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The Media of Afghanistan: The Challenges of Transition
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David Page, Shirazuddin Siddiqi

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 27 pp.

"[...] Afghanistan is a fragile, fractured state and has one of the most fragile and fractured media, where almost anyone with sufficient funds and the opportunity to move quickly has been able to establish a media presence. This environment has enabled the flourishing of television, radio and other ... media established and owned by powerful political and religious leaders, or by those with allegiance to them. Some fear a future of increased ethnic, sectarian and factional strife being played out through the airwaves. Though there are some very successful commercial television channels, there is no independent and widely trusted national media capable of transcending or creating communication across the fracture points in Afghan society. Most media is either localised or seen as serving political, religious or other agendas. The future of the national broadcaster, RTA, still the only broadcaster with a truly national presence, is uncertain. While journalism as a whole has expanded greatly, investigative journalism remains limited. The sustainability of the newly established commercial media is widely questioned. With the total annual advertising market in the country estimated by some at little more than $20 million, there are real concerns that if donor support declines much of the media will wither or fall prey to factional, religious or extreme forces. There is no shortage of such forces. A number of media outlets already play upon ethnic and sectarian tensions. The Taliban, notorious when in power for shutting down media and banning video tape, have embraced the web and run one of the most effective media strategies in the country. In 2012, the mood music is one of compromise with the Taliban. Concern in the country is growing that new found media freedoms may be the price of that compromise. The role of donors in media support in Afghanistan is probably greater than in any other country at any other time. Such support is largely responsible for the development of a substantial media sector, but it faces criticism that it is poorly coordinated, short term and not informed by aid effectiveness principles; that it focuses too heavily on advancing the agendas of the donors; and that in some sectors it is distorting the media market in ways that create dependency and inhibit the development of genuinely sustainable Afghan media ventures." (Executive summary) more

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Policy and Research Programme on Role of Media and Communication in Development: Final Project Report

James Deane

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 25 pp.

"This is the final report of the Policy and Research Programme on the Role of Media and Communication Development. It provides a narrative overview of progress and impact between April 2010 and March 2012 of the DFID funded Policy and Research Programme on the Role of Media in Development, building ... more

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Still Left in the Dark? How People in Emergencies Use Communication to Survive – and How Humanitarian Agencies Can Help

Imogen Wall, Lisa Robinson

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 15 pp.

"In 2008, a BBC World Service Trust policy briefing argued that people affected by earthquakes, floods or other emergencies often lacked the information they needed to survive and that this only added to their stress and anxiety. Left in the Dark: the unmet need for information in humanitarian emerg ... more

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Support to Media Where Media Freedoms and Rights Are Constrained: What Works and Why? Global Synthesis Report

Mary Myers

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 32 pp.

"This report addresses the challenges of supporting independent media in countries where media freedoms are restricted, based on country case studies in Bangladesh, Cambodia, South Sudan, Syria and Uganda. According to Myers, the dilemmas of foreign support include short-term donor strategies, the l ... more

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Country Case Study: Cambodia. Support to Media Where Media Freedoms and Rights Are Constrained

Catherine McKinley, Kate Noble

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 20 pp.

"Profit (and therefore entertainment) and politics drive media content and audience engagement in Cambodia, not public service values. Significant donor investment over the past 20 years has sought to redress the balance and overcome these challenges to improved governance in Cambodia. This investme ... more

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Country Case Study: Syria. Support to Media Where Media Freedoms and Rights Are Constrained

Maha Taki

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 20 pp.

Examining the media of one of the world’s most censored societies, this report finds that the Syrian media is under increasing threat but identifies growing use of new media to circumvent old restrictions.

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Country Case Study: Uganda. Support to Media Where Media Freedoms and Rights Are Constrained

Richard M. Kavuma

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 24 pp.

Examining Uganda’s increasingly fractured media landscape, this report finds that the media is vulnerable to government intimidation and self-censorship.

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Country Case Study: Bangladesh. Support to Media Where Media Freedoms and Rights Are Constrained

Francis Rolt

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 24 pp.

Examining Bangladesh’s booming and dynamic media sector, this report finds that there is an increasing tendency for political discourse to be based around personality rather than policy.

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Country Case Study: South Sudan. Support to Media Where Media Freedoms and Rights Are Constrained

Kate Noble, Carol Morgan

London: BBC Media Action (2012), 20 pp.

Presenting the challenges in meeting the information needs of the people of South Sudan, this report highlights a need for long-term and harmonised efforts to support media.

The Media of Afghanistan: The Challenges of Transition Top Insights

The Media of Afghanistan: The Challenges of Transition
Top Insights