TKG (The Killid “key” Group) is a not-for-profit public media initiative of Development & Humanitarian Services for Afghanistan (DHSA). Public media was added to DHSA’s portfolio in 2002 through the establishment of TKG, one of Afghanistan’s most dynamic and successful non commercial media initiatives with a team of 160 radio, print and TV production professionals.
TKG’s mission as a public media project of DHSA is to promote civic media, free speech and open discourse in Afghanistan and to strengthen the press as an independent source of information for the Afghan people.
TKG utilizes a variety of platforms to achieve its mission from book and magazine publishing, civic radio, regular trainings of TKG and other Afghan media journalist’s on human rights and war crimes investigative reporting techniques, production of original web content, co-sponsorship of conferences and workshops on media and development, by giving a consistent platform for voices of reason in Afghanistan to express themselves through TKG’s various communication platforms and by making its media resources available within all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.
TKG is the only Afghan media with a presence in all 34 provinces of the country as well as a distribution reach within neighboring Pakistan and Iran. Through a combination of regional bureaus and freelance journalists, TKG produces daily news reports, live radio feeds, video footage, investigations and special interest stories. Its audience reach is demographically, geographically and numerically broad. Both decision makers and average citizens tune into its radio network (Radio Killid) and read TKG’s two weekly magazines, Mursal Women’s Magazine and Killid Weekly.
Since its establishment, TKG’s various media products have become household names and even in remote areas of the country, a valuable literary and information resource.
TKG’s success is in large part thanks to its dedicated audience following (print and radio) and because of the generous support it has received from a number of international and national partners.
To this affect, we would like to thank The Asia Foundation, European Commission, Open Society Institute, IDRC, French Embassy and Cultural Center, & USAID for providing assistance to the start up and capacity building of DHSA’s media program, TKG, and to acknowledge the intellectual partnerships we have with Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture, The InterPress Service News Agency, Pajwok News Agency, Afghan Center for International Journalism, Sayara and The Crimes of War Project as well as the overall Afghan NGO community which we consider a valuable civil society stakeholder.
In an environment where the media was formerly controlled by the government, suppressed or non existent beyond city centers, the growth of TKG during Afghanistan’s critical transition from war to peace has served as a valuable asset for all those dedicated to building a peaceful and open society.
An important aspect about TKG unique is that it is the largest non commercial independent media in Afghanistan, established with a public service mandate to inform, educate and inspire in an effort to give the public the intellectual tools they need to recover after three decades of war and turmoil.
All resources generated through advertising, public service announcements and communication initiatives are reinvested back into developing more media initiatives which enhance access to information and foster communication and in the capacity building of DHSA/TKG.
Financing TKG: TKG’s costs are managed through a unique blend of advertising, radio and print, PSA revenues, grants and public communication contracts. All profits generated by advertising and public communication contracts are reinvested back into DHSA/TKG’s operating costs, serving as a sustainable business model for other non profits in Afghanistan. TKG also receives contributions from its strategic business partner, nyeEXpress, which helps fill operational funding gaps and supports the start-up of new TKG projects.
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