Afghan Media in 2010 Synthesis Report October 13, 2010 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development by Altai Consulting. The authors view expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. Afghan Media in 2010 Synthesis Report Contents Abbreviations and acronyms ............................................................................................................................... 4 Tables of figures .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 1. Background ................................................................................................................................................... 8 2. Objectives of the research ............................................................................................................................ 8 3. Methodology ................................................................................................................................................ 9 4. Incidents during data collection ................................................................................................................. 19 Section I - Media Landscape ............................................................................................................................... 21 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 22 A. Environment .................................................................................................................................................... 24 1. Regulatory environment ............................................................................................................................. 24 2. Political environment ................................................................................................................................. 26 3. Assistance to media .................................................................................................................................... 29 4. Other factors: geography and security ....................................................................................................... 34 B. The media industry .......................................................................................................................................... 36 1. Infrastructure and equipment .................................................................................................................... 36 2. Human capacity/resources ......................................................................................................................... 41 3. Content production and distribution .......................................................................................................... 46 4. Media outlets.............................................................................................................................................. 50 5. Advertising sub-sector ................................................................................................................................ 67 6. Other services ............................................................................................................................................. 73 7. Specific actors involved in the media sector .............................................................................................. 74 8. Estimating the size of the Afghan media sector ......................................................................................... 78 C. Analysis of content .......................................................................................................................................... 81 1. Serials ......................................................................................................................................................... 81 2. Religion, politics and news ......................................................................................................................... 82 3. Entertainment and culture ......................................................................................................................... 86 4. Education and society ................................................................................................................................. 90 5. A handful of Afghan websites offer interesting, up-to-date content ......................................................... 94 Section II - Audience and Perceptions ................................................................................................................ 97 A. Equipment, usage, habits and behaviors ........................................................................................................ 98 1. Equipment and usage ................................................................................................................................. 98 2. Consumption habits and behaviors .......................................................................................................... 104 B. Preferences and audience ............................................................................................................................. 111 1. Preferred media ........................................................................................................................................ 111 2. Preferred programs and content .............................................................................................................. 127 C. Impact and role of the media in 2010 Afghanistan....................................................................................... 134 1. From broadcast to impact: understanding the layers of media penetration ........................................... 134 2. Comprehension, perception and trust in the media ................................................................................ 135 3. Impact ....................................................................................................................................................... 151 4. Impact on opinions and behavior ............................................................................................................. 153 Section III - Perspectives: Risks and Opportunities ........................................................................................... 156 A. The growing roles of the media in the Afghan social and political landscape .............................................. 157 1. Political role .............................................................................................................................................. 158 2. Educational role ........................................................................................................................................ 160 3. Nation-building role .................................................................................................................................. 162 B. Perspectives on media landscape changes ................................................................................................... 165 1. Possible futures ........................................................................................................................................ 165 2. Afghan media at risk ................................................................................................................................. 166 Altai Consulting Page 2 Afghan Media in 2010 Synthesis Report C. Areas of opportunity ..................................................................................................................................... 168 1. Regulatory environment ........................................................................................................................... 168 2. Capacity building ...................................................................................................................................... 169 3. Media outlets............................................................................................................................................ 170 4. Media content .......................................................................................................................................... 174 5. Sustainability ............................................................................................................................................ 177 Altai Consulting Page 3 Afghan Media in 2010 Synthesis Report Abbreviations and acronyms ABE Afghanistan Broadcasting Engineering FOB Forward Operating Base ACSOR Afghan Center for Socio-Economic and GDP Gross Domestic Product Opinion Research GMIC Government Media and Information Center AIBD Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting GRP Gross Rating Point Development GSM Global System for Mobile Communications AIJA Afghanistan Independent Journalist GTZ German Development Cooperation Association HMC High Media Council AISA Afghanistan Investment Support Agency ICT Information and Communications