Afghanistan Moves Toward State Controlled Media

---

Before the fall of the Taliban in 2001, all media in Afghanistan was under state control. Now, as the fighting with the Taliban resumes, efforts are under way in the Afghan parliament to reign in the media once again.

One of the crowning achievements of the post-Taliban Afghanistan government of Hamid Karzai has been the creation of an environment that allows independent media. But now, with propaganda from the Taliban swaying the "hearts and minds" of the Afghani people, the Afghani parliament is seeking to reign in criticism of the state from the media.

Media reports often focus on the corruption and ineptitude of government officials and have served to fuel unrest. People are starting to be swayed by the idea of a return to the stability enjoyed under the Taliban regime -- even if it means giving up freedoms.

The Afghani government is in a tough place, I think. It is easy to condemn any government effort to censor the press. But, at the same time, I don't think we in the west have ever experienced the media so actively seeking to undermine it's government in a time of war. Even so, probably the best course of action for the government would be to establish its own propaganda machine to fight the Taliban's rather that trying to co-opt the independent media into such a role. If nothing else, it will give more people jobs.

Source:

• Afghan Media Face Threat of Controls