Television in Afghanistan
This article details Television in Afghanistan.
History
Television was first introduced in 1964, when state-owned Radio Television Afghanistan established the channel RTA TV. After the completion of feasibility study under grant aid from Japan, construction work of the studio and transmitter buildings were finished by August 1978. During the 1980s, many Soviet programs were airing such as the children's show Nu, pogodi!.
In April 1992 President Najibullah was forced to resign, and the country was taken over by the various mujahideen forces. This period became the start of a civil war and the sudden decline of television in Afghanistan. Between 1996 and late 2001, television was strictly banned by the Taliban. It became a crime to sell televisions, satellite dishes, VCRs, DVD players or any other such entertainment devices. Anyone owning or using these faced prosecution and penalty. The national RTA TV was shut down. Despite the ban, some people secretly watched films and videos in their homes.
The northeastern area controlled by the Northern Alliance had access to television. In Badakhshan Province, a television channel financed by the Northern Alliance broadcast news and movies to approximately 5,000 locals in the city of Fayzabad.
After the toppling of the Taliban regime in late 2001, the administration of Hamid Karzai relaunched RTA TV. Within a few years, a number of other Afghan television stations began airing. One of these is Tolo TV, which was launched in late 2004 by the Moby Media Group. It became one of the first commercial stations in the country and laid the foundation for an accessible media outlet by offering a large library of shows. Tolo TV is currently Afghanistan's most popular television channel.
As of 2016, Afghanistan has around 150 radio stations, over 50 private television stations, and 22 state-owned provincial channels, including RTA TV.[1][2]
Television ownership and viewership
According to a 2016 survey, ownership of television is concentrated in urban areas, where electricity is more dependable and corresponds to increased household income. The central region (Kabul) exhibits the highest TV ownership, with 53.3% of households having one TV set, followed closely by the East and South West regions. Nearly two-thirds of Afghans (64.5%) report watching TV programs. Tolo TV is the most watched network in Afghanistan, with 36.3% of viewing respondents, followed by Ariana TV (9.6%), Shamshad TV (8.9%), and Lemar TV (8.2%).[3]
| Base: Watches TV most often | 7,494 respondents |
|---|---|
| Tolo TV | 36% |
| Ariana TV | 10% |
| Shamshad TV | 9% |
| Lemar TV | 8% |
| Khurshid TV | 7% |
| RTA TV | 5% |
| 1TV | 4% |
| TOLOnews | 3% |
| Aina TV | 2% |
| Tamadon TV | 2% |
| Arezo TV | 2% |
Transmission
Although satellite and internet services are on the rise, some people in Afghanistan still watch TV through traditional analog terrestrial signals using indoor antennas.
In January 2013, Afghanistan's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) held a meeting with TV broadcasters on plans to switch from analogue to digital transmission systems. Afghanistan has adopted the DVB-T2 standard.
In August 2014, Afghanistan's digital TV system was officially inaugurated by then vice president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Karim Khalili and MCIT Minister Amirzai Sangin. The ceremony was held in the Kabul Serena Hotel.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. www.cia.gov. 2015. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
- ↑ "ISAF Spokesman Discusses Progress in Afghanistan". NATO. July 25, 2011. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
- ↑ http://asiafoundation.org/publication/afghanistan-2016-survey-afghan-people
- ↑ http://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016_Survey-of-the-Afghan-People_full-survey.Apr2017.pdf
- ↑ http://www.digitaltvnews.net/?p=24674