The Taliban takeover in 2021 ended a period of media flourishing and improving freedom of expression in Afghanistan, according to a study on Wednesday.
The collapse of the Afghan government and the resurgence of authoritarian rule have created an environment of fear and uncertainty within the media community. Independent and diverse non-state media are in danger; many journalists have fled their homeland in search of safety and freedom.
Despite these challenges, Afghan journalists in exile continue to demonstrate resilience and dedication to their profession, providing crucial insights and reporting on the ground while navigating the complexities of life far from home. A well-founded overview of the existing Afghan media in exile has been lacking until now.
The JX Fund, together with the media researchers from The Fix Research and Advisory, have compiled and continue to maintain the Afghanistan Exiled Media Dashboard – an innovative database that allows for the continuous monitoring of both individual media and the sector overall.
It currently includes 47 independent media outlets. For this study, we analyzed data gathered from open sources and submitted by market stakeholders, including the media themselves.
Prior to August 2021, the Afghan media space was relatively diverse and independent in its reporting and programming.
The development of such a vibrant media landscape and freedom of expression were doubtlessly a major achievement of the last twenty years in Afghanistan.
By comparison, prior to 2001 under the first period of Taliban rule, independent or “non-state-run” media were almost non-existent2.
The subsequent transformation was a major success and a unique case in the region3 (although this experience was not without its own complexities).
Even when going back to earlier times in Afghan history (e.g. during the reign of King Mohammad Zaher Shah, 1933-1973), media was primarily a state affair.
In 2009, for the first time in its history, Afghanistan began to experiment with freedom of expression and media pluralism by passing a Mass Media Law, one of the most progressive such laws in the region.
An era of media development brought to a painful end
The two decades after the US intervention in 2002 saw large investment by the international community aimed at fostering a free and independent media sector. Millions of dollars were poured into the country, leading to a boom, among others, in private media (often hailed as a key success story).
Two decades (2001-2021) of relative development for Afghan media and freedom of expression created unique case of media growth in the region.
The international community’s supported media development and implementing the supportive media law and regulations led to the emergence of a dynamic and diverse media space, but also a long-term donor-dependency.
The Afghan media landscape has been stifled and experienced tragic developments following the withdrawal of the US troops and its allies and return of the Taliban to power in 2021.
Rebuilding and adapting to exile
An era of media development brought to a painful end. A large portion of independent media has relocated to United States of America, Canada, and European countries such as Germany, France, UK, Ireland after the Taliban took over.
The teams of many of these outlets operate in a hybrid model with editorial leadership in exile and staff members and freelancers in Afghanistan.
Just over half of Afghan exiled media (57%) were founded in Afghanistan before the Taliban took over, but others (42%) were established in exile after August 15, 2021. Exiled media publish their content in multiple languages, including both the official languages of Afghanistan Pashto and Dari (Farsi).
Out of 47 media surveyed, 35 also publish their content in English. Afghan women journalists have founded several media outlets spanning various platforms, including online publications, radio and television channels, social media platforms, and podcasts. Through these outlets, they amplify the voices of Afghan women and shed light on the challenges they faced under Taliban rule.
In exile, ethnic, religious, linguistic, and political affiliations continue to influence the content and ownership of some media outlets, with direct consequences on their credibility.
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