The History of TOLOnews. Free Media Pioneers from Afghanistan

fot. Yosuf Mohseni/CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia

Only in the 21st century did Afghans gain access to free media, a new view of the outside world, and a semblance of gender equality. Until 2001, under Taliban rule, all of that was forbidden. And although not everyone embraced the new order, the country changed. Women could speak freely, study, and work. Independent media emerged - all thanks to one man: Saad Mohseni. He’s not an unknown figure in the global media landscape. This Afghan-Australian businessman became known as a defender of women’s rights and press freedom.

He was born in 1966 in London, in the family of Afghan diplomat Yassin Mohseni. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the family patriarch resigned from all political and diplomatic positions. At the time, the family was living in Tokyo. In 1982, they emigrated and settled in Australia. There, Saad completed his schooling and earned a degree in banking. He started his own trading company, supplying goods to Australian and British markets.


When the Taliban regime fell in 2001, Saad Mohseni returned to Afghanistan with his two younger brothers. A year later, with the help of the U.S. government and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation Fox News, he founded the MOBY Group media company. First came the radio station Arman FM in early 2003, followed shortly after by the TV channel TOLO TV. The channel’s name, TOLO, means “Sunrise” or Dawn in Dari Persian. It broadcast mainly entertainment programs modeled after American ones - cooking shows, sports, soap operas - but its journalists also conducted investigative reporting, such as exposing government corruption or abuses and torture at the U.S. prison in Abu Ghraib.

TOLOnews. Female Journalists on Air

Once TOLO TV became a staple in Afghan life, Mohseni decided to launch a second channel, this time entirely dedicated to news. In August 2010, TOLOnews طلوع‌نیوز went live. The channel was headed by Lotfollah Najafizadeh. His mission was to build a news department:

• based on global and regional news
• reliable and apolitical
• resistant to external pressure (including from its owner)
• broadcasting in Pashto, Dari, and English
• giving Afghan women journalists a voice

That last point was especially meaningful in Afghan media. Under the Taliban, women had virtually no rights. Now they could speak openly - even show their faces on air. Saad Mohseni and the entire MOBY Group made it their mission to defend women’s rights and freedom of speech. As a result, women made up a significant part of the staff - as journalists, producers, and technical and administrative workers.

The station was seen as modern and progressive. TOLO TV quickly gained viewer popularity, and people were curious about the new channel. Afghan journalists, trained by American colleagues (like Andrew North), learned journalistic etiquette, how to present news, and how to conduct interviews or talk to people on the street. They were the pioneers of free media. Other Afghan stations and radio outlets soon followed TOLO’s lead.


Mohseni made no secret of how his channels operated. He frequently hosted visitors at his office in a cul-de-sac in the Wazir Akbar Khan district - a hub for information from government, anti-government, diplomatic, tribal, and even Taliban sources. Rumors circulated that he influenced what was said on air, but journalists denied it: We’re free to express our own views. There’s no censorship or pressure here.

From the beginning, the channel was divided into several sections:

• World News
• Domestic News
• Sports
• Culture and Art
• Business
• Health
• Opinions

Journalists quickly proved themselves trustworthy, delivering reliable information and resisting trends and pressure. They wanted their station to operate at the highest standards. They spoke openly about government deals with the Taliban, the country’s struggles once international troops left, and the ongoing suicide attacks killing innocent civilians.

The #1 Source of News

They conducted exclusive interviews, like the November 1, 2011 one with Sir William Patey about British influence in Afghanistan, with Russian ambassador Andrey Avetisyan (September 9, 2013), or with former national security advisor Dr. Rangin Dadfar about the peace process (February 26, 2015). Tough questions came from journalists like Muslim Shirzad and Mujahid Kakar.

The channel featured debates, documentaries, and cultural programs, such as coverage of the Caravanserai Regional Culture Festival in March 2017.

TOLOnews quickly became the country’s primary news source, with the largest newsroom, reaching even the remotest regions. From the outset, it established a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It has a YouTube channel and offers live broadcasts online (afghanlive.tv/tolo-news-live/).

In their first decade, TOLOnews journalists clashed with nearly every prominent figure in the country. Their investigative reporting exposed government incompetence, corruption, and election fraud. They were openly pro-American and made no secret of their disdain for the Taliban, who attacked them both online and in real life.

Rukhsar Azamee, a channel reporter in 2015, was so heavily threatened that he fled to Sweden to save himself and his family. A year later, suicide attacks by the Taliban killed seven TOLOnews journalists, and 2016 was declared the deadliest year for journalists and media in Afghanistan. That year alone, there were 415 recorded attacks on journalists, with 14 killed and 23 injured. The rest were threatened or intimidated. A report stated: In 326 cases, the Taliban were responsible; in 63 - the government; and in 26 - unknown actors. In 2015, there were only 95 such incidents, marking a 336% increase.


Reporter Mirabed Joyenda, in a January 20, 2017 article on the station’s website, wrote: Journalists say threats from armed groups won’t stop them from reporting and gathering information. They’ll continue their work as usual. His colleague Mina Mustaied added: Uncertainty is a big challenge for journalists, especially for women, but those challenges won’t hold us back. That same day, the topic was addressed on air by Farakhabar host Jamalnasir Farahmand.

Values Worth Awards

In 2016, the channel and its director received the French Freedom of Information Award. That same year, Time magazine named Lotfollah Najafizadeh a World Leader of the Next Generation, and a year later, he was listed by Forbes among Asia’s 30 most influential people. But as he said, everyone at the station works hard to earn society’s trust and build the brand.

The results show. Management credits the journalists, who uphold four core values:

• They give their all and treat the outlet as their own
• They show courage and fearlessness in reporting
• They resist all forms of pressure
• They constantly improve their skills and standards

TOLOnews journalists prove their worth every day. They report, investigate, inform. They’re where the news happens. Some, like Samim Faramarz and cameraman Ramiz Ahmadi, paid the ultimate price - both were killed in a bombing in September 2018. A year later, journalist Yama Siawash met the same fate.

According to the IFJ South Asia Press Freedom Report, Afghanistan is one of the world’s most deadly countries for journalists. Despite threats and attacks, Mohseni’s station continued to grow in popularity. It broadcast across Afghanistan, Asia, and the Middle East. At home, nearly 60% of the population watched TOLOnews and TOLO TV. The most popular programs included:

• Farakhabar - commentary and opinion
• Bazar - economics
• Goftman - public affairs
• Jahan Nama - health
• Mehwar - current affairs interviews
• Nima Rooz - exclusive interviews
• Tawde Khabare - politics
• Dahleza - crime reports
• Purso Pal - peace-focused conversations

In 2018, all national media, including TOLOnews, covered the parliamentary elections. A year later, the presidential election took place. Channel journalist Massoud Ansar, citing TEFA head Naim Ayoubzada, reported: Parliamentary elections weren’t particularly exciting but were welcomed and supported by the international community.


A year later, he said: For the first time, foreign countries and international institutions did not publicly respond to the Independent Election Commission’s (IEC) final results announcement. Hours after the announcement, Prime Minister Abdullah Abdullah rejected the results and declared himself the winner.

The topic dominated the station’s broadcasts. Debates, analyses, and discussions stirred both the viewers and the journalists in the studio. On February 17, 2020, reporter Khaled Nikzad stated: According to the preliminary results released at the end of last December, incumbent President Ashraf Ghani was declared the winner, while Prime Minister Abdullah Abdullah received 39% of the total 1.8 million votes.

Tensions in the country were rising. Some agreed, others opposed. There were growing calls for the Taliban to be included in government, as their power increased. On December 8, 2019, TOLOnews aired a report on the third day of peace negotiations in Doha between the United States and Taliban negotiators.

Open Letter to the Taliban

On August 13, 2020, an open letter from Afghan women to the Taliban was published on the TOLOnews website. Among other things, it read:

Your willingness to engage in peace talks gave us hope, but your public statements and behavior still concern us. We’ve heard from some of your leaders that you have changed and acknowledged that Afghanistan is no longer the same country you ruled from 1996 to 2001, and that you recognize women`s right to education and work according to “Sharia and Afghan tradition,” while introducing your own interpretations of both. With all due respect, your interpretation is only one of many. There are many customary practices that are in clear contradiction with Islamic values. Some of the most egregious include banning and restricting girls’ education, women’s economic freedom, inheritance rights, and treating women and girls as property.

Although the letter was signed by 400 women, widely shared, and echoed around the world, it brought no change in Afghanistan. All Afghan women would soon realize this when the Taliban took power in August 2021. Terror began.

On April 30, 2021, the 6:00 PM news reported on clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban near the Pakistan border. Just one day later, at 10:00 AM, a Taliban offensive was announced. The situation was especially tense as NATO and U.S. forces had begun withdrawing from the country.

For the next three months, TOLOnews journalists reported from conflict zones. On August 15, they broadcast from the streets of Kabul, which ultimately fell. The first place the Taliban entered in the capital was the TOLOnews office. Surprisingly, they allowed the journalists to continue working. Two days later, during a program hosted by journalist Beheshta Arghand, Taliban spokesman Mawlawi Abdulhaq Hemad appeared in the studio demanding an interview. It was an unprecedented moment: a female journalist facing a leader of a fundamentalist group known for its misogynistic principles.

Despite her fears, Arghand took on the challenge. She checked her appearance and began asking questions. Later, she recalled: I told myself: One of us has to start. If we stay home or don’t go to our offices, they’ll say women don’t want to work. I told the Taliban representative: “We want our rights. We want to work. We want - we must - be part of society. That is our right.”


During the interview, the spokesman assured her and viewers that the Taliban had a new face, that they would respect women’s rights and include other Afghan factions in a power-sharing agreement. He asked the media to refrain from commenting on their takeover and rule.

Broken Promises

The uncovered face of a female Afghan journalist and her bold questions were seen around the world. At just 24 years old, with only a month at the station, she made history - in journalism and in her country. Building on her momentum, she interviewed Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai about women`s rights days later.

Unfortunately, despite the new government`s assurances, Arghand left Afghanistan two weeks later fearing for her life. The Taliban did not keep their promises. Still, other women at the channel followed her lead, appearing on air. Hasiba Atakpal reported from Kabul’s streets, while Sonia Niazi, Yalda Ali, and others hosted programs.

Sadly, not all female journalists were allowed to return. Shabnam Dawran of the public broadcaster RTA was denied entry to her studio because… “the system had changed.” In solidarity, TOLOnews editor-in-chief Miraka Popal aired a video of the journalist appealing for help.

In the following days, TOLOnews editors continued reporting on unfolding events - desperate efforts to leave the country, scenes at Kabul airport and border crossings, interviews with those who stayed. None hid their identity. Reports came live from the studio and city streets. Female journalists, despite their fear, stood beside their male colleagues, fully supported by Saad Mohseni. In an interview with the Washington Post he said: The Taliban must realize that society has changed - not just in cities but across the country. They must, there’s no other choice, accept a more moderate Afghanistan.

But the Taliban have a different vision for change. They created the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, responsible for spiritual and physical purity. This ministry changed TOLOnews programming, banning many shows and enforcing Islamic morality. The channel’s journalists became targets. Arrested, beaten, persecuted, or forced to flee. In August 2021, reporter Ziar Yad Khan was beaten and robbed of his equipment while filming in a Kabul district.

Repression and Fear Didn’t Break the Journalists

Despite pressure, the channel kept broadcasting, though it became a bit more cautious in discussing the Taliban. In September, it acknowledged the U.S.-Taliban deal on troop withdrawal. In November, it presented a 100-day Taliban government report. December saw protests by women over Afghan banks and promises to reopen schools for older girls (only grades 1-6 were operating). The new year brought economic crises, reports of missing female activists, and the creation of a new Special Forces unit. Global news focused mostly on the war in Ukraine.


The channel continued producing reports and documentaries on critical social issues. In October 2021, it aired a report on hunger in Afghanistan. In May 2022, it covered children dying of measles. In March 2022, viewers saw documentaries on the Taliban’s public humiliation of regional musicians in Kunar and the theater crisis in Herat province under the new regime. COVID-19 is also a topic of discussion.

In March 2022, foreign TV series were banned. For reporting on the issue, presenter Bahram Aman was arrested, along with Khpolwak Sapai, who had replaced Lotfollah Najafizadeh as channel director, and legal head Nafi Khaleeq of MOBY Group. Their arrests sparked outrage inside Afghanistan and abroad. After his release, Sapai said:

As a media outlet, we never disobeyed the government. We served as a bridge between government and the people. Our job is to inform the public. We’ve always suggested that any issues regarding TOLOnews be addressed through the Ministry of Information and Culture.

The Islamic Emirate’s intelligence department (the Taliban), in response to criticism, posted on Twitter: Some media broadcast content that harms the religious sentiments of our society and threatens national security. The Islamic Emirate is committed to freedom of expression but will not allow anyone to attack the sacred values of Islam or threaten public mental peace or national security under any pretense.

FreeHerFace. No Faces Seen, But Voices Heard!

Two months later, a rule was enforced requiring female presenters to cover their faces. The “non-negotiable” mandate took effect on Sunday, May 22. The backlash was immediate. A social media campaign called FreeHerFace gained global attention.

Khpolwak Sapai stated: I got a call yesterday with strong instructions to implement it. So, this wasn’t a choice - it was forced on us. On May 22, 2022, all female presenters on TOLOnews, Ariana Television, Shamshad TV, and 1TV appeared on air with their faces covered.

In an interview with AFP, Sonia Niazi said: This is like being stripped of identity. Today they forced us to wear veils, but we’ll keep fighting using our voices. I won’t cry over this order - I’ll speak out for Afghan girls.

In solidarity, TOLOnews male journalists wore black masks. The protest lasted three days and is still being discussed.

On June 22, 2022, tragedy struck. An earthquake killed over 1,000 people and injured 1,500. Coverage of the disaster, humanitarian aid, and all related issues dominated the news. TOLOnews journalists reported live 24 hours a day. They also covered the suffering of injured women, who reportedly received no care from female doctors (June 24). Despite denials from the Health Ministry, women continued reporting this issue.

Despite the hardline new regime, the “small jewel of the new Afghanistan”, as the Financial Times calls the channel, is still on the air. Though the Taliban have taken control of nearly 170 radio stations and several TV channels across the country, they haven’t been able to block the internet. Main newscasts air at 10:00, 17:00, and 22:00. Farakhabar and Mehwar programs are still on, and the website is updated daily.


In an interview with the New York Times, Mohseni admitted he was surprised the Taliban hadn’t shut down the channel. He explained: The Taliban want international legitimacy and try to present themselves as moderate. Their strategy seems to avoid a full media blackout. But they will lose. About 60% of Afghanistan’s population is under 25, most attend mixed schools. Mobile phones and WhatsApp may be banned, but the country has changed. It’s young, and the Taliban won’t be able to convince people the world is flat when it isn’t.

TOLOnews Timeline

:

• 2010, August - TOLOnews news channel launched
• 2015 - seven TOLOnews reporters killed in Taliban suicide attacks
• 2016 - channel receives Freedom of Information Award
• 2018 - reporter Samim Faramarz and cameraman Ramiz Ahmadi killed by Taliban
• 2019 - journalist Yama Siawash killed in bombing
• 2020, August 13 - Afghan women’s letter to Taliban published on TOLOnews site
• 2021, August 15 - TOLOnews under Taliban control
• 2021, August 17 - historic interview by journalist Beheshta Arghand with Taliban representative aired on TOLOnews
• 2022, March - foreign TV series banned
• 2022, May 22 - female presenters ordered to cover their faces
• 2022, May 22-24 - TOLOnews male journalists wear black masks in solidarity

Sources:

• https://www.ilpost.it/2021/08/22/tolo-news-media-afghanistan/
• https://tolonews.com/farakhabar/farakhabar-violence-against-journalists-2016-discussed
• https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/nai-reports-sharp-increase-violence-against-journalists-201
• https://tolonews.com/index.php/about-us
• https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B9%E2%80%8C%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%88%D8%B2
• https://www.milleunadonna.it/photogallery/gallery/giornaliste-afghane-sfidano-talebani-il-caso-tolonews/169034/167/
• https://formiche.net/2021/09/tolo-news-afghanistan/
• https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/07/05/the-networker-2
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saad_Mohseni
• https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-who-is-saad-mohseni-owner-of-afghanistans-leading-tv-news-channel-tolo-news-7472432/
• https://asiasociety.org/asia-game-changers/saad-mohseni
• https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/who-is-beheshta-arghand-tolo-journalist-taliban-television-interview-afghanistan/
• https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/beheshta-arghand-made-headlines-when-she-interviewed-the-taliban-now-shes-fled-due-to-safety-fears/
• https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/29/media/arghand-fleeing-afghanistan/index.html
• https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-178113
• https://krytykapolityczna.pl/swiat/afganistan-talibowie-dziennikarki-freeherface/