Afghanistan National Television
| Company type | Government-owned |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | August 19, 1978 |
| Headquarters | Afghanistan |
Area served | Afghanistan, Europe, Middle East, North Africa, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, Indian subcontinent |
| Owner | Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) |
Afghanistan National Television (Televizion-e Milli-ye Afghanistan, Da Afghanistan Milli Televizion) serves as the government-operated television channel in Afghanistan, managed by Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA).
History
The initial construction phase commenced in March 1977, followed by trial broadcasts beginning in March 1978. Official transmissions of Afghan television were inaugurated on 19 August 1978, coinciding with Afghan Independence Day, under the leadership of Nur Muhammad Taraki, with color broadcasts from the start.
By 1983, additional stations were established in Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Herat. Early 1985 saw the expansion of broadcasting services to Badakhshan Province and Ghazni. In 1992, female anchors were prohibited from appearing on air but were allowed to return in 1993, provided they adhered to conservative attire guidelines.
During the era of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan National Television halted its operations following the ban on television; on 8 July 1998, authorities mandated the destruction of all television sets. Only a station controlled by the Northern Alliance in Badakhshan continued functioning.
After the Taliban's removal, transmissions recommenced at 6 pm on 18 November 2001, featuring Miriam Shakebar as the inaugural presenter. The relaunch included a three-hour live broadcast in Pashto and Dari languages, showcasing Quranic recitations, music videos, animated programs, news segments, and interviews. Despite reliance on outdated technology and limited transmitter coverage, the channel restored a collection exceeding 3,000 films primarily dubbed in Dari that had been confiscated during Taliban rule. Nonetheless, certain archival materials had been previously destroyed due to incompatibility with Islamic principles.
In 2019, RTA broadened its offerings by introducing RTA Sport, a dedicated channel specializing in sports-related programming.
Exclusive 2008 speech
RTA attracted international attention when Afghan President Hamid Karzai delivered a live address shortly after an assassination attempt at a military parade was prevented by the Afghan National Army. This event was transmitted live to audiences within Afghanistan and received worldwide media coverage.
International availability
On 5 January 2008, Afghanistan National Television widened its broadcast footprint to include Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and North America. Initially, programming aired from 06:00 to midnight local time (01:30 to 19:30 UTC), later transitioning to round-the-clock transmission. As of 2018, broadcasts via the Hot Bird satellite ceased in Europe.
Presently, the channel is available through TürkmenÄlem 52°E / MonacoSAT, covering Afghanistan, Europe, and western Asia regions, as well as on GSAT-19 targeting audiences across the Indian subcontinent.