Center for International Media Assistance had released a report on the state of media explosion in Afghanistan following the ouster of Taliban. The 60-page report is written by Peter Cary and released in February this year. Though not an in-depth analytical report covering the state of media freedom and standards, the report is a good compilation of research surveys and assessment studies about the booming media outlets; mostly supported by the US donors or domestic power brokers.
There are more than 175 FM radio stations, 75 TV channels, four news agencies and seven daily newspapers. The report also notes 61 percent of Afghans have mobile phones, and mobiles have been used as a medium of news, under the media strategy of the US supporting reach of information to most part of Afghans as well as a tool for the battle of hearts and minds against Taliban insurgents.
The report says, by the end of 2010, Afghans living in Kabul were able to access 30 terrestrial television channels, of which more than 10 were also available on satellite, and 42 radio stations, five of which broadcast from outside Kabul. Two of the TV channels, Kabul RTA and ERTV (Ministry of Education), are government owned and run; the rest are private. Of the 42 radio stations in Kabul, RTA is government run, Sada-e-Azadi is a military station, and five (Azadi, BBC, Ashna/VOA, Deutsche Welle, and Voice of Turkey) are foreign-owned. The remaining 35 are private, commercial Afghan stations.
About 80 percent of the news content on newspapers and on the radio is produced by news agencies. There are more than 11 of them, and most are based in Kabul. The report with a reference of a research survey by Altai, says the most prominent news agency is Pajhwok Afghan News, or PAN. Pajhwok means “reflection” in English. Bakhtar News Agency, or BNA, is a government news agency, based in the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kabul. Other news agencies include Roz, Hindukush, and the woman-owned Wakht.
Because Afghanistan has a male literacy rate variously estimated at anywhere from 30 to 43 percent and a female literacy rate of only one-third of that, most news and information is transmitted by radio, TV, and print plays only a small part in the media scene. Surveys conducted by Nai, an Afghan media organization, found that there are about 800 print publications registered with the government, only about 215 private publications and 90 government publications were printed regularly. Nai counts five government-run dailies, the Kabul Times, Anis, Haiwad, Islah Daily, and Afghanistan Times. Some were founded decades ago, others more recently, but all are published in Kabul, circulated within the city and to a lesser extent outside.
Nai lists another 85 magazines and newspapers that are government owned and run; most are printed weekly or monthly by the provincial governments or municipalities. The government papers tend to report on official events and explain government policies, especially on the front page, while the inside pages are filled with random news and feature articles plucked from wire services. Their quality is considerably lower than the privately-owned papers.
According to the report, Daily Outlook circulates 4,200 copies only in English; Daily Afghanistan prints 5,000 copies in Dari. They sell for about 20 cents and are distributed in 30 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. The Dari Mandegar, Hasht-e-Subh, and Pashto Weesa, are widely read in government circles and civil society organizations, yet as with other print publications, their readership is small compared with the audience for radio and TV.
At the conclusion of the report, its author, a famous American journalist, has following recommendations for the international donors, particularly the US:
• Work with the Government and donors a fund, overseen by an independent committee, to support fragile but important media.
• Commit to constant and level multi-year funding with a clear development plan in mind. Do not withdraw funding as U.S. troops withdraw from Afghanistan.
• Continue to put pressure on the Afghan national government and its security apparatus to support and defend free media through improved media laws and police protections.
• Devise ways to build the advertising industry in Afghanistan. For example, U.S. aid to Afghan businesses could stipulate that a portion of the grant go to advertising. U.S. contractors in Afghanistan could be required to advertise in Afghan media.
• Work to consolidate advertising market practices, including an ad market rating system, audience indicators, and brokerage services.
• Consider developing more socially constructive content in order to reach more people. Surveys show Afghans want more religious, educational, and cultural programs, as well as positive news about their country and its people.
• If the Afghan government and ISAF enter into talks with the Taliban, make sure that media guarantees are part of the negotiations.