In brief
The Taliban government has suspended the BBC’s FM radio broadcasts in Afghanistan, blaming repeated violations. This marks the first major cut in international news access in the country since 2022, when US outlets were banned. While the BBC’s Afghan service remains active on shortwave, online and satellite, millions of listeners no longer receive local FM updates. The move highlights tighter media control under Taliban rule, including restrictions on music and women’s visibility on air.
The Taliban government has pulled the plug on BBC radio stations across Afghanistan, citing "repeated violations" as the reason. The BBC has been the only international news outlet airing inside the country since U.S. broadcasters were banned in 2022.
With just a few days left of its FM service, the BBC said it would keep telling stories on shortwave, satellite and online, and that it continues to reach more than 20 percent of Afghan adults each week. The shutdown impacts especially the BBC’s educational programs for Afghan girls, who face a ban on secondary schooling.
The Taliban’s tight grip on media includes stopping music broadcasts and limiting women’s presence on TV. Social media still exists, but electricity shortages, high costs and low literacy rates mean many Afghans stay cut off from real‑time news.
