TOLOnews
An Afghan 24-hour television and digital news service broadcasting in Dari, Pashto, and English.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
TOLOnews is an Afghan news channel and digital news publisher headquartered in Kabul. It is owned by Moby Media Group and was launched in August 2010 as a sister service to TOLO TV, with a mandate focused exclusively on Afghan, regional, and international news. The launch made TOLOnews the first 24-hour news channel in Afghanistan, expanding the country’s television news market beyond scheduled news bulletins and general-interest programming. The service distributes news through terrestrial television across Afghanistan and through satellite and internet platforms for audiences inside and outside the country. Its website publishes written reports and updates, while the broader service has offered television bulletins and digital content in Dari, Pashto, and English. TOLOnews is part of Moby Media Group’s Afghan television portfolio, alongside TOLO and Lemar, and has become one of the most recognizable Afghan news brands. The channel’s history has been closely connected to Afghanistan’s political and security environment. Lotfullah Najafizada served as director of news from the channel’s launch in 2010 until 2021 and was recognized by Reporters Without Borders as a Press Freedom Hero in 2016. The network has also employed prominent presenters and reporters, including Bahram Aman, Wahid Ahmadi, Tahmina Usmani, Sebghat Sepehr, Shuja Zaki, Zarmina Mohammadi, Sonia Niazi, Faridullah Mohammadi, and Beheshta Arghand. Former presenters Yama Siawash and Naimat Rawan died in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul on 15 August 2021, TOLOnews attracted international attention when a female journalist interviewed a Taliban spokesman on air. Moby Media chief executive Saad Mohseni said the company intended to maintain the service, potentially relocating some operations to the Middle East or Europe if the authorities closed its Afghan operations. The Taliban permitted the channel to continue broadcasting, but its journalists and facilities were subjected to pressure and alleged abuses. In August 2021, a TOLOnews cameraman was reportedly beaten by five Taliban soldiers while covering events surrounding the fall of Kabul. On 16 March 2022, Taliban gunmen entered the Kabul studio and detained three employees after the channel broadcast reporting concerning restrictions on foreign television programs. The detained personnel included reporter Bahram Aman, chief of news Khapalwak Safi, and legal adviser Nafi Khaliq; all were subsequently released. The network continued to employ female journalists, although working conditions included requirements and studio arrangements imposed by the authorities, such as approved hijab and physical separation between male and female staff in some settings. TOLOnews remains a significant source of Afghan news despite operating under censorship, security, and political constraints. Its continued use of female presenters and reporters has made it a visible indicator of the space available for women in Afghan media. At the same time, the channel has acknowledged the need for greater caution when criticizing those in power. The service’s current status, ownership structure, and editorial operating conditions may change in response to Afghanistan’s political environment.
History
TOLOnews was established in August 2010 by Moby Media Group as a news-focused sister channel to TOLO TV. Its creation addressed the need for a continuous Afghan news service rather than a general entertainment channel with periodic news segments. The network launched as Afghanistan's first 24-hour news channel and developed television and online distribution in Dari, Pashto, and English. The channel broadcasts from Kabul and has been available through terrestrial television across Afghanistan, satellite distribution, and the internet. Its online operation publishes written news reports and audiovisual material, enabling the brand to reach Afghan audiences abroad as well as viewers within the country. TOLOnews operates within Moby Media Group's wider television portfolio, which also includes TOLO and Lemar. Lotfullah Najafizada was director of news from 2010 to 2021. His tenure coincided with the channel's development into a prominent Afghan news organization and with the expansion of the country's television and digital media sector. Reporters Without Borders named Najafizada a Press Freedom Hero in 2016. The network's presenter roster has included figures such as Wahid Ahmadi, Bahram Aman, Tahmina Usmani, Sebghat Sepehr, Shuja Zaki, Zarmina Mohammadi, Sonia Niazi, Faridullah Mohammadi, and Beheshta Arghand. Yama Siawash and Naimat Rawan were former presenters who died in 2020 and 2021. The Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021 placed the channel in a substantially more restrictive operating environment. TOLOnews received international attention after a female journalist interviewed a Taliban spokesman. Saad Mohseni, the Moby Media chief executive associated with the channel, said the company intended to keep broadcasting and could consider operating from outside Afghanistan if the authorities shut down its domestic activity. The channel nevertheless faced incidents involving its journalists and editorial work. In August 2021, a cameraman was reportedly beaten by five Taliban soldiers while covering the fall of Kabul. On 16 March 2022, approximately fifteen Taliban gunmen reportedly entered the Kabul studio and arrested three employees: reporter Bahram Aman, chief of news Khapalwak Safi, and legal adviser Nafi Khaliq. The detentions were linked in reporting to a TOLOnews story about the Taliban's ban on foreign television programs, although the Taliban characterized the reporting as offensive to religious sentiments. All three employees were later released. TOLOnews continued to employ women journalists after the Taliban takeover, but under conditions shaped by Taliban rules and workplace requirements. These conditions reportedly included approved hijab and the use of curtains or other arrangements to separate men and women in studios. Mohseni described the channel's news operation as broadly continuing while acknowledging that criticism of the authorities had to be handled more carefully. The network's continued employment of female reporters and presenters has consequently been viewed as symbolically important in a media system where women's participation has faced growing restrictions. The channel's history illustrates both the expansion of Afghan broadcast journalism and the vulnerability of independent or semi-independent media under political and security pressure. TOLOnews remains an active Afghan news brand according to the supplied reference material, but its long-term editorial independence, staffing, distribution, and operating conditions are subject to Afghanistan's changing political environment.
- 2022
Kabul studio raid
[1]Taliban gunmen entered the Kabul studio and detained three employees before releasing them later.
- 2021
Operation continues after Taliban takeover of Kabul
[1]Following the fall of Kabul, TOLOnews continued broadcasting and maintained a visible role in Afghan news coverage.
- 2016
Director of news receives press-freedom recognition
[1]Reporters Without Borders named Lotfullah Najafizada a Press Freedom Hero for his work associated with Afghan journalism.
- 2010
Launch of TOLOnews
[1]Moby Media Group launched TOLOnews in August as Afghanistan's first 24-hour news channel and as a dedicated news sister service to TOLO TV.
Products and positioning
A multilingual Afghan news network positioned around continuous coverage of domestic politics, security, society, and international affairs, with distribution through television, satellite, and digital platforms.
24-hour news television · 2010
TOLOnews television channel
The core broadcast service, launched in 2010 as Afghanistan's first 24-hour news channel. It covers Afghan domestic affairs, politics, security, society, regional developments, and international news. The channel is distributed terrestrially across Afghanistan and through satellite and internet services.
Digital news publishing
TOLOnews digital platform
The TOLOnews website publishes news reports, updates, and audiovisual material for audiences in Afghanistan and internationally. The service supports multilingual content in Dari, Pashto, and English and extends the channel's reach beyond scheduled television broadcasts.
News bulletins and current affairs · 2010
Multilingual news programming
TOLOnews produces and distributes news content in Dari, Pashto, and English. This multilingual structure allows the network to address different Afghan language communities while also providing an internationally accessible version of selected reporting.
Controversies
2026
Reported detention of two journalists
The supplied reference states that the Taliban announced the detention of anchor Imran Danish and political editor Mansoor Niazi on unspecified charges.
2022
Taliban raid and employee detentions
On 16 March 2022, Taliban gunmen reportedly stormed the Kabul studio and detained three employees after reporting concerning restrictions on foreign television programs. The employees were later released.
2021
Cameraman reportedly assaulted during Kabul coverage
A TOLOnews cameraman was reportedly beaten by five Taliban soldiers while reporting on the fall of Kabul in August 2021.
Brand decisions
2021
Continue broadcasting after the Taliban takeoverStrategyBackground
The fall of Kabul created uncertainty over the future of Afghan media organizations and the safety of their journalists.
Action taken
Moby Media chief executive Saad Mohseni stated that the company intended to continue TOLOnews, with possible relocation of operations outside Afghanistan if necessary.
Aftermath
The channel continued operating, although journalists and facilities faced reported assaults, detentions, and restrictions.
2010
Create a dedicated 24-hour news channelProduct launchBackground
Moby Media Group operated TOLO TV as a general television service and identified an opportunity for a continuous Afghan news channel.
Action taken
The group launched TOLOnews as a sister channel devoted to local, national, and international news.
Aftermath
TOLOnews became a prominent Afghan television news brand and expanded distribution through terrestrial television, satellite, and the internet.
Recent events
- 2021
TOLOnews continues broadcasting after the fall of Kabul[1]
Other · Leadership change
After the Taliban captured Kabul, the network continued operating and received international attention for a female journalist's interview with a Taliban spokesman.
- 2016
Lotfullah Najafizada recognized as a Press Freedom Hero[1]
Other
Reporters Without Borders recognized the channel's director of news for his work in Afghan journalism and press freedom.
- 2010
TOLOnews launches as Afghanistan's first 24-hour news channel[1]
Product launch
TOLOnews began broadcasting in August 2010 as a dedicated news sister channel to TOLO TV.
Sources2 sources
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