Ayna TV
| Company type | Commercial television station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Defunct | February 2022 |
| Headquarters | Mazari Sharif , Afghanistan |
Area served | Northern Afghanistan, including provinces Jowzjan, Balkh, Faryab, Sar-e-Pol, Herat, Ghor, Samangan, Takhar, Kunduz, and Greater Kabul region |
| Products | Television broadcasting (entertainment and news) |
| Owner | Allegedly connected to Abdul Rashid Dostum and Junbish-i-Milli Islami Afghanistan faction |
Ayna Television (تلويزيون آينه, also spelled Aiena Television) was the pioneering commercial television station broadcasting out of Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan. It began operations in 2004 and discontinued in February 2022. The term Ayna translates to "mirror" in the Uzbek language. The channel featured a mix of entertainment and news content and functioned as a supportive outlet for Abdul Rashid Dostum and his political faction, Junbish-i-Milli Islami Afghanistan, with alleged ownership connections. Originally, its programming primarily targeted the Uzbek-speaking population of northern Afghanistan but later incorporated shows in Dari Persian and Pashto.
The broadcast range of Ayna Television encompassed northern provinces such as Jowzjan, Balkh, Faryab, and Sar-e-Pol, extending coverage to areas including Herat, Ghor, Samangan, Takhar, Kunduz, and the broader Greater Kabul region.
Launching the channel required an investment close to US$1 million, with initial studios located in a building owned by Abdul Rashid Dostum. In 2016, there were announcements regarding the construction of a new facility designed to comply with global broadcasting standards.
Operations were halted in February 2022 due to "economic difficulties," a situation that arose following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan six months earlier.