The Potential for Community Radio in

Report of a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan October 5 to 22, 2002

Bruce Girard Jo van der Spek Comunica Radio Reed Flute [email protected] [email protected] www.comunica.org www.radioreedflute.net

ISBN: 90-5638-100-8 © 2002 – This report can be freely distributed, copied and cited with proper attribution. It is available for download from the Internet at http://comunica.org/afghanistan/ 05 November 2002 – 8.5" X 11" version Table of Contents Table of Contents...... I Executive Summary ...... II I. Introduction...... 1 Structure of the report ...... 2 II. What is community radio?...... 4 III. Background ...... 6 Actors and Interests ...... 6 Human capacity...... 7 Telecommunication and Transportation Infrastructure...... 8 IV. Media in Afghanistan ...... 10 The developing media landscape...... 10 Radio ...... 11 Receivers ...... 11 Radio Afghanistan / Radio ...... 12 Provincial Radio Afghanistan stations...... 12 Radio Free Afghanistan and Voice of America ...... 13 BBC ...... 13 Radio Sada-I-Solh ...... 14 Bamiyan ...... 15 ISAF ...... 16 Coalition Forces ...... 16 Radio Voice of Afghan Women ...... 16 Faculty of Journalism, Kabul University ...... 16 Others...... 16 Television ...... 17 Print ...... 17 News agencies ...... 17 Internet ...... 17 V. Community radio in Afghanistan: Some questions and tentative answers...... 19 How will community radio fit in the public radio system? ...... 19 Who is interested in community radio? ...... 20 What type of local radio for Afghanistan?...... 21 Is there a grassroots demand for community radio?...... 22 What kind of programming would it have? ...... 23 Will the legal and policy framework allow it?...... 24 How can community radio be independent and responsive?...... 25 What broadcast technology?...... 26 The Internet ...... 27 Coordination ...... 27 VI. Recommendations...... 29 General...... 29 Awareness...... 29 Legal...... 29 Governance...... 30 Technology...... 30 Coordination ...... 30 VII. Appendices ...... 32 1. Persons interviewed during the fact-finding mission ...... 33 2. Details of active organizations interviewed ...... 35 3. Radio stations in Afghanistan...... 38

Executive Summary Is community radio a viable option for Afghanistan? What would it sound like? How would it fit into a national public-service radio system? What type of governance structures will ensure stations are both responsive to their communities and independent? Is it necessary to wait until the legal and regulatory framework is in place?

This study, sponsored by the Communication Assistance Foundation,* examines the potential for community-based radio in Afghanistan and identifies examples of how community radio can support initiatives for community development. The report and its recommendations are primarily intended as a resource for agencies and organizations considering supporting radio, media or communication activities in the country, whether with funds or expertise.

Afghanistan has a 70 per cent illiteracy rate (85 percent among women), devastated infrastructures and a largely rural population – according to some estimates, 85 percent of the population lives in 37,000 villages. Barely four percent of households have electricity and even in major cities the telecommunications infrastructure is virtually non-existent. Only Herat has a modern functioning landline telephone network, complete with public call booths. Kabul’s GSM network offers irregular service and its capacity is insufficient for its 12,000 customers. The Internet, banned by the , is still unavailable, except to UN agencies, NGOs and a few ministries. The demand for education far exceeds the capacity to supply it.

However, most Afghans do have access to radio receivers and are accustomed to using radio as a source of news, information, education and entertainment. Community rad