Afghanistan

This entry offers a historical account of media in Afghanistan and discusses the media there in the present day. The development of media in Afghanistan was long hampered by state[Page 27] censorship, but press freedom has improved since the 2001 fall of the Taliban regime. Despite many successes, Afghan media outlets still struggle with the persistent problem of financial distress.

Afghanistan, a country located between Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East, was once a crucial node connecting different networks of commercial and cultural communications in the region. The ancient merchants of the Silk Road passed through its cities on their way from China to Europe. The 18th-century rise of British colonialism in neighboring India and the expansion of sea trade routes isolated Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s communication ...