Afghanistan Media Councils in the Republican System Era: Functional, Structural, and Supervisory Mechanisms
Keywords:
freedom of expression, professional ethics, , journalistic independence, media council, media crimesAbstract
This study, using a qualitative content analysis method, examined the structure, performance, and role of media councils from 2001 to 2021 in supporting the independence, freedom, and development of journalistic activities in Afghanistan. The research analyzed four key institutions—the Supreme Media Council, the Commission Mass Media, the National Radio and Television Commission, and the Commission for Reviewing Media Violations—within the framework of the German Press Council. The study found that four factors—governmental and political dependency, the predominance of religious values over journalistic ethics, ethnicism, and lack of professionalism—have shaped Afghan media councils. A significant structural and functional difference between these institutions and the German Press Council, highlighted in the study, indicates the strong presence of the state, ethnic, and political currents in the formation of supposedly independent institutions in Afghanistan, which in some cases contradicts the social responsibility theory. The membership of religious scholars, engineers, or high-ranking government officials in the Supreme Media Council is identified as the most prominent indicator of non-professionalism. The mechanisms and functions of Afghan media councils are recognized as unprofessional, inconsistent with the theory of social responsibility, and influenced by governmental policies and ethnicism in Afghanistan’s mosaic society.
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