In late September, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan started jamming the Afghanistan International TV news channel with newly acquired equipment obtained from Iran. Earlier, in May, they issued a stark ban on communications with the Afghanistan International network, paving the way for the current jamming. They explicitly threatened Afghan citizens against engaging with or even watching our channel.
These draconian measures stem from our steadfast commitment to delivering uncensored news and information to the Afghan populace, who are under the tight grip of the de facto authorities striving to impose their narrative through a heavily censored media landscape, a misappropriated remnant of the international community-backed Republic era in Afghanistan.
In the past, such an authoritarian edict and the desperate attempt to silence the voice of the Afghan people through new waves of jamming attacks on our channel might have signaled the demise of our 24/7 London-based channel, which serves a nation of 40 million people. However, the digital revolution and modern journalism ensure our continued operation, allowing us to cover Afghanistan during these critical times and holding the Taliban rulers accountable.
The Taliban-controlled Ministry of Information and Culture’s Media Violations Commission has levied ten grave accusations against us – including character assassination and the falsification of information – none of which are supported by any evidence. They have failed to cite a single instance of falsification or misreporting. What we are doing is practicing independent journalism to inform the populace amid a war of censorship, misinformation, and propaganda. For instance, the Taliban expect all media outlets to accept their radical interpretation of Islam, including recognizing their shadowy leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada as the “leader of all faithful” in their reporting.
The Taliban took extreme steps without any prior dialogue or warning, showcasing their dissatisfaction with free reporting that puts their narrative to question.
Since the Taliban’s ascendancy in August 2021, the media landscape has been decimated. Reporters Without Borders reported in late 2021 that within three months of the group’s rise, 43 percent of the Afghan media ecosystem vanished, and more than two-thirds of the 12,000 journalists active in 2021 had abandoned the profession. In a country where even mild criticism is viewed as “character assassination,” and local broadcasters are barred from independent reporting, delivering impartial news is not just important – it is critical.
Despite not physically smashing TVs, as in the past, the Taliban have continued to shut down local media organizations and ban international broadcasters. Officially, the group has adopted a dual media strategy. They have tried to project a press-friendly image internationally while stifling Afghan media at home. On the ground, through their notorious intelligence agency the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), and the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, they have introduced various directives and implemented a massive crackdown including detention, physical assaults, trials of journalists in military courts, and even beating and threats to female media workers.
These restrictions are so harsh that many outlets have been forced to eliminate critical programs and engage in self-censorship. These rules and directives ban any reporting “contrary to Islam” as interpreted by the Taliban and suppress any “distorted news content,” essentially meaning any news not sanctioned by Taliban officials. Human Rights Watch has criticized these rules as being so broad and vague that they effectively ban any critical reporting on the Taliban.
In response to the Taliban’s takeover, our network – launched on August 15, 2021, the day Kabul fell to the Taliban and headquartered in London – has relentlessly covered Afghanistan day and night without censorship. Our channel, accessible via satellite, cable, and social media, continues to inform countless Afghan households.
A December 2023 BBC Media Action survey recently highlighted that following the Taliban’s massive crackdown and restrictions against Afghan media, Afghanistan International TV has surged in popularity, becoming the top international channel in Afghan households. It took us nearly three years to establish ourselves as a credible alternative news source after the regime enacted some of the most severe restrictions on media freedom in the country.
We are fortunate to operate from a democratic country, where journalistic freedom to report facts and express opinions is upheld. As Afghan journalists in the diaspora and exile, we remain committed to delivering accurate and factual news, ensuring that millions of Afghans can stay informed about developments in their country, region, and the world. The pressure from the Taliban will not deter us from upholding the highest journalistic standards and professional principles.
How do we continue to report under such conditions? By innovating our approach to journalism in an undemocratic setting. This includes leveraging the rapid technological advancements that have transformed communications. According to a new GeoPoll survey, 67 percent of Afghans now have internet access at home, and 58 percent use social media – both significant avenues for a new era of journalism. Our reliance on user-generated content (UGC) and social media allows us to bypass traditional media constraints, giving voice to the Afghan people who tell, record, document, and share critical events in real-time.
We operate in an environment where top-down distribution of media – creating content and then pumping it to the audience in Kabul or Kandahar from London or Washington D.C. – cannot be viable anymore. Citizens journalists spot many newsworthy events and record them to be shared by main broadcasters such as us. This phenomenon is transforming the news as we rely heavily on UGC in our daily reporting. Smartphones have enabled Afghan citizens to capture, document, and share injustice, mismanagement, and protests in real time. Although having no correspondents on the ground in Afghanistan is a challenge, due to the instant reaction of citizens to news developments in their areas, we have been able to cover major news stories. UGC and social media are the new news hubs.
Although citizen journalism can bring new information and leads as well as provide more diverse perspectives, it also poses challenges when it comes to verification and credibility. To address misinformation, disinformation, and malformation from all sides, a robust verification team is in place for fact-checking. Overall, we are adapting to the rise of citizen journalism by incorporating UGC, eyewitness accounts, and social media into our reporting.
Despite the Taliban’s ban, the flow of UGC to our channel has increased, and the stories of Afghanistan continue to be told. Afghanistan International remains a bastion for the voices of all Afghan people, and contrary to the Taliban, we will not silence them.