TV in Afghanistan. All the 24 channels are Islamic, including one Christian channel, and no Hindu channels. The following list presents Afghan TV channels in the alphabetical order:

International channels

• Ariana Television Network International, broadcasting from Dubai, UAE, and from the USA.
• Tolo TV International, broadcasting from Afghanistan, available in Central Europe and the USA & Canada

Ariana Afghanistan TV (AATV):

is a satellite television channel based in Irvine, California, USA, with branches in Hamburg, Germany and Kabul, Afghanistan. It is a privately owned channel broadcasted by GlobeCast Satellite Services. The owner, Nabil Miskinyar, was previously based in Orange, California, but moved to Irvine in 2009. The channel is regarded to be a frequent critic of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The channel is also overwhelmingly anti-Communist. It has American influences but also has many IslamicVoice of America. Programming broadcasts in Dari (Eastern Persian) and Pashto, the two national languages of Afghanistan, as well as English for Afghan viewers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.Its only main rival in terms of Afghan viewers is thought to be Ariana Television Network, not to be confused Ariana Afghanistan Television. programs. Conservatives and liberals both have their own programs on the channel. News is provided by

Afghan Television:

is a commercial television station, broadcasting from Kabul, Afghanistan since late 2004. The station is owned by Mr. Afghanzai, an Afghan entrepreneur and is currently broadcasting from only to the Greater Kabul region. In early 2006, the station was fined 50,000 AFN (Afghani) ($1,000) by the Afghan Supreme Court, after it had broadcast what the court called inappropriate images.The case was televised by Afghan TV and was covered extensively by other media outlets, however, the powerful clergy in the country succeeded in not only instating the fine on Afghan TV, but also severely restricting the ability of other television networks to broadcast entertainment.

Afghanistan National Television (or ANTV):