Moby Media Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Saad Mohseni |
| Headquarters | Kabul , Afghanistan |
Area served | Afghanistan, UAE, Pakistan, Ethiopia |
Key people | Saad Mohseni (CEO) |
Number of employees | 1200+ (2023) |
Moby Media Group (in Pashto: د موبي ډله / in Dari: گروه موبی) stands as Afghanistan’s foremost private media organization, with its main office situated in Kabul and a network of 15 bureaus distributed nationwide. Additionally, it operates a regional branch based in Dubai to oversee its business activities across the area.
History
Established in 2002 by Afghan entrepreneur Saad Mohseni, Moby Group was initially financed through support from the US government alongside an investment from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. Over time, it has evolved into a significant entity within the Afghan media landscape. The company collaborates with Voice of America and continues to benefit from US government backing for certain broadcasting initiatives.
Mohseni, who holds dual Afghan-Australian nationality, returned to Afghanistan to found the group and currently acts as its CEO. By the year 2023, Moby Group had grown to employ more than 1,200 individuals working across 16 subsidiary businesses headquartered in Kabul.
In 2015, the Taliban criticized its premier channel, TOLO TV, branding it as a 'propaganda network.' The following year, the company’s affiliate Lapis was awarded AU$1.6 million by the Australian Department of Immigration to produce an anti-refugee film that was also broadcast on TOLO TV.
Beyond its operations within Afghanistan, Moby Group has established offices in the UAE, Pakistan, and Ethiopia.
Group structure
The enterprise is organized into three primary segments:
- Moby Media Group, which includes broadcast outlets such as TOLOnews, TOLO TV, Lemar TV, Arman FM, Kana TV, along with Barbud Music, Kaboora, Toot, and the Darya streaming platform. This division also encompasses production services, media distribution, talent representation, print publishing, and directory services.
- Moby Technology Group, responsible for technology companies Afghan ITT and 456, focusing on IT&T solutions and Interactive voice response systems.
- Moby People Group, comprising the advertising firm Lapis and the AndeshaGah chain of Internet cafés.