Aid Disappears, Local Media Closes Down

Michael Hedges July 31, 2022 Follow on Twitter

Unique in the media world are local outlets. These broadcasters and publishers connect people on a real level. National media are great, generally, for big subjects and comprehensive reporting as well as fit-for-purpose entertainment. On the other side, social media is good for fluff and distraction. Local media is at highest risk.

Local media operators in the southern Afghan Uruzgan province are shutting down, reported TOLOnews (July 29). Nearly a year after the arrival of Taliban extremists taking control of the country, financial aid has all but disappeared. Content restrictions have been imposed, employment of women strictly limited.

“We cannot pay enough money for the eight employees who are working with us. We cannot give them money that will meet their needs or cover the expenses of their families,” said Paiwastoon TV general manager Shah Mahmood Hamdard. The first television station in Uruzgan province, Paiwastoon TV debuted in February 2021. At the time there were six radio stations in the province. As Taliban extremists moved across the country, security guards for the newly installed Uruzgan governor dragged local radio reporter Najibullah Latif from his automobile and “beat me with gun butts,” he said to RAWA News (August 11, 2021).

Media operators in Kunduz province, in the north of Afghanistan bordering Tajikistan, have also expressed financial concerns, not least of which include “excessive” taxes imposed by the Taliban extremists. “We had 30 employees working in every section of the television, after the collapse, our TV faced problems and we could not to start operations again,” said Rawshani TV general manager Samiullah Quraishi, quoted by TOLONews (June 10).

In April DW Akademie, the media training provider of German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), published a survey of Afghan media professionals, some who remained. “Half a year after the Taliban took power, most Afghan media houses are facing collapse,” it observed (April 6). Working conditions were described as “dangerous,” financial conditions “deteriorating.”

“We assure media outlets in Afghanistan, that we will do our best to help them solve their financial problems,” said Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, quoted by Afghan Islamic Press (May 4). In contrast, the Taliban have “silenced civil society and journalists,” said US Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken in a policy statement (July 28). “In March, they banned independent international media like Voice of America and BBC from airing in Afghanistan. They continue to intimidate and censor Afghan media outlets.”

The Taliban extremists have made “prolific use” of social media platforms Facebook and Twitter since taking control last August. It has not worked out well for them. Facebook removed pages of Taliban media outlets, reported AFP (July 21). Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, cited sanctions on the Taliban under US law. “We remove accounts maintained by or on behalf of the Taliban and prohibit praise, support, and representation of them,” said its statement. Pashtu and Dari language pages of National Radio Television Afghanistan (RFA) and news agency Bakhtar were blocked. Days later a photo of a burka-clad Afghani woman promoting hashtag Ban Taliban went viral on social media, noted Daily Times (Pakistan) (July 29).

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