Salam Watandar Radio Service

Overview
 
Salam Watandar is a national radio service providing leading news, information and entertainment to a network of 53 Afghan-owned and operated radio stations across Afghanistan.  Salam Watandar was established in 2003 by Internews, with support from USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives.  Today, USAID’s Afghanistan Media Development and Empowerment Project (AMDEP) is helping Salam Watandar expand its role as an independent, non-profit Afghan media production and distribution service.  With USAID support, Salam Watandar continues to reach over 10 million Afghans, connecting the voices and aspirations of listeners from both urban and rural areas.  In addition, this support helps build the capacity of Salam Watandar to serve as a strategic hub for provincial partner stations by offering training, technical advice, and a share of advertising revenue to support sustainability.
 
Activities
  • News Coverage: Salam Watandar broadcasts a morning and evening news program covering national, provincial and district level stories through a network of partner radio stations.
  • Programming: Salam Watandar produces innovative and popular programs, including programs specifically designed for women and youth.
  • Training and Mentoring Media Professionals: To build the quality and sustainability of its partner network, Salam Watandar provides mentoring to local reporters and producers at partner stations.
  • Fix It - Bridging the Divide between Government and Communities: Through the Fix It radio program, Salam Watandar acts as a bridge between civil society and government, demonstrating how local media can play a constructive role in assisting communities, holding the government accountable, and serving as a catalyst for change.
  • Generation Hope: Generation Hope is a national phone-in program that provides an innovative platform for youth to share their opinions and aspirations with experts and other young people across Afghanistan.
  • Access to Media: Through a team of stringers and partner stations, Salam Watandar, unlike other Afghan media networks, opens its airways to audiences, encouraging dialogue and debate among diverse audiences.
Accomplishments
  • Delivered capacity building and training for more than 180 producers, reporters, and studio operators from provincial radio stations across the country.
  • Delivered daily, balanced, and accurate coverage of national news through a network of stringers and partner radio stations.
  • Trained approximately 100 youth in journalism and radio production.  Sponsored youth discussions on topics such as: the role of youth in the peace process, the rights and obligations of voters, unemployment, and the arts.  
  • Produced and distributed feature radio programs, such as Story of A Village, Fix It, Mirror of Women, and Generation Hope, which connected listeners from different areas.
  • Engaged audiences through new media, including Salam Watandar’s website, Facebook and Twitter.