Taliban and other periods in its history, and was relatively free in others. After the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, press restrictions were gradually relaxed and private media grew. However, press freedom is threatened by the continuing war in Afghanistan with kidnappings of journalists and death threats. Freedom of expression and the press is promoted in the 2004 constitution, though defaming individuals or producing material contrary to the principles of Islam is prohibited.

Early History

The first newspaper, Siraj-ul-Akhbar (Lamp of the News) in Dari was initially published on January 11, 1906 with Abd al-Rauf as editor.

The 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan and the Press Law (1965) provided for freedom of the press, within the boundaries of appropriate behaviour.

When the government was overthrown in a July 1973 coup, 19 newspapers were shut down and media came under severe restriction, ending a period of relative freedom.

Media under the Taliban

Media under the Taliban was characterised by strict media laws, including the banning of television, seen as "morally corrupt" and music, banned under Sharia law.

Most media operated from other countries, except for the Taliban free areas in Northern Afghanistan, which had its own television service, Badakhshan Television, broadcasting news and films for around 5,000 viewers for three hours a day.

The media environment remained bleak until the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001.

Post Taliban

The media gradually diversified in late 2001 onwards, television returned and many restrictive laws were repealed. As a consequence of such policies, Afghan journalists boycotted reporting on the Taliban for a week in April 2007. All media flourished under new rules, though journalists do undergo self-censorship; penalties are still in place for defaming individuals and running material contrary to the principles of Islam.

However, due to instability in Afghanistan, journalists have been as highly targeted as soldiers, as shown by instances of kidnapping and death threats.

Shukria Barakzai founded the weekly bilingual Women's Voice to campaign for women's rights. She was elected to the House of the People (or Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the National Assembly of Afghanistan), and speaks up for hopes that a better and freer press will lead to strong democracy and civil society.

Newspaper

Afghanistan has a low readership of newspapers, coupled with the low 28.1% literacy rate. Many newspapers suffer some form of censorship and financial difficulty, often relying on supporters of President Hamid Karzai, or the former mujahadeen supporters of King Mohammed Zahir Shah. The principal daily newspapers are the state-owned Anis, Arman-e Melli, Eslah, and Kabul Times and the privately owned Afghanistan Group of Newspapers which includes Daily Outlook Afghanistan.

Television and radio

Arman FM, a private radio station, is most popular with younger citizens in Kabul.

State-owned Afghanistan National Television relaunched in 2002 after being shut down in 1996 by the Taliban. Four cable stations appeared after the overthrow of the Taliban, carrying Indian and U.S. programs, though cable was banned in 2003 by the Supreme Court on moral grounds. In 2006, at least 7 television stations were operating in the country, of which 1 was government run in addition to six regional stations. Radio Television Afghanistan was the most powerful broadcast outlet. Satellite and cable television ownership is growing however; Al Jazeera widely seen as a leading source of uncensored information.

Internet

Only 500,000 (1.5% of the population) had internet access by the end of 2008, though internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul.